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Noctis turns a page in his textbook. He studies the list of practice questions. Sighing, he closes his eyes and slowly leans forward until his forehead touches the table. Prompto watches on and can only think same.
He and Noct have been studying for- a while, now. At least a good few hours. Noctis usually starts to dip two hours into a study session, and that’d happened when they cracked open their chemistry textbooks. Four chapters later and he’s only gotten worse. Prompto is feeling it, too.
“Noct,” Ignis calls from the kitchen. “Head up.”
“Can we please take a break,” Noct begs against his paper. “My brain is gonna fall out.”
“Yeah,” Prompto agrees, sitting back in his chair. “This is the opposite of a good time.”
“What subject are you studying?” Ignis asks, with the confidence of a person who wrote their study plan.
“Chemistryyy,” Noct groans, dragging out the last syllable. Prompto understands – it’s his least favourite subject, too.
“Alright,” Ignis gives in. “You can stop for the day.”
“Finally.” Noctis pulls himself out of the chair at the table and takes himself to the couch. He flops down, hanging his head over the back of it.
“Do you want tea, Noct?” Ignis asks. Noctis just groans in response. “I see. Do you want sugar?” Noct groans again.
“Let me help,” Prompto says, getting to his feet. He’s been cramped at the table all day - he wants to get up and do something.
“Alright,” Ignis concedes. He flicks on the kettle and reaches for his own and Noct’s usual mugs, left on the drying rack. “More mugs are in the left cupboard.”
“Gotcha.” Prompto moves to the place specified. He tugs it open, peering inside, and stops short. “What the...”
“What is it?” Ignis asks.
“There’s. Something in here?” Prompto reaches in, and tugs the object out. It’s wide and in the shape of a square cuboid. Prompto turns it over, the back faded with time, and makes an oooh noise. “It’s a chess set.”
"Hmm- yeah," Noct answers. "One of my aunts gave it to me for my birthday. I don't play it, though." He yawns into his hand.
Ignis sighs, put upon. “Why was it inside one of your kitchen cupboards, and not – say - storage?”
"I dunno,” Noct tells him, and shrugs a little. “I forgot it was there.”
“You got any other weird shit in your cupboards?” Prompto asks. He tugs open another one at random, peering inside.
“I dunnoooo.” Noct yawns again. “I don’t remember... Just wanna nap..."
Noctis's lips flick downwards in that frown which Ignis himself is immune to. Unfortunately, Prompto is not.
"Oh- yeah, sure dude." Prompto predictably gives in. "Go take a nap. We can find somewhere else to put this." He shakes the box a little. “And maybe sort through your kitchen for other dumb shit. I’m curious, now.”
"Alright." Noctis yawns again. "Keep Ignis out of trouble."
Ignis huffs a laugh even as Prompto salutes. "Yes, sir." And Noctis retreats the nearest flat surface, which just so happens to be the couch. He shifts, finding a comfortable position, and is asleep instantly.
"So...." Prompto says after a stretch of silence. He lifts the box and wiggles it, the pieces within clattering together. "Wanna play chess?"
They don't have time for this. Ignis really wants to get Noctis' apartment tidy before he has to start on making any food.
"I wasn't aware you knew how to play," Ignis responds anyway. He's curious, now.
"I mean- you know the rules," Prompto says with a shrug. "And so do I."
Ignis hums. Tugging a blanket off the back of the sofa, he does the calculations in his head. "Alright," he agrees, laying the blanket over the sleeping prince, and Prompto whoops quietly. "One game."
He's sure it will be a quick one. Maybe he can even finish the game before the kettle has finished boiling.
Half an hour later and they're still playing the game, tea forgone. Ignis doesn't understand how this is happening, but... Prompto is winning.
Barely even glancing at the board, Prompto haphazardly moves a piece forward. It puts him right into the path of a manoeuvre Ignis has been planning for five turns. He executes it perfectly, and then his phone beeps.
"One moment," Ignis mutters, turning away to check his messages. There's movement out the corner of his eye, but he isn't concerned - Prompto has never been able to sit still for as long as he's known the other.
The text isn't anything urgent, so he shoots off a quick response and gets back to the board. His eyes narrow. Something is... different.
"I took my turn while you were checking your phone," Prompto says, and gestures to the bishop he's pushed into the centre of the board. Maybe that's the difference Ignis noticed? Regardless, it's a rookie mistake, and Ignis takes it with his only remaining rook piece.
The match continues on, and - somehow - Prompto continues to succeed. Ignis' pieces are slowly being depleted from the board. It's bizarre in a disconcerting way.
On the couch, Noctis shifts in his sleep. Ignis' eyes are instantly drawn towards it, and again he sees Prompto fidget out the corner of his eye. A crunching sound immediately follows. Ignis assumes the other is having a light snack. He was due to begin cooking twenty minutes ago.
"It's your turn," Prompto mumbles around whatever is in his mouth.
"Right." Ignis turns back to the board and his eyes narrow. He glances back up at Prompto, and the other smugly rolls one of Ignis' bishops between his fingers. Eyes narrowing, Ignis decides it's time to get serious.
They continue on in this manner. Ignis' piece count continues to get smaller and smaller, and Prompto continues to crunch his snack. It's infuriating - both the noise and the fact that he can't figure out how he's loosing.
Noctis shifts in his sleep again, and when Ignis turns back from checking on him, his queen is held smugly within Prompto's hand as he continues to chew.
"What are you eating?" Ignis finally asks, exasperated. He's baffled by the fact that he's only down to a few pieces. This is ridiculous. Maybe he's sick, for the first time in forever. He's way too distracted.
"Biscuits," Prompto says, far too quick for it to be the truth. "Want one?" He holds out a half empty packet, so Ignis supposes he really must be eating them.
It's a tempting offer. Maybe a snack would help him get his brain back in order.
"Yes," Ignis decides, reaching forward for the packet. "Thank you." As he leans forward and grasps it, his eyes latch onto- something. An unexpected flash of colour, in place of where Prompto's black jeans should be.
Spread across Prompto's lap, previously hidden by the table, are a lot of the pieces Ignis doesn't remember loosing but lost nonetheless.
Prompto freezes, as does Ignis. Closing his eyes, he sits back, taking the biscuits with him. He presses his fingers to the bridge of his nose, sighing deeply. "Explain."
The only answer Ignis receives is the sound of more crunching. But that's impossible - Ignis is holding the packet of biscuits.
The desire for knowledge overpowers his wish to pretend this isn't happening, and he lifts his head. He watches as Prompto - while staring directly at him - lifts one of the white knights to his mouth and chomps down on it.
"I..." Ignis has no words. What even is there that he can say? Prompto probably needs his stomach pumped after this.
Prompto shrugs, chewing on the rest of the piece. "I figured out I wouldn't be able to beat you in like, the first five minutes," he says around the wood in his mouth.
"And this was your only logical solution?" Ignis demands. "You couldn't just- steal them and hide them?"
"You could've found them," Prompto tells him. "I'm erasing the evidence." He lifts a bishop to his lips and Ignis lunges across the table.
Three things happen at once: the board tips to the floor, crashing loudly; Prompto shrieks and his chair topples backwards; and Noctis shoots upright on the sofa, sleepily wide eyed as he takes in the scene.
"What- the fuck?" Noctis asks. He leans over the back of the couch, watching Prompto struggling on the floor as Ignis tries to wrestle the chess pieces from his hands. "I- were you- playing chess? What happened to the tea?"
"'Playing' is a very strong word for this," Ignis snaps. "I was playing." Finally, he manages to get the bishop from Prompto's hand, but the blond lunges for the pawns scattered across the floor next. "Prompto was doing the opposite." Ignis sits on the other to keep him down.
"What's the opposite of playing chess?" Noctis asks, dubious.
"Get offfff," Prompto complains, ignoring his best friend and trying to push Ignis. But Ignis has been doing combat training for a long while, and he has more muscle than Prompto - the only way the other could move him is if he had the assistance of a behemoth.
"He's beating me up and stealing my lunch," Prompto tells Noct, giving up on struggling and flopping pathetically back against the floor.
"No," Ignis says, and scowls at the migraine growing between his eyes. "While we were playing, Prompto thought it would be a good idea to start eating the pieces."
"I- what." Noctis looks at the person he's chosen to have as his best friend. "Dude. Literally why?"
Prompto shrugs as best as he can from where he's laying. "It was funny."
"This is not funny," Ignis snaps. "You're failing to understand the danger you've just put yourself in."
"Relax, Ig," Prompto tells him, and infuriatingly lifts a hand to pat him on the shoulder. "The human body can eat some wood."
"As a treat," Noctis finishes, even as his eyebrows furrow in worry.
"That may be true," Ignis says. "But the human body cannot digest wood."
Silence. And then- "Oh."
"Yes," Ignis snaps. "Oh."
"What do we do?" Noctis asks.
"We're going to take Prompto to the hospital."
After the revelation that Prompto has done something so stupid that it warrants a trip to the hospital to fix, he's surprisingly pliant to push into the car. He gives his token protests, but falls silent quickly.
"I'll pay you back," Prompto says to Ignis as the nurses hurry him into a room.
"You will not," Ignis tells him. "Just get better soon." Prompto looks at him with so much affection that it almost hurts to be on the receiving end of it.
And then all Ignis and Noctis can do is sit and wait. Noctis slumps into one of the chairs in a private waiting room, and Ignis takes a seat beside him. The room is empty besides them.
Ignis gets his phone out and shoots Gladio a message, informing him of the situation. He sends a few other messages, too. There's nothing he can do about the meeting Noctis has to attend later on in the afternoon, but he can at least cancel the meeting he has tomorrow morning. No doubt he'll want to spend it at Prompto's side.
Noctis' foot taps infuriatingly against the floor, betraying his impatience, but Ignis can't bring himself to reprimand him. He knows he's worried about his friend. Ignis is, too.
Ignis knows that the body can't digest wood, so there's no danger there. The major concern he has is the small wooden shrapnel, which could be causing internal bleeding. Ignis could see blood between Prompto’s lips before the nurse took him away.
They wait a tense half an hour before a nurse comes to fetch them. She leads them through hallways seemingly without any care for the fact that the prince of her nation follows swiftly on her heels.
"Your friend will be fine, your highness," she tells them as they walk. "The procedure had no complications, and he's awake and lucid."
"He had injuries in his mouth," Ignis informs her. They were from how Prompto was crunching wood between his teeth - how the blond didn't show he was in any pain is beyond Ignis. He's befriended a mad man.
"Yes," she says. "All damage has been healed through the use of potions. He just needs to take it easy for a few days." She finally comes to a stop before one of the rooms, and pushes the door open for them. "Here you are. He's just inside."
Noctis breezes straight on past with a nod of thanks.
"Thank you," Ignis says, because someone has to and he's the only one that has manners. Before long, he and Noctis are at Prompto's bedside.
"Hey," Prompto greets them, smiling. Ignis is relieved to see any injury within his mouth gone. "They took my insides."
"Gods- don't say it like that," Noctis complains. He slums in the chair next to the bed, leaving Ignis to stand.
Not that he minds. "How are you feeling?" He asks.
"Oh- I'm good, actually," Prompto informs them. "As soon as they got all the nasty out, they gave me some potions and it all got fixed."
"When can you go home?" Noct asks, leaning forward on his chair.
"Soon," Prompto says. "They're sorting out the paperwork."
"But you're gonna be okay?" Noctis presses.
"Yep! The doc says I've gotta get some rest, but I'll be good as new!"
Noct and Ignis exchange a glance. They know there's no way Prompto will actually rest unless he's forced to. They'll take care of this.
Later, when Prompto is back at home and in his own bed, Ignis gets to his feet from a chair moved next to the bed. His eyes are on his watch.
"You're leaving?" Prompto asks. Noct had to go a few hours ago - something about an important prince thing he couldn't skip. Prompto hadn't asked. But now Ignis is making a move, too. It's annoying to have someone constantly watching him, but he can admit being looked after when he's injured like this feels good. But if Ignis has to go, then he won't stop him.
"I must, I'm afraid," he says. But he lingers, checking first his watch again and then his phone.
Someone knocks the door and Ignis looks towards it immediately. "Ah- Allow me to get that." He heads towards Prompto's front door, leaving him alone in his room.
Prompto is only alone for five minutes, but he’s always been a fidgeter. He’s been resting all day, and now his feet won’t stop wiggling. By the time Gladio steps into the room, he’s rearranged all of his chocobo plushies by height order.
Gladio only raises an eyebrow at the sight as he sits in the chair Ignis had vacated. "Sup."
"Oh- hey," Prompto greets. "Is it your turn to babysit?"
"Sure is. I even brought a book in case you start sleeping before me."
"How long are you planning on staying?" Prompto asks, fiddling with his blanket.
Gladio shrugs. "Until you're better."
"Dude," Prompto says. "You don't have to."
"It's fine," Gladio says.
Prompto's eyebrows furrow. "But-"
"I want to." That shuts down his argument.
"Oh."
"Oh," Gladio parrots. He puts his book on Prompto's bedside table and gives him a look.
"Listen," he says. "Next time you're gonna fuck with Iggy, run it by me first, okay? So I can tell you if it's stupid."
"What if the prank is for you, too?" Prompto asks, curious.
"Then- tell Noct."
"But Noct is a dumbass," Prompto says. "He didn't know about the wood thing either."
"'Wood thing'," Gladio echoes. "Would it kill you to do some research first?" He sighs, long and hard. "You tell me or Noct, or if you're pranking us then ask Ignis. Got it?"
"Hmmmmmm... I don't know," Prompto says, putting a hand on his chin. "What if I'm pranking all three of you?"
"Holy shit-" Gladio pinches the bridge of his nose. Is this how Ignis feels dealing with Noctis everyday? Godspeed. "If you can't run it by any of us then- call Cor."
"Cor?" Prompto's eyes are wide. "You want me to bother Cor the freakin’ Immortal about pranks?"
"Yeah," Gladio says. "If you're planning on being an idiot."
"Noooooo," Prompto whines. "Don't do this to me."
"I'm not doing anything to you," Gladio tells him. "Just stop being a fucking dumbass."
Prompto snorts. "As if that's ever gonna happen," he jokes.
Gladio hesitates for a moment, frowning, before continuing. "We were worried about you, idiot."
"Oh." Prompto shifts on the bed. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah. So just- stop being so fucking stupid."
"I'll try!"
Gladio sighs, and then makes a gesture towards Prompto. "Move over," he says. "Let me up."
"Oh Gladio," Prompto teases, putting a hand against his chest. "If you wanted to get in bed with me, you should've asked sooner!” He does as requested, moving until his back hits the wall.
"Can it," Gladio says. He gets in the bed, sitting up against the headboard. "Now go to sleep."
"But I'm not tired," Prompto says. He punctuates his words with a yawn, betraying himself.
Gladio snorts, reaching across to pat his shoulder. "Sure thing, bud." Prompto shuffles closer. He moves his pillow into a better position and flops an arm across Gladio's lap, snuggling close.
"Night," he mutters, face half buried against his pillow.
"Night," Gladio says. "No eating chess pieces in your dreams."
"I'm noct promisin' anythin'," Prompto sleepily mumbles, and then he's out like a light.