She did mention having left the empire. Do you believe the two events are related?
[RIP.]
Well, I just meant to make sure you had intended to do so.
Not as surprised as I would be if there were more. I suppose a one-pot recipe will have to do. I'm still relatively unfamiliar with the currency, so I'll be relying on you to help make sure we stay within budget.
I'm assuming that's sarcasm, though it doesn't carry well over text. But of course there are many who would wish to leave and simply lack the ability. Perhaps being wed provided an opportunity of escape.
Very well. And yes, a suitable amount of kitchen supplies are certainly a priority, provided you don't wish to live on take-out alone.
Very well. And perhaps if you'd like we can pick up some of those donuts you were wanting for dessert. I'm sure Noctis would like one too when he returns.
Really, Prompto, it's nothing special. But I appreciate the sentiment.
i think he'd like that i'm not saying we're making a habit of it, but it's kind of a habit
[a couple of minutes later, he sends out:]
check your six
[coming up from behind ignis is prompto, dressed in loose fitting clothes and sneakers. his hands in his pockets, he smiles upon ignis turning around; one hand slips out, raised up to wave at him. it's his day off, but he's still wearing a black baseball cap atop an attempt at styling his short hair.]
[The quick message is enough for him to turn around- and it's alright, prompto, his own outfit isn't much better. A lightly coloured, ridiculously-patterned floral shirt, shorts, and sneakers that have the soles halfway falling off. Thanks, Morningstar, for your meager donations.
He lifts a hand in greeting as Prompto approaches- and really, can't help but be a bit jealous of Prompto being established enough to have enough hair to be styled. Just a few more months.....]
Prompto. Good to see you. And please, lead away.
Is there anything you'd prefer for dinner, or should we just see what's the best sale?
Then I'll try and think of something interesting. [He is excited to see what's for sale at the market, admittedly. So far it's seemed that the food is very similar to what they have on Eos, for the most part-- though there are certain differences that cause him to constantly be referencing online encyclopedias and recipe guides.
He pauses at the offer to buy him better clothes with a faint frown. Because look, he doesn't have a lot, and he's been trying to conserve the small amount of funds Morningstar had seen them off with.]
...Very well. If you know where to go, I could certainly use more than three shirts.
[He follows after Prompto, glancing about as they make their way towards the market. He's not sure what to expect, really- the place is far more advanced that Lestallum's stalls- but neither would he truly expect the shopping malls of Insomnia's downtown districts.]
[prompto definitely knows where to go. he picks up the pace and skips on ahead a bit, just to check around the corner of the intersection, before pausing and waiting for ignis to catch up. he looks comfortable in the city, but only because he's gotten time to get used to it--and because he's such a technophile that he immediately fell in love with the idea of its machinations.]
[hands back in his pockets, it's the most he can do to avoid accidental physical contact. he is still, however, unable to keep still, moving back and forth on the balls of his feet at a constant rhythm.]
Nah. It's my day off, turns out.
[he motions towards a set of stairs that leads down.]
The market's down there. It's like they really wanna avoid the heat as much as possible.
[Seeing Prompto move seamlessly down the street is something of a comfort. Contrasting how lost and discombobulated he still feels about this environment, still finding every new detail worthy of notice, Prompto has been able to settle in and grow almost as comfortable as a local. Posture and constant-motions are just what Ignis remembers- even if the boy has seemed a bit pulled back, emotionally.
(Ignis tells himself it's likely trying to remain cognizant of the differences in their timelines.)
He adjusts the thick gloves on his hands as he walks- still those thick, worn work gloves Prompto had given him. They're probably one of the first things he plans on replacing- these are much too bulky for fine movements, and frankly look ridiculous. But they're still a bit of a comfort, regardless.]
Good to hear. Have you had relatively consistent shifts? Or does it shift depending on the workload?
[He... knows what electrician's do but he's definitely not familiar with the day-to-day minutiae. Is it hourly? Is it contract? Who knows how jobs work when you're not salaried and on-call 24/7.
He pauses at the staircase, glancing in-- and really, it's a bit of a seedy look, the dark stairs leading down below the streetlevel. But if there's one thing he'd quickly learned, it was that this city was built straight up and straight down both.
Besides, in this heat? The shade and consistent temperature of underground would be a reprieve.]
I'd imagine it's a much more stable atmosphere for goods- and with the summer being what it is, I can't say I mind. Shall we?
[Unafraid, he goes ahead to start descending the stair case, only slowing slightly to allow his eyes to adjust to the shadows as he progresses further in.]
I gotta be there on the week days for sure, but sometimes the guy I'm shadowing gets called to go in so he tells me to show up, too.
[it's casual talk. it, somehow, feels a lot more like when prompto was sixteen and still relatively new to his friendship with noctis and everything that pertained the crown prince. he was never actually interrogated, but ignis would sometimes drive him home from noctis's apartment and would ask about his personal life. prompto never took it as a personal offence (after noctis assured him ignis was just intense about everything), but it very much felt like he was a new animal at the zoo for the royal court to gawk at.]
[ignis did seem to appreciate the fact that prompto worked part-time jobs, and this reminds him of that.]
I get to crawl into vents and small spaces 'cause no one else can, sometimes. Total claustrophobia disaster. [he adds with a lofty smile, as if it's amusing, heading down the steps in tandem with the other.] I'm a fast learner! Which has mister Wharton real impressed. Guess all those years doing odd jobs for m'neighbors and fixing broken down washing machines really paid off.
[he's pulling out his hands at this point, and taps at his fingers while he does a mental count. they've got some bruising: burns and cuts on his fingers.]
--foods, clothes, accessories. [he dispels his finger counting] Yeah! They got quite a number of things!
[skipping the last three steps, he lands on his feet and puts a hand up over his eyes as he watches ignis finish coming down.]
[While it is casual, Ignis's version of casual is much different than others at times. Asking about work and passions and goals, as opposed to interests or the latest movie or media. Even still, he has trouble remember that other people have different passions than their work and careers at time. So... yeah, it probably does come off as judging or interrogating, making sure people are being productive and pushing themselves and being ambitious.
Still, he's genuinely interested in what's Prompto decided to pursue as a career here, thrown out of their lives from back home. And it's good that he's found something he can put his skills towards, something that Ignis assumes he enjoys, with as much tinkering he'd get into when it came to his own machinery, or cleaning his guns and the like.
He does frown slightly, though at the mention of his claustrophobia.]
How would they accomplish the job if you weren't working with them, then? It seems awfully unfair to pawn that off onto you, especially when you're so uncomfortable with enclosed spaces like that.
[He does catch the flicker of burns and cuts on the other man's fingers, and his brows furrow slightly at it. But as Prompto hasn't said anything, he'll refrain from pressing too hard. Picking and choosing battles, after all.]
You need to be sure you're standing your ground. You're a very hard worker, Prompto, and occasionally you don't give yourself enough credit. You don't need to accept every task given to you.
[But the last comment does have him looking up, towards the market as he thinks.]
Well, now that you mention it... I'm awfully late for it, but Noct's birthday is in just a few short days, correct? [His fingers curl for a moment in thought, keeping him from bringing a hand up to readjust glasses that aren't there. An irritating tic he hadn't even registered having until he had no outlet for it.] While I can't spend too much towards it, without an income as of yet, I was hoping to purchase or make something similar to an item he had back home.
[A pause-- and he realizes, he had no idea if Prompto would have known about this. Did Noct share this much of his childhood with the other man? He really doesn't know.]
Has you... ever seen the small figurine he keeps at his bedside? It's a Carbuncle- one his Father gave him when he was quite young.
[prompto grins at ignis's diagnosis of the situation, catering forward some real helpful advice despite not having asked for any of the other man. his hands find the back of his head, elbows raised in a gesture of nonchalance.]
Where was all that concern when we went down into real tight caves and mines? Don't worry, Iggy. I can take it.
[it's not like he has much choice--but, in the end, he does enjoy what he does. and that's what makes him a willing participant (even a volunteer by his own volition to crawl in when the other option was some robotic apparatus left in HQ).]
[the mention of noctis's birthday has prompto's eyebrows raising and an excited twitch on the corners of his lips as they move upwards, hands pumping in front of his chest in earnest fists.]
Yeah! I remember it vaguely! That sounds like an amazing idea.
I'd say a ventilation shaft is far more restricting than a corridor that three grown men, an overgrown man, and several flans are able to fight in. But I'll concede that I'm sure being underground was difficult.
[A beat, a half-smile, and he glances up at the ceiling above them.]
Is it stifling now, out of curiosity?
[Because so much of this city is built underground, the infrastructure growing deeper and deeper and more labyrinthine. And, really, he's curious about what does and doesn't bother Prompto's claustrophobia. it's something he can try and keep in mind going forward.
And he's pleased that his idea is met with such enthusiasm, and chuckles quietly.]
Well- hopefully it will be recognizable, at least. I'm not that much of a craftsman. But I thought if we worked together we could come up with something passable. It's not too complicated of a silhouette, after all.
[prompto dismisses the notion of ignis gently prodding at his insecurities as anything other than attempt to keep a conversation going, so he responds with equal amount of dismissive inflection (--it's not for anything ignis says, he's just excited at the prospect of conspiring over noctis's birthday present).]
It's not so bad! [maybe, to some extent, it gets stifling, but the fact that there are clear exits make it bearable.] Do you have anything in mind? Like, a sculpture of sorts? Or maybe like -- a keychain?
[he's not very creative, this one, but he's down for helping out and getting things done right. why waste creativity when ignis probably has an idea of what he wants to make, anyway?]
[this is the part where he grins, finger guns as he puts his hand over his chin in some smug fashion.]
With our powers combined, Noct's not gonna have anything to be upset about for his birthday.
[The change of subject is fine with him- he's never really been sure just how to speak with Prompto. Being too serious intimidates him, joking with him tends to just make him feel bad, and ultimately Ignis is not good at picking up on any of these things sometimes. But the gift for Noctis is a Priority, and he nods, lips quirking up in a small smile.]
I suppose it depends on the materials we can find- though I'm not much of a sculptor. [He's... not very <>i>artistic to be honest.] About the only craft-like skill I have is basic sewing experience, but even that is limited to straight lines and buttons.
[A small plush, maybe, could be easy enough? Just two silhouettes stitched together and stuffed? It wouldn't be too hard... though prompto's idea of a keychain could be good, too.]
Why would he be upset regardless? [His head tilts slightly, obviously confused by the statement.] While he's a bit spoiled, he'd never be ungrateful for even the smallest effort on his behalf.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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And I'd be happy to see what you have in the kitchen. I hope you two own more than one pan.
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a bit wild but cool
[lmao ignis... rip]
hey let a guy be his own man! [he totally misspelled his name]
though you'll be surprised to find that we only have the one pan haha
missed ya buddy
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[RIP.]
Well, I just meant to make sure you had intended to do so.
Not as surprised as I would be if there were more. I suppose a one-pot recipe will have to do. I'm still relatively unfamiliar with the currency, so I'll be relying on you to help make sure we stay within budget.
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ignis buddy i got it all sorted and figured out
you wanna go now? we should probs definitely invest in more pots and pans though haha
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Very well. And yes, a suitable amount of kitchen supplies are certainly a priority, provided you don't wish to live on take-out alone.
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i don't wanna live on bugs alone so anything is good, really
where you at!
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I've been exploring some of the town. I'll send you my GPS location. It will likely be easier to find than my trying to describe where I am.
And I'm sure you've eaten worse than insects- or that they could be made palatable for you.
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tbh whatever it is i just wanna try your food again haha
[SWEAT]
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Really, Prompto, it's nothing special. But I appreciate the sentiment.
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i'm not saying we're making a habit of it, but it's kind of a habit
[a couple of minutes later, he sends out:]
check your six
[coming up from behind ignis is prompto, dressed in loose fitting clothes and sneakers. his hands in his pockets, he smiles upon ignis turning around; one hand slips out, raised up to wave at him. it's his day off, but he's still wearing a black baseball cap atop an attempt at styling his short hair.]
Hey, Igster. Ready for your marketplace tour?
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He lifts a hand in greeting as Prompto approaches- and really, can't help but be a bit jealous of Prompto being established enough to have enough hair to be styled. Just a few more months.....]
Prompto. Good to see you. And please, lead away.
Is there anything you'd prefer for dinner, or should we just see what's the best sale?
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[he offers, instead, trying very hard to not ask if this wasn't clothes ignis wore maybe a few days ago?]
[he makes up his mind, as he starts walking down the street.]
We can also get you some better clothes to get by, too.
[also, excuse you, prompto is happy with his own selection. it's very summer, thank you very much!]
Some are being sold for a real bargain. You just gotta know where to look!
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He pauses at the offer to buy him better clothes with a faint frown. Because look, he doesn't have a lot, and he's been trying to conserve the small amount of funds Morningstar had seen them off with.]
...Very well. If you know where to go, I could certainly use more than three shirts.
[He follows after Prompto, glancing about as they make their way towards the market. He's not sure what to expect, really- the place is far more advanced that Lestallum's stalls- but neither would he truly expect the shopping malls of Insomnia's downtown districts.]
Have you been busy today?
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[hands back in his pockets, it's the most he can do to avoid accidental physical contact. he is still, however, unable to keep still, moving back and forth on the balls of his feet at a constant rhythm.]
Nah. It's my day off, turns out.
[he motions towards a set of stairs that leads down.]
The market's down there. It's like they really wanna avoid the heat as much as possible.
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(Ignis tells himself it's likely trying to remain cognizant of the differences in their timelines.)
He adjusts the thick gloves on his hands as he walks- still those thick, worn work gloves Prompto had given him. They're probably one of the first things he plans on replacing- these are much too bulky for fine movements, and frankly look ridiculous. But they're still a bit of a comfort, regardless.]
Good to hear. Have you had relatively consistent shifts? Or does it shift depending on the workload?
[He... knows what electrician's do but he's definitely not familiar with the day-to-day minutiae. Is it hourly? Is it contract? Who knows how jobs work when you're not salaried and on-call 24/7.
He pauses at the staircase, glancing in-- and really, it's a bit of a seedy look, the dark stairs leading down below the streetlevel. But if there's one thing he'd quickly learned, it was that this city was built straight up and straight down both.
Besides, in this heat? The shade and consistent temperature of underground would be a reprieve.]
I'd imagine it's a much more stable atmosphere for goods- and with the summer being what it is, I can't say I mind. Shall we?
[Unafraid, he goes ahead to start descending the stair case, only slowing slightly to allow his eyes to adjust to the shadows as he progresses further in.]
I assume they sell all types of goods here?
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[it's casual talk. it, somehow, feels a lot more like when prompto was sixteen and still relatively new to his friendship with noctis and everything that pertained the crown prince. he was never actually interrogated, but ignis would sometimes drive him home from noctis's apartment and would ask about his personal life. prompto never took it as a personal offence (after noctis assured him ignis was just intense about everything), but it very much felt like he was a new animal at the zoo for the royal court to gawk at.]
[ignis did seem to appreciate the fact that prompto worked part-time jobs, and this reminds him of that.]
I get to crawl into vents and small spaces 'cause no one else can, sometimes. Total claustrophobia disaster. [he adds with a lofty smile, as if it's amusing, heading down the steps in tandem with the other.] I'm a fast learner! Which has mister Wharton real impressed. Guess all those years doing odd jobs for m'neighbors and fixing broken down washing machines really paid off.
[he's pulling out his hands at this point, and taps at his fingers while he does a mental count. they've got some bruising: burns and cuts on his fingers.]
--foods, clothes, accessories. [he dispels his finger counting] Yeah! They got quite a number of things!
[skipping the last three steps, he lands on his feet and puts a hand up over his eyes as he watches ignis finish coming down.]
You got anything in mind other than food?
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Still, he's genuinely interested in what's Prompto decided to pursue as a career here, thrown out of their lives from back home. And it's good that he's found something he can put his skills towards, something that Ignis assumes he enjoys, with as much tinkering he'd get into when it came to his own machinery, or cleaning his guns and the like.
He does frown slightly, though at the mention of his claustrophobia.]
How would they accomplish the job if you weren't working with them, then? It seems awfully unfair to pawn that off onto you, especially when you're so uncomfortable with enclosed spaces like that.
[He does catch the flicker of burns and cuts on the other man's fingers, and his brows furrow slightly at it. But as Prompto hasn't said anything, he'll refrain from pressing too hard. Picking and choosing battles, after all.]
You need to be sure you're standing your ground. You're a very hard worker, Prompto, and occasionally you don't give yourself enough credit. You don't need to accept every task given to you.
[But the last comment does have him looking up, towards the market as he thinks.]
Well, now that you mention it... I'm awfully late for it, but Noct's birthday is in just a few short days, correct? [His fingers curl for a moment in thought, keeping him from bringing a hand up to readjust glasses that aren't there. An irritating tic he hadn't even registered having until he had no outlet for it.] While I can't spend too much towards it, without an income as of yet, I was hoping to purchase or make something similar to an item he had back home.
[A pause-- and he realizes, he had no idea if Prompto would have known about this. Did Noct share this much of his childhood with the other man? He really doesn't know.]
Has you... ever seen the small figurine he keeps at his bedside? It's a Carbuncle- one his Father gave him when he was quite young.
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Where was all that concern when we went down into real tight caves and mines? Don't worry, Iggy. I can take it.
[it's not like he has much choice--but, in the end, he does enjoy what he does. and that's what makes him a willing participant (even a volunteer by his own volition to crawl in when the other option was some robotic apparatus left in HQ).]
[the mention of noctis's birthday has prompto's eyebrows raising and an excited twitch on the corners of his lips as they move upwards, hands pumping in front of his chest in earnest fists.]
Yeah! I remember it vaguely! That sounds like an amazing idea.
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[A beat, a half-smile, and he glances up at the ceiling above them.]
Is it stifling now, out of curiosity?
[Because so much of this city is built underground, the infrastructure growing deeper and deeper and more labyrinthine. And, really, he's curious about what does and doesn't bother Prompto's claustrophobia. it's something he can try and keep in mind going forward.
And he's pleased that his idea is met with such enthusiasm, and chuckles quietly.]
Well- hopefully it will be recognizable, at least. I'm not that much of a craftsman. But I thought if we worked together we could come up with something passable. It's not too complicated of a silhouette, after all.
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It's not so bad! [maybe, to some extent, it gets stifling, but the fact that there are clear exits make it bearable.] Do you have anything in mind? Like, a sculpture of sorts? Or maybe like -- a keychain?
[he's not very creative, this one, but he's down for helping out and getting things done right. why waste creativity when ignis probably has an idea of what he wants to make, anyway?]
[this is the part where he grins, finger guns as he puts his hand over his chin in some smug fashion.]
With our powers combined, Noct's not gonna have anything to be upset about for his birthday.
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I suppose it depends on the materials we can find- though I'm not much of a sculptor. [He's... not very <>i>artistic to be honest.] About the only craft-like skill I have is basic sewing experience, but even that is limited to straight lines and buttons.
[A small plush, maybe, could be easy enough? Just two silhouettes stitched together and stuffed? It wouldn't be too hard... though prompto's idea of a keychain could be good, too.]
Why would he be upset regardless? [His head tilts slightly, obviously confused by the statement.] While he's a bit spoiled, he'd never be ungrateful for even the smallest effort on his behalf.