#{{It might just be nice to even just like meet and talk about FFXV haha I'm really friendly but a little quite}}

[ignis-scientia-estrogen-brigade]

~ISEB in Japan: A Photo Journal~

If you’ve been following me on Twitter lately, you’ll know that I’ve been traveling through parts of Japan the last couple of weeks with my Ignis Play Arts Kai figure in tow. I posted a few pictures over there during the duration of my trip, but those barely scratched the surface of everything I got to do while in Japan. So I thought I’d put together a blog post of my journey while it was still fresh in my mind, featuring everyone’s favorite strategist in what I’ve been dubbing my Great Final Fantasy XV Adventure of 2019!

[Image-heavy content + commentary under the cut]

A brief backstory: I’ve wanted to go to Japan my entire adult life. For years, I’ve watched friends make the trek while I’ve been stuck at home with a severe case of FOMO. The only thing that ever stopped me from going was money (or a lack thereof), so I made the decision last summer to buckle down and sock away every dime I made to make it happen. My only concern before hopping on the plane was that I had missed the wave of FFXV popularity by about a year, but I would quickly learn that—other than not getting to eat any of Ignis’ recipes at the Square Enix Cafe—I had little to worry about.

Literally the only reason I brought my Play Arts Kai figure was so I could take this picture of Ignis at the Citadel (a.k.a. the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building), which was the very first place I stopped at on my first full day in Tokyo. The building + the surrounding plaza, while not 100% accurate, is a fairly impressive facsimile of the one in the game. It’s located in Shinjuku, which also boasts a lot of similarities to Insomnia. Having finished Episode Ardyn mere hours before jetting off on my trip, it felt like I had stepped off the plane and right into the game!

There just so happened to be an Animate right near the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, so I popped in to get a feel for what kind of FFXV merch I’d be able to find two years after the game’s release and a year after its height of popularity. Turns out, there was quite a lot of swag to be found! Truth be told, I’ve never been one to chase down official merchandise (unfortunately my job doesn’t really afford that luxury), but I gave myself special permission while on vacation to buy anything I wanted. So I did! Including everything you see above. ^^;;

The next thing I did was take the train to Ginza to meet Lyle/@landscape-gonna  (@landscape_gonna on Twitter), and I simply cannot say enough nice things about her. If you don’t know who she is, there’s a 99.9% chance you’ve seen at least one of her Ignis costumes, and they are A. M. A. Z. I. N. G. We had chatted a bit previously on Twitter before I went full-on stan mode, asking her if she'd be willing to meet up with me (a total stranger) to have lunch and talk Ignis and Final Fantasy. Not only did she say yes, but she gifted me with copies of her incredible cosplay zines and was not the least embarrassed when I busted out my Play Kai Arts figure in the middle of a busy Japanese dessert restaurant haha.

See? Zero embarrassment here.

We even did Noct’s ultimate pose! In public!

I can’t begin to articulate how special meeting Lyle was for me—being brought together from opposite sides of the world to share in our love for Ignis/FFXV is a memory I will cherish my entire life. So Lyle, if you are reading this: どうもありがとうございます ! ٩( ᐛ )( ᐖ )۶

Lyle wasn't the only friend I had in Japan. Another friend of mine, Asuka (who happens to be well-versed in anime/video game culture), volunteered to be my guide through Ikebukuro/Otome Road the next day. Quick otaku lesson: Kbooks is a chain of stores that specializes in the resale of licensed merchandise. For example, if you missed out on some of the limited availability items from the Movic and the Square Enix Cafe collaborations, you might be able to find them at a Kbooks. Otome Road in particular has something like seven different Kbook shops in a 3-block radius, each one specializing in different products (sports anime, idols, cosplay, etc). I, of course, beelined for the video game shop...

...which is where I found this fucking thing:

I’m not gonna lie, I almost bought it. I just didn’t know what I would do with it besides scare the living daylights out of people when they least expected it lol.

Yoooo Adam I found ya boi in Ikebukuro

We popped into the cosplay Kbooks shop since it was right across the street and I found an Ignis costume for sale! Please enjoy this picture of me pretending to come up with a new recipeh (since this is likely the closest I’ll ever come to cosplaying as Ignis).

One of the things Asuka introduced me to was Hanami (picnic under the cherry blossoms, basically). I had timed my trip to coincide with the blooming of the sakura, and the experience of being in Japan during that time was indescribable. I took a bajillion pictures of the sakura while I was there and unfortunately none of my photos ever quite captured the beauty and magic of them in person, but here’s a lil’ pic of a tree in bloom at Yoyogi Park (with the Movic Ignis charm I bought at Kbooks earlier that day).

Another item on my Japan checklist was to stay at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in Hakone, a town famous for its onsen/hot springs. Nothing in Hakone is cheap (at least, not during peak sakura season), and I had spent an absurd amount of money on a night at one particular ryokan with a private bath (shy husband haha). The private bath could only be reserved in 30-minute increments, and by the time we finally rolled into Hakone the bath we wanted only had one slot available for the rest of the night. So what did I do?

If you said, “Waste the first 15 minutes of your 30-minute, super-expensive onsen experience taking the perfect Ignis-in-a-hot-springs photo” then you would be absolutely correct lol.

I actually wasn’t planning on taking a bunch of photos of my Ignis figure on this trip, but after my husband tucked Ignis into my futon while I was in the bathroom, documenting my trip vicariously through Ignis ended up taking on a life of its own. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I popped back over to Tokyo after my stay in Hakone, which is when I finally got to make the Great Nerd Pilgrimage™ to the Square Enix Cafe! Had the FFXV collab been going on while I was there, I might’ve forked over the cash to eat at the cafe, but I opted to skip out on lunch so I could spend more money in their shop. They still had a small collection of FFXV merch...

...including this acrylic Ignis stand that I wanted but thought I would never own after failing to find it at Kbooks earlier in the week. Huzzah!

Also, I just feel the need to let everyone know that this is what the outside of the Square Enix Cafe in Tokyo looks like lmao.

Our next stop was Kyoto, which we arrived in on Gladio’s birthday (April 2nd). Unfortunately I didn’t have time to draw anything for his b-day, but we did stop for a Nissin Cup Noodle in honor of Gladio!

One of the most memorable moments of my trip was when this boating incident happened, and it requires a little bit of backstory. On my first full day in Kyoto, I attempted to field two of the most popular tourist destinations in Kyoto: the bamboo forest in Arashiyama, and the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Both places have their beauty and historical significance, and I suspect during the off-season are inspiring sites to behold. In my case, both places were absolutely swarming with tourists, which really put a damper on my enjoyment of them. Defeated, I followed a local canal back toward my hotel, which is where I spotted a miniature boat enthusiast controlling a boat that looked eerily similar to the Royal Vessel. I pulled my Ignis figure out with the intention of simply taking a photo of the boat in the background; when the man saw me holding my figure and fumbling with my phone, he flagged me over and gestured for me to put Ignis in the boat. I wish I had documented how it all went down a little better, but as I was literally wheezing with laughter, the above was the best I could capture.

One of the more off-the-cuff decision I made was to dress in kimono for a day while in Gion (Kyoto). As the cherry blossoms were at their height during my stay there, you couldn’t sneeze without hitting someone who was dressed traditionally for the numerous festivals that were taking place throughout the city. As a white foreigner, I initially had reservations about wearing a kimono (for fear of cultural appropriation), but I did everything I could to be as respectful and reverent whilst wearing the garb (and the rental shop was certainly happy for the patronage). It was an amazing experience and I would definitely do it again!

Speaking of being respectful, I made it a point not to take pictures of Ignis while visiting any shrines (because nothing screams ‘douchey American’ quite like whipping out an action figure on sacred grounds), hence why I don’t have pictures of any of the major shrines we visited in this post. I did, however, spot this miniature shrine arch in an alleyway, and thought it would be okay for my equally miniature strategist to pay his respects.

Literally, a tiny shrine in an alleyway. I suppose even alleys have their deities!

Osaka is about 20 minutes away from Kyoto by train, and since I had already traveled all the way out to Kyoto, I went the extra few miles to stop by the Square Enix Cafe in Osaka. They actually had a smaller selection of FFXV merch than the one in Tokyo and I didn’t end up buying anything, but I would’ve never stopped wondering if I had missed out on something if I hadn’t gone and seen it for myself!

My last day in Kyoto was a week into my trip, and I still had five days left to go. After walking ~10 miles every day (no joke, I have the GPS screenshots to prove it!), I was really starting to feel the grind. I’m sure Ignis was also desperate for an Ebony after being lugged around in the bottom of my purse for a week lol.

Back on the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo!

Weeeeeee (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

Said hi to Fuji-san!

Stopped for a delicious matcha parfait! (Shout-out to my husband who never once got annoyed with me whenever I busted out my figure in public spaces lol)

This was without a doubt the craziest and most unexpected find of any of my merch runs. I had gone to the video game Kbooks in Ikebukuro earlier in the week and had sifted through all their Ignis merch with a fine-toothed comb. This particular Movic charm was one I had been on the lookout for, but it was a rare pull even when they were readily available a year ago, and the only Ignis charm I came across in my first trip to Kbooks was the normal Ignis one (see my Hanami pic). I had no real reason to return to Ikebukuro after I got back from Kyoto, but on a whim I went one last time and BAM—this guy was hanging out there in his lil’ baggie, just waiting for me to get my grubby little hands on him. Jackpot!

All in all, I spent way too much money and I couldn’t be happier for it. The only thing I couldn’t find for the life of me was the Ignis cologne by Movic, but after searching through several Animates and Kbooks, I began to suspect it might be an online-exclusive item that wasn’t available in stores. (Which was probably a good thing for me cause I was already stretching my budget to the limit by this point haha.)

On my last night in Japan, I went back to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building—only this time I went at night when it was all lit up! I also went up to the observation deck on the 45th floor (something I didn’t know you could do the first time I was there) and enjoyed a fantastic view of nighttime Insomnia Tokyo. It was the perfect bookend to a perfect trip, and my heart is absolutely overflowing right now with love for both Japan and Final Fantasy XV!

[fierycosmos]

FFXV: Gladio Meeting his Date

(I didn't know how to start the story off so i just sorta dropped right at the good stuff aka the action and when they meet)        Crowded ballroom and she accidentally gets shoved/knocked and trips over her feet (and length of dress doesn’t help), but Gladio catches her around the waist - leaning over her slightly as if he was dipping her while dancing “Careful there, it’s fortunate I was here” came a gruff voice of her savior, but she’s too preoccupied with how close she came to falling to meet his face. “Are you alright, miss?” “I’m so sorry - gods, I,” she begins to apologize for being so inappropriate and face her savior for the first time, but her eyes widen as she stares at the handsome man that has his hands clutched around her waist, and she is taken aback. “…hi.” The man can’t help but smile when she faulted in her apology. “Hi, are you hurt?” He asked, fighting his amusement to double check. “Uh, no, I’m okay, thank you…” She continues to hesitate while talking as he lifts her up straight, so she has to focus her attention to looking up at him, as he somewhat towered her even in heels. She looks around and sees that no one seemed to care or really take note of the action. Somewhat, relieved she turns back to thank her savior properly this time, but once again hesitates as she feels somewhat intimidated by his size and handsomeness. “Hi.” She spoke before thinking. “You said the already.” He acknowledges with a smirk. She blushes but bites the inside of her cheek to keep her composure – or rather regain her composure she lost. “… Yes, I did.” She admitted meekly. She takes a breath and then dares to meet his stare head on. “I’m Natalie.” “Gladiolus.” He introduces smoothly, as he nods his head. She smiled at his name. “Thank you, Gladiolus.” Her smile and composure grows. “No thanks required, no need for you to get so acquainted with the floor.” He insists with a grin, and she has bitten her tongue to prevent from laughing too loud at his joke, which he finds amusing. He then debates over something momentarily in his thoughts and leaving him to squeeze Natalie’s waist, which he was still holding onto – and it made her blush. “Though speaking of - how about a dance?” He suggested, as he moved one hand from her waist and moved it out towards the people who were dancing to the music from the orchestra. Her blush deepened. “That is, if you can manage.” He joked again, looking her up and down before gesturing to her feet. She held back an eye-roll.   “I believe I can manage,” she quipped, and it broadened Gladio’s grin. “Yes, I would like that.” She nods her head. Gladio grins and leads her with his hand still on her – though moving to the small of her back – before turning to face her and repositioning his hand on her waist again. He pulls her near and she blushes, but he’s only encouraged as he grabs her left hand and encompasses it into his larger one. She consciously makes the decision to keep her composure once more and places her right hand on his broad chest. She looks up at him, making sure that her doing so was okay, and he smirked at her – again, making her blush. They dance elegantly, that surprised Natalie to some degree, as she was worried that his large stature was cause her to be thrown around the dance floor. But he led her with grace and with a surprising gentleness that made her heart swoon. Seeing her physically relax – both in body and in her face – he took a few chances throughout the dance to spin her around before drawing her closely back to chest. He enjoyed the smile and deepening blush that appeared on her face. They made small talk throughout the motions until the third song they were dancing to ended. Natalie knew she needed a breather, as she was feeling herself too quickly falling for this man she merely met today, and knew if she kept dancing with him and letting him lead, she would do something foolish. “How about a rest?” She asked breathlessly. He stopped from spinning them around and before the fourth song began. She saw some hesitation and disappointment light he features momentarily before he regained his composure and quickly covered. “I don’t think I can keep spinning.” “Alright,” He agreed, though not fully. But despite his wariness of why she would want to stop, he decided to cover up his own nerves and doubts with some more humor. “It would be good not to trip again.” She blushed immediately again, feeling the blush creeping down her neck and towards her collarbone.   “Haha, right.” She cleared her throat and allowed Gladio to lead her from the center of the dance floor to the edge. “How about a breath of fresh air?” He suggested, and she almost physically sighed aloud, finding it great for the cool air to touch her burning skin, but she held back voicing her relief by biting her lip. “Sounds wonderful.” She sighed and smiled up at him, which he returned. He kept his hand on her lower back again and guided her towards the large windowed doorways that led to a balcony, which looked over the entire property of the palace. Though Natalie’s gaze was aimed at the sky, where she got a glorious view of the night sky and all the shimmering stars. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.” “For good reason – I wouldn’t usually attend – though it’s for my brother.” “Oh yeah, and what’s so special about him?” “He’s a newly appointed Kingsglaive member, reason why we’re here tonight.” She smirks slightly. “Quite an honor, congrats.” Gladio tipped his head down at her in a gracious acknowledgment. “Thank you, Bernard has worked hard to get here.” She smiled to herself as she remembered the rigorous training she heard him going through and how he’d collapse onto the couch whenever she saw him. “Bernard? So you’re ‘butternut’?” “What?” Natalie froze and sputtered, her eyes rounding to the size of dinner plates. “You know about me?” “I recommended him. He’s an exceptional fighter worthy of being a Kingsglaive.” Gladio smiled confidently, which did little to put Natalie at ease. “Wow – well, then – please excuse anything you might have heard about me. I’m hoping most of them were lies.” She breathed out exasperatedly. Gladio let out a rich laugh that gave her goose bumps on her arms. Then again, that could be from the slight brisk air out on the balcony. “Haha, nothing horrible came up, I promise.” He mused, holding his hands up in a calming matter. She peered at him from the corner of her eye as she rested her elbows on the balcony’s ledge. “…I don’t believe you, but thanks for putting up a nice front.” She smiled jokingly and then returned her full attention to the view before them. A far off look appeared swimming in her eyes. There was a brief pause as the sounds of the night with crickets chirping from below and the whispering wind dancing around them. Natalie had not expected to have such a pleasant night. She came as a favor to her brother, and of course recognizes the hard work he’s put into being promoted. And yet here she was with a charming and handsome man that was barely working up a sweat to make her heart clench and her stomach do summersaults. “If you’re trying to figure out what he said, I swear – there’s no need to worry.”  Gladio spoke up after a beat, following her lead and leaning his elbows and forearms on the balcony’s ledge with leaning forward. He tried his best to read her face, and she began to blush again.   “No, it’s not that…” She breathed out a laugh and focused her gaze down towards the gardens below. She needed to hind her bashful expression, as she had been caught lost in thought – and she prayed he didn’t suspect she was lost in thought over him. “Whatever it is, I think I can take it.” Gladio challenged and nudged her elbow with his, and then never retracted it. Natalie blushed further at the consistent contact. Even if she couldn’t feel his skin from underneath his suit, she could tell he was well built. Thinking about him out of a suit made the blush she was sporting crawl down her neck and to the tips of her ears. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to keep it together much longer, she inhaled deeply and exhaled once she reached a decision. “Well, I have been trying to figure out a polite and subtle way at letting you know I’d like to see you again, but haven’t come up with anything.” She couldn’t meet his eyes. Of course she could feel his eyes on her, but she couldn’t work up the courage to see his reaction at such a bold statement. What made it worse was that Gladio didn’t immediately respond. “Heh,” He breathed out after a beat, and the noise made Natalie’s shoulders tighten. “Like you had to ask,” Gladio exhaled with a slight laugh. At that response, Natalie worked up the nerve to unfreeze herself and slowly turn her face towards Gladio’s again. She peered into his eyes and found immense sincerity and charm that she knew when she first met him. There was also a deep satisfaction exuberating from him. “Funny enough, I was waiting for a good time to ask you that myself.” Gladio admits with a smirk, as he positions his body so he was facing her fully this time, his shoulders ever broad. Natalie’s blush does not cease, but it doesn’t burn her as much as it did when caught up in the suspense of the moment previously. Despite Gladio confirming his interests in her were matched with hers, she looked down bashfully. She had no idea what to do no that the air had been cleared. Once again, Gladio was mystified by her bashfulness, but didn’t find her any less charming or enjoyable to be around. Though he didn’t want her hiding from him anymore. To get her attention, he moves away from the balcony’s ledge and moves to place a hand on her hip. He could feel her physically tense at the sudden contact, but did not falter in drawing her away from railing and closer to his chest. To his relief, she soon felt him relax in his light grasp as she once again was made to look up at him. A growing blush creeps from her cheeks to her ears, going from tinting them slightly to completely consuming them in a red glow. Gladio smiles at her reaction to his touch and decides to put his chances further. He brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face, even more satisfied at seeing her face completely in the glow of the moonlight. She froze when his eyes transfixed on her own. She gasped, as she forgot how to breathe. Feeling her chest slightly brush against his own, he smile morphs into a confident smirk and grows as he begins to lean in. She knew she was about to get lost into the moment, and she would savor it, but she still had a question on her lips she had to get out before she could have her breath taken away. She uses a free hand to place two fingers to Gladio’s lips. Gladio’s eyes were half-lidded at this point, but at her movement and gentle touch his eyes shot open in surprise and she almost felt bad when some sadness and doubt fluttered across his eyes.   “Tomorrow, dinner - 7?” She asked hesitantly. If Gladio’s eyes could widen further, they would have at how taken aback he was before smirking and squeezing the hand that was still clamped onto her waist. Her smile grows as she removes her fingers from his lips and moves to cup her hand around the side of his neck. The red of her blush leaks into her neck. She has never been so bold before meeting him, but she was glad she was taking such a chance as this.   “Meet me at the front of the castle.” Gladio almost whispered as he continued his path towards her face again. “Perfect.” She whispers as if it was a prayer and she places her other hand on his shoulder. Gladio smirks again for what would be the hundredth time that night since meeting her and closes the gap between them finally to kiss her. Immediately Natalie reciprocates – closing her eyes along with his – and moves the hand that was on his shoulder to join the other up to his neck and her hand goes to reach the hair behind his ear. At her actions, Gladio’s grip on her hip tightens once more while his other arm wraps it’s way around Natalie’s bare back, which brings her flush to his chest. After almost a minute of sharing kisses, each resonating with the same amount of passion and gentleness they both craved, they part and she looks up at him dreamily. Gladio’s smirk has not fazed. “Well, the night’s still young – and I’m not ready to let you go just yet.” Gladio says with a deep rumble that once again gave Natalie tingles. She moved her hands from his neck to his chest. “Who said I was going anywhere?” Natalie replies with a smirk of her own.   “Then let’s keep dancing” Gladio invites while stepping away too quickly for her liking but leaving an arm extended for her. She graciously with a big smile on her face nods her head and loops her arm with his. His other hand not busy linked with her arm finds her hands and he rhythmically rubs his thumb along the top of her hand. He guides her to the door back into the ballroom to continue their magical night.     

___________

hi, so....i wrote this a while back, but i wanted to post here cuz it’s cute imo :3

it's not perfect as there's no beginning even but what i have feel substantial enough so here you go also this could be treated like an xreader story i just felt kinda the need to add a name to the girl because there were some specifics and i didn't want to put specifics on the reader aka you so i gave the girl a name aka Natalie but again - feel free to insert yourself when reading it hope you like this was fun i have similar scenarios for the other chocobros that i'll post comment please! 

[sylleblxssom]

quicksilversunshine replied to your post “❀ KATSUCON UPDATE I will likely be cosplaying as both Cindy and...”

(-waves- I'll be around but I won't be cosplaying final fantasy sadly as I can't finish Haurchefant. I will be there as Sanzo (Saiyuki) and 707 (MysMe)

❀Oh hey that’s okay! To which con? I’m looking for friends for the weekends ;u; Especially Anime Boston hah. 

[sadspottedpanda]

Swipe Right for Awkwardness (FFXV FANFIC) - Ch 1

It's been a long day for Noctis Caelum. He's serious about finishing his education and getting a degree, but he just can't deal with all those long, boring lectures given in consistently monotnous tones by disintersted, bespectacled professors. Aside from that, he has to deal with other students constantly trying to "befriend" him even though they're more interested in his status and money rather than actually getting to know him. Well, except one. "Hey, Noct!" A friendly voice belonging to a handsome, blond, freckled boy with an eccentric hairstyle resembling a chocobo's behind calls out to him. The sight of him brings a smile to Noct's lips. "C'mon, let's get out of here! It's time for our date!" Noctis mouths a quick "sorry" to the group of girls surrounding him as he's pulled away by Prompto Argentum, his best friend and the guy fangirls keep pairing him with like some wishful yaoi OTP. It's not like he minds though, since Prompto's been the only person who sees him as him and not as some privileged rich kid. He feels comfortable with Prompto and their friendship has only grown and deepened since they first met in high school. "Thanks for getting me out of there. You're the best, Prom." Noct says with a grateful sigh. "Couldn't just stand and watch you get mobbed. Last time that happened, I think you almost died!" "Yeah...almost." "Anyway, let's go grab something to eat. We're on a date after all!" "Oh, are we now?" Noctis rolls his eyes and laughs. It's not the first time he and Prompto's gone out on a "date" and he thought nothing more of it than his best friend's way of saying "hey, let's hang out." In all honesty, he thought it was endearing. Prompto never had any real friends either growing up, just like him, and when they first met, they clung to each other through thick and thin. Noctis was just hoping they wouldn't end up drunk and shamelessly displaying their questionable singing abilities on the streets of Insomnia like last time. "Wait, where are you taking me, Prom? Please don't tell me it's another one of those seedy bars you found on Moogle or that overpriced cafe by the station." Noctis groans. "Even better!" Prompto seemed to be very excited, worrying Noctis. His friend had a penchant for finding establishments of debatable quality. "We're almost there!" As Noctis began thinking of possible ways to get him and Prompto out fast if they end up being maligned by some punks in some backstreet pub, Prompto stops and practically squeals. "Isn't it beautiful?!" Noct looks around. They're on the promenade with great views of the ocean. The sun has begun to set and the sky's turning a fiery orange. Noctis thinks, "This isn't too bad. Open skies, a nice breeze, great view, and -" "CUP NOODLE TRUCK!" Prompto's excitied exclamation breaks Noctis' train of thought. "Wait, what?" Noctis is helpless as Prompto drags him to the vehicle reeking of the aroma of seafood, beef, and steam. "This is your idea of a date? That's it, I'm breaking up with you." "Aww, c'mon Noct..." Prompto gives him the most adorable pout ever and Noctis caves in. He has a weakness for cute faces, and Prompto makes the cutest ones. It's unfair. They order two steaming cups and take their places on the edge of a pier. It's a quiet day on the shore and they have the whole pier to themselves. Prompto's busily slurping on his noodles while Noctis takes his time picking out the little bits of vegetables on his. "Hey Prom, this is nice for a change." "What do you mean for a change?!" Prompto looks hurt. "I mean, it's nice not to be drunk for once." Noctis chuckles. "It's just you, me, and...cup noodles." Prompto leans on Noctis. "Romantic, isn't it?" Noctis wraps his arm around his best friend's shoulders. "I guess. We do make a pretty good couple." They sit there quietly watching the sunset as Noctis contemplates on what he just said. He can't deny that he and Prompto could get really intimate at times and it felt natural. Hell, it made him feel good and warm inside. He can't quite explain it, but when Prompto's around, he feels complete and happy. If only he had the courage to tell him he might have a small crush on him, but he pushes the idea to the side. After all, Prompto might not even be interested in him that way. "Hey, Noct. Watcha thinking?" "Huh?" Noctis mind returns to reality and sees Prompto looking at him. "Oh, nothing. I'm just enjoying this thing we're doing." "Same, dude. Never thought I'd actually have a friend like you." "That makes two of us." The sun finally takes its leave for the day, leaving the two illuminated by a dim light from an overhead lightpost. Noctis pokes Prompto, who looks like he's just about to give in to the creeping feeling of sleepiness. "Hey, we better get back. The sun's already down." Prompto groans. "Do we have to? You're like the most comfortable pillow ever." "C'mon" Noctis laughs and playfuly punches Prompto. "I'm not sleeping on the pier tonight, but you're welcome to do that." Noctis pulls Prompto up and they start walking back to the apartment they shared. It was a big, fancy loft occupying the top floors of a nice residential building Regis Caelum - Noctis' dad and the ever-busy president of Lucis Industries - got for him for his 18th birthday. The two boys kick their shoes off in the entryway and Noctis immediately heads for the wide, comfy couch in the living room. Most of the time, he ends up sleeping here even though his room was right up the flight of stairs because he was too lazy to drag himself up. Prompto, on the other hand, either slept in his room or on the floor when he got drunk. Noctis whips out his phone and checks his messages. Nothing much to see except some texts from his dad and Ignis that shared the same topics. Cleaning, laundry, and school. He sighs and locks his phone. Moments later, there's a notification "Hey. Looks like ur close. Wanna do something naughty 2night? ;)" Noctis glances at the stairs before opening the message. It's from a guy on a dating app he uses when he gets...lonely. Hands just don't really work anymore after a few days, so hooks up every now and then with a cute dude. Normally, he does the swiping, but this guy beat him to it. Noctis opens the guy's profile and checks the info. The profile pic is headless, but the slim, lean body that greets him makes his cock stir. It's completely smooth, except for a thin line of blond pubes leading to a significsnt bulge hiding behind a towel. "Maybe. What's under the towel?" The guy replies quickly. "Nothing much." Seconds later, it's followed by a pic of a gorgeous, curved cock. It's been way too long since he's had one of those and he bites his lip. "Can't wait to ride it." Noctis sends a pic of his own gorgeous dick and gets a reply almost immediately. "Damn. Tell u what. I'll ride u if u ride me. Deal?" "Deal. Meet up at the old motel at Ulrich and 12th?" "Cool. How much we splitting?" "I got it. Just show up. Txt u the room number when I get in." "Right. Cya. Will wait for ur txt." Noctis sighs happily and heads to his room to change into something a bit more comfortable. He knocks on Prompto's door and lets him know he's going out. "Hey, Prom. I'm heading out for a bit. Don't wait up for me." The door opens slightly and Prompto's face peeks out from behind. He has a wide grin on his face. "You look happy..." "Got a date. Just waiting for hi - erm - her to reply. Yeah!" Noct raises his eyebrow and laughs. "Did you just tell me you're cheating on me? Haha. Fine. Don't get her pregnant, aryt?" "Hey! It's nothing like that!" "Whatever. Enjoy yourself." Noctis waves at Prompto and leaves for the motel. It's not much to look at from outside, effectively masking its true purpose as a pace where trysts of every kind happen. Noctis opts for just a regular, air-conditioned room though he had choices of themed suites. One of them was a chocobo-themed one and he remembered Prompto. The idea of fucking his best friend suddenly infiltrates his mind and he ends up stiff and wanting. He wasn't opposed to the idea and it's not the first time he's imagined him and Prompto naked and fooling around in bed. "Hey. Still there?" "Yeah. U in already?" "Room 702. Just head on up. Lights out and no talking, ok?" "Y, u scared? Lol." "Nah. I just like it dark. Just slip into bed with me when u get here." "Fine. Be there in 10 mins." Noctis throws off his clothes and settles in under the thin blanket. The AC was doing a damn good job of keeping the room cold, but he won't be cold for long. Just like the guy said, he shows up 10 minutes later. Noct could hear the door open and close followed by the sound of clothes being dropped to the floor. The spot next to him gets warmer as the guy slides in next to him. They lie there awkwardly for a good five minutes before Noctis feels the guy squeezing his thigh gently. "Theres no turning back now..." Noctis thinks to himself before turning towards the guy beside him, feeling him up, and engaging the guy's tongue in a wet, noisy battle with his own.