Without his sight, there’s little opportunity to draw Prompto aside unnoticed for a private conversation. Ignis resigns himself to the fact that Noctis and Gladio will know a conversation took place, and they may be curious.
“Prompto,” he says. “May I speak with you alone?”
“Oh, uh,” Prompto says. “Yeah. I mean, obviously. That’s fine.” A pause. “Uh, I guess I’ll find us someplace?”
He leads Ignis a short distance from their camp. Not yet dark enough for the daemons to come out, Ignis deduces, unless Prompto is being exceptionally scatterbrained today. Of course, in that case, Gladio would have prevented them from leaving.
“So... what did you want to talk about?” Prompto asks. He’s fidgeting noisily, shifting from foot to foot; Ignis doesn’t need his eyes to tell him that.
“I feel I’ve been a burden on you,” Ignis says.
“What? No! We’re totally fine. We need you around to, like, be sensible and – and Ignis.”
“You’re saying we,” Ignis says. “I was speaking of you specifically.”
“You think you’re a burden on me?” His confusion sounds genuine, and yet it’s a struggle to believe in it. “Why?”
Ignis finds himself reluctant to speak. What if it truly hadn’t crossed Prompto’s mind; what if he only learns to resent Ignis after hearing it laid out?
But it’s a discussion they need to have.
“You’ve been at my side since...” He gestures at his useless eyes, half wondering whether, after long enough in the dark, he’ll forget how to gesture at all. “Supporting me, guiding me, explaining the situation.”
“Uh, because I care about you, dude.”
“It’s a great deal for a person to take on,” Ignis says. “You have your own life. I don’t want to impose.”
It burns in his throat, the knowledge that he’s no longer useful. On this journey, he’s dedicated himself to making the lives of his companions easier and more comfortable. He’s fought for them, he’s driven them, he’s cooked for them. All skills he’s lost. Perhaps he’ll regain some of them, with practice, but there’s no telling how long that might take.
“Wait,” Prompto says. “Holy crap. You’re being insecure.”
Ignis pauses. “I’m not sure what to make of that reaction.”
“Sorry. It’s just... you’re Ignis. You’re the most got-it-together person I know.”
“How things change,” Ignis remarks.
“You really don’t need to worry,” Prompto says. “I’m totally, totally okay with helping. I want to help. You’re my friend. I mean, if – we’re friends, right?”
“We’re friends,” Ignis allows, after a moment. He’s never really thought of them in those terms before; he’s never been a person with many friends. But, on consideration, it’s hard to deny.
It tightens his throat, a little.
“So what was your plan?” Prompto asks. “You just... stay behind somewhere?”
“I’d need to discuss it with Noct, of course, but perhaps,” Ignis says. “Or we could hire some additional help, to take some of the pressure off you.”
“I mean, if you’re just thinking of hiring someone to fight, maybe?” Prompto says. “Maybe Aranea? That’d be pretty badass. But I don’t think we need to hire a guide for you. I mean – if you’re okay with me, if I’m good enough. I want to be there, uh. B-by your side.”
There’s a brief silence.
“You don’t sound especially confident,” Ignis points out.
“Well, yeah,” Prompto mumbles. “Because the stuff I’m saying is really embarrassing.”
“I appreciate it,” Ignis says, after a moment. If Prompto is truly being sincere, he owes him some sincerity in return.
“I mean it.” Shifting, movement. Prompto’s hand on Ignis’s wrist, then on his face, and then – it takes a moment for Ignis’s confused mind to parse it; did Prompto just kiss him on the cheek? “Seriously. You’re important to me – like, to all of us, obviously, not just me, have you seen how worried Noct – uh, I mean – holy crap, did I just kiss you?”
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Ignis admits.
“Six, I’m so sorry! Oh, man, I – holy crap, I can’t believe I did that, it just – it felt like a normal thing to do! It just felt like the thing you do in this kind of conversation!” His voice is climbing shrilly towards the heavens. “It is absolutely not the thing you do in this kind of conversation!”
“To clarify,” Ignis says, mildly, “when you asked whether we were friends, what sort of answer were you hoping for?”
“Please don’t tell the others I did that,” Prompto begs. “Please, please, please, please don’t say anything.”
It’s a struggle not to smile. “I suppose I can hold my tongue.”
“Thank you,” Prompto says. “Thank you times a billion. Wow. We’re completely even for any help I’ve ever given you.”
It’s a flippant comment, but something about it helps to settle Ignis, somehow. For a moment, he lets himself believe that it’s true, that he’s paid back his debt.
Prompto/Ignis, Debts, G
“Prompto,” he says. “May I speak with you alone?”
“Oh, uh,” Prompto says. “Yeah. I mean, obviously. That’s fine.” A pause. “Uh, I guess I’ll find us someplace?”
He leads Ignis a short distance from their camp. Not yet dark enough for the daemons to come out, Ignis deduces, unless Prompto is being exceptionally scatterbrained today. Of course, in that case, Gladio would have prevented them from leaving.
“So... what did you want to talk about?” Prompto asks. He’s fidgeting noisily, shifting from foot to foot; Ignis doesn’t need his eyes to tell him that.
“I feel I’ve been a burden on you,” Ignis says.
“What? No! We’re totally fine. We need you around to, like, be sensible and – and Ignis.”
“You’re saying we,” Ignis says. “I was speaking of you specifically.”
“You think you’re a burden on me?” His confusion sounds genuine, and yet it’s a struggle to believe in it. “Why?”
Ignis finds himself reluctant to speak. What if it truly hadn’t crossed Prompto’s mind; what if he only learns to resent Ignis after hearing it laid out?
But it’s a discussion they need to have.
“You’ve been at my side since...” He gestures at his useless eyes, half wondering whether, after long enough in the dark, he’ll forget how to gesture at all. “Supporting me, guiding me, explaining the situation.”
“Uh, because I care about you, dude.”
“It’s a great deal for a person to take on,” Ignis says. “You have your own life. I don’t want to impose.”
It burns in his throat, the knowledge that he’s no longer useful. On this journey, he’s dedicated himself to making the lives of his companions easier and more comfortable. He’s fought for them, he’s driven them, he’s cooked for them. All skills he’s lost. Perhaps he’ll regain some of them, with practice, but there’s no telling how long that might take.
“Wait,” Prompto says. “Holy crap. You’re being insecure.”
Ignis pauses. “I’m not sure what to make of that reaction.”
“Sorry. It’s just... you’re Ignis. You’re the most got-it-together person I know.”
“How things change,” Ignis remarks.
“You really don’t need to worry,” Prompto says. “I’m totally, totally okay with helping. I want to help. You’re my friend. I mean, if – we’re friends, right?”
“We’re friends,” Ignis allows, after a moment. He’s never really thought of them in those terms before; he’s never been a person with many friends. But, on consideration, it’s hard to deny.
It tightens his throat, a little.
“So what was your plan?” Prompto asks. “You just... stay behind somewhere?”
“I’d need to discuss it with Noct, of course, but perhaps,” Ignis says. “Or we could hire some additional help, to take some of the pressure off you.”
“I mean, if you’re just thinking of hiring someone to fight, maybe?” Prompto says. “Maybe Aranea? That’d be pretty badass. But I don’t think we need to hire a guide for you. I mean – if you’re okay with me, if I’m good enough. I want to be there, uh. B-by your side.”
There’s a brief silence.
“You don’t sound especially confident,” Ignis points out.
“Well, yeah,” Prompto mumbles. “Because the stuff I’m saying is really embarrassing.”
“I appreciate it,” Ignis says, after a moment. If Prompto is truly being sincere, he owes him some sincerity in return.
“I mean it.” Shifting, movement. Prompto’s hand on Ignis’s wrist, then on his face, and then – it takes a moment for Ignis’s confused mind to parse it; did Prompto just kiss him on the cheek? “Seriously. You’re important to me – like, to all of us, obviously, not just me, have you seen how worried Noct – uh, I mean – holy crap, did I just kiss you?”
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Ignis admits.
“Six, I’m so sorry! Oh, man, I – holy crap, I can’t believe I did that, it just – it felt like a normal thing to do! It just felt like the thing you do in this kind of conversation!” His voice is climbing shrilly towards the heavens. “It is absolutely not the thing you do in this kind of conversation!”
“To clarify,” Ignis says, mildly, “when you asked whether we were friends, what sort of answer were you hoping for?”
“Please don’t tell the others I did that,” Prompto begs. “Please, please, please, please don’t say anything.”
It’s a struggle not to smile. “I suppose I can hold my tongue.”
“Thank you,” Prompto says. “Thank you times a billion. Wow. We’re completely even for any help I’ve ever given you.”
It’s a flippant comment, but something about it helps to settle Ignis, somehow. For a moment, he lets himself believe that it’s true, that he’s paid back his debt.