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“Papa. Papa,” Noctis called out, tugging on Regis' pants leg.
Regis turned, raising his eyebrows at the almost three year old, smiling softly and waiting to hear what he wanted.
Noctis raised his arms up high, clenching and unclenching his fingers, grinning brightly. “Up.”
“Alright, up we go,” he said, crouching and grabbing Noctis under his arms. He stopped when he noticed the black lines on his arm, peeking out under his shirt sleeve. “What's this?”
Noctis looked to his arm, yanking the sleeve up, and puffed his cheeks out. He shrugged, making a noise, and went back to trying to get his father to carry him.
Regis lifted him into his arms, taking hold of Noctis' right arm and examining the words. “It's a soulmark,” he said, smiling to the child.
Noctis frowned for a few seconds before he grinned. “Like yours and mama's?” Regis nodded and Noctis looked back to the words, trying to figure out what they said. He was still learning his letters and numbers in his early lessons. “But I gots two?”
“You do, and I believe I know who one of them is,” Regis told him, walking down the hall towards the informal sitting room. “I will have to find the other one, but it should not be difficult.”
There were two names on Noctis' arm, one in full. Ignis Scientia. He knew there was a Scientia who worked at the Citadel, in the library wing, but Regis did not know if the man had a child. The other name he knew well. It was the name of his own shield's now six year old son, or a shortened version of his name. Gladiolus Amicitia.
He slipped his phone from his pocket and sent a quick message to his chamberlain.
Please search for any information on an Ignis Scientia, possibly related to Adiuvo Scientia.
At once. was the reply and Regis went to store his phone back in his pocket when Noctis grabbed it.
The toddler opened the game app Regis had installed for him and settled into his chest, tapping the screen quietly.
–
“Ignis Scientia, at your service.” The six year old bowed politely, a hand on his chest, as he introduced himself to the three year old prince.
Little more than a year after the words had appeared on Noctis' arm, he was meeting one of his soulmates. Regis had been assured Ignis had a soulmark, as well. Ignis' parents had informed him it had appeared around the time Regis noticed Noctis' own, though he had not seen the words himself.
“Iggy?”
There was an uncomfortable pause in the room and Regis was crouching down to correct his son when Ignis spoke up.
“If that is what you wish to address me as,” he said, still bowing slightly, “then it is fine with me.”
Noctis watched the older boy for a moment. “You have a mark, too?” he asked.
His father had explained to him that a soulmark was the first thing your soulmate, or soulmates, said to you. He still had trouble reading his, some of the words too difficult for him, but his father had told him what they said. The name the other boy had spoke was the same one written on his arm, so this boy must have had something Noctis said written on him, too.
Ignis straightened back up and nodded. “I do, they're both here,” he said, pointing to the left side of his chest.
“Two?” Noctis gasped, stepping closer. He tugged up the sleeve of his shirt, showing off the words on his skin. “Like me?”
Ignis bent down to read the words. He pointed at the second sentence, not quite touching Noctis' arm. “This is the same as my second one,” he said in awe. “It must be the same person.”
“The two of you will be meeting him soon,” Regis told them, checking his phone. Clarus had sent him a message to let him know they were on their way to the sitting room. “Let us enjoy tea while we wait.” He nodded as two maids stepped into the room, each carrying a silver tray, one with a tea service and five pale yellow teacups, and the other ladened with small cakes and sandwiches. The two placed the trays on the coffee table, bowed, and exited the room.
Noctis slid down to the floor and grabbed a chocolate cake from the tray, eating it in three bites.
Regis shook his head and smiled at his son. He poured tea into three of the cups, setting one in front of Ignis and one in front of Noctis. A knock came to the door as Noctis dropped three sugar cubes into his cup, stirring quickly. “Enter,” he called out, adding milk to his tea.
Clarus entered the room, his son, Gladiolus, in tow. He gave Regis a short nod before looking at the two other boys, Noctis sitting on the floor and reaching for a second cake and Ignis sitting straight backed on the sofa, feet far from touching the floor.
“Ah, Clarus, Gladiolus, please join us,” Regis said, gesturing to the sofas.
Gladiolus moved into the room, eyes on the cakes, when his father's hand grabbed his shoulder. “We should introduce ourselves, don't you think?” Clarus suggested as they stepped over to the sofas. He looked to the young boys, both watching with rapt attention. “My name is Clarus Amicitia and this is my son, Gladiolus.”
“I prefer Gladio,” the youg boy said, with a slight pout.
“A pleasure to meet you,” Ignis said, standing and holding his hand out. Gladio shook it carefully, still confused as to why his father brought him to what looked to be a tea party. Though the sight of cakes helped quell his annoyance.
“You're old,” Noctis stated, looking up from his spot on the floor.
“Noctis, don't be rude,” Regis warned and Noctis shrunk back slightly, taking a bite of his cake.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
Gladio chuckled. “You'll be my age one day,” he said, sitting next to Ignis on the sofa while his father took the spot next to Regis, across from the boys.
“Where are your marks?” Noctis blurted out, crawling closer now that his cake was finished. “Mine are here.” He tugged on his sleeve to show the words.
Gladio watched, looking at the words, before he stood and raised his shirt over his hip. “Mine's here,” he said, pointing to the words curving around the side of his waist. He glanced to Ignis when he sat back down, waiting to see if he would also show the words that would reside somewhere on his body.
Ignis tensed slightly and rubbed his hand over his collarbone. “Mine are here. I'd prefer to not show them right now,” he said softly.
“Two soulmates,” Noctis grinned, throwing his arms into the air. Regis chuckled at the sight as him and Clarus let the young boys chat amongst themselves.
–
Noctis wiped the fog from the bathroom mirror, staring into the surface as it slowly fogged back over. He let out a tired sigh and hoped the day would pass by quickly. He knew it wouldn't but it didn't hurt to dream.
His dad had been planning a big celebration for his sixteenth birthday where Noctis would have to mingle and socialise and talk to people. He hated talking to people.
He pushed his dripping hair from his face, the words written on his arm catching his eye. He smiled, turning his arm slightly to read the sentences before a new one made him do a doube take. He grasped his bicep and twisted it to read the new words.
“Three. Five. Eight. Twelve,” he read out, tracing the numbers with his fingers. He frowned at the numbers. They didn't mean anything to him, just some random numbers as far as he could tell.
He shrugged and finished drying his body and left the bathroom, towel around his waist. Pulling a set of clean clothes from the dresser, Noctis started getting dressed. He paused before pulling his shirt on, eyes drifting to the numbers once again.
“A new soulmate?” he wondered out loud. But that couldn't be right. He already had his two soulmates, their marks having appeared at the same time. Why would this one appear now, fourteen years after the first? He'd have to ask Ignis about it.
A knock came to the door and Ignis stepped inside. “Morning, Highness,” he said, eyes on his tablet. “Gladio has decided to give you the day off training and-”
“Hey Iggy, look. I got a new soulmark,” Noctis said, interrupting him.
Ignis stopped, head jerking up. “A new... what? But we have already received our marks,” he stated. He quickly crossed the room and took Noctis' arm into his hands.
“What do you think it means?” Noctis asked, watching the older teen's face.
“I haven't the faintest idea,” Ignis replied. He released Noctis arm and touched his own chest, wondering. When Noctis turned away to pull his shirt on, Ignis tugged the collar of his shirt away, trying to see his own soulmarks. He sucked in a short breath when he notice a new one underneath Gladio's.
Noctis turned back at the noise, raising his eyebrows curiously. “What? Did you get a new one, too?”
“I... believe I did,” Ignis said slowly.
“Let me see.”
Ignis let out a yelp when his shirt was tugged up. “Noctis, stop,” he insisted, trying to push it back down.
“'You're one of them',” Noctis read out. He let go of Ignis' shirt, watching it cover the other man's chest again. “One of what?”
“Again,” Ignis huffed out, straightening his shirt, “I haven't the faintest idea. They must have appeared this morning. At any rate, we should see if Gladio also received a new mark.”
Noctis nodded. He sat on his bed and tugged his socks on while Ignis picked up his sneakers, setting them near his feet. “Is it common for someone to have three soulmates?” he asked.
He knew most people usually had one, though having two wasn't necessarily uncommon. He had never heard of someone having three soulmates. At the back of his mind, he wondered if this new person would be a romantic or platonic soulmate, as both were very common throughout the world.
“It's not unheard of,” Ignis replied, typing out a message to Gladio on his phone. “Though having only one or two is more commonplace.”
“Wonder who the new person is. The marks give us no clues whatsoever,” he hummed as he pulled his shoes on and hopped off the bed.
“Perhaps Gladio's could enlighten us,” Ignis said, leading the way from the room.
–
Noctis pursed his lips, fingers on his chin in thought as he read over Gladio's new mark. “I think it's about your dick,” he smirked.
“Like you would know,” Gladio snorted. He spotted Ignis holding back a laugh out of the corner of his eye. “What do you think, Iggy?”
Ignis pinched his lips and tapped his glasses up on his nose. “I must agree with Noctis. It's clearly about the size of your dick,” he said, trying to keep a straight face.
Noctis grinned at Gladio, crossing his arms.
“I can't believe you're siding with Noct.”
“I can't believe you said 'dick',” Noctis laughed.
“Would you prefer I said 'genitals'?” Ignis asked.
Noctis laughed, shaking his head. “Hearing you curse is the weirdest and best thing ever,” Noctis hummed, laughter finally tapering off.
“You've never heard him in bed,” Gladio pointed out, winking at Ignis. The other man dropped his head back and let out an exhasperated sigh.
“Not for lack of trying,” Noctis grumbled.
Ignis pinned Noctis with a look, who turned his face away to avoid it. “You know the rules we put in place. Not until you're eighteen, like the law your father inacted states,” he said before turning to Gladio. “And stop riling him up about it.”
Gladio shrugged and said nothing.
–
Prompto stood in front of his mirror, towel wrapped loosely around his waist. He took a deep breath, bracing himself, and slowly raised the edge of the towel, exposing his left thigh before letting it fall back quickly. He closed his eyes and breathed, head back.
So he had a soulmate. Three of them to be exact. Though the words that had materialized on his skin at some point during the night made him feel more anxious and scared than elated. Mostly the top sentence.
On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain?
The words made his stomach shift and clench, like it was falling out of his body. He was going to get hurt, and badly by the sound of it. Definitely not the most ideal thing for a soulmate to say. And he didn't even know when it would happen. He knew a soulmark appeared usually within one to five years of the first meeting, but there had been stories where soulmates met within only a few days of the marks appearing.
His second mark mostly confused him, and he wondered if it had any connection to the first.
I apologise if Noctis has said or done anything untoward.
That was a very uncommon name. So uncommon, in fact, only one person, as far as he knew, was named Noctis in all of Insomnia, possibly all of Eos. Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum.
The thought that he would meet the Prince of Lucis made his chest tighten like it was caught in a vice. Or possibly being steamrolled until it was as thin as a sheet of tissue paper. Was the Prince the first soulmate? Was Prompto going to get caught up in some assassination attempt and be injured in the process? Or would he meet him at some later date, just before he met his second soulmate?
The third mark made him glad they showed up on his thigh, were he could cover them with ease.
And they said it was about my cock.
What would he say to make someone think he was talking about their dick? He hoped his first words to the third soulmate wasn't an innuendo. He didn't know if he could live that down and it hadn't even happened yet.
There was no point in worrying about it now. He'd wait until he was back from school. He shook the thoughts from his mind and got dressed in his uniform.
–
Prompto's soulmarks had been pushed to the back of his mind. It had been just over three years since they arrived, he had memorised the words, traced over them so much he hated touching his leg anymore, and he had still yet to hear the words spoken to him by anyone new. He had refused to let anyone see his marks, even going as far as to tell his friends he never got any. It wasn't like it was that rare for a person to not have a soulmate, even a platonic one. He was beginning to think his marks may have been a mistake. Maybe they were meant for someone else. Someone whom it would be normal to meet the Prince of Lucis.
Someone other than Prompto Argentum.
The sound of a car horn blaring brought him out of his thoughts. Everything moved in slow motion as he turned his head from the red 'Do Not Cross' sign to the car heading straight for him. His legs turned to lead, frozen in place as he held his breath, waiting for the crash.
Next came a shout, sounding like it was underwater, and the most painful feeling he had ever felt. Like his skeleton was trying its damnedest to leave his body in one piece and as quick as possible. He felt concrete under his palms, foot hitting the curb at an awkward angle, before he landed flat on his back, staring up at the bright sky.
A face filled his vision, blocking out the sun. The person was saying something but the buzzing in Prompto's ears was far too loud to hear the words. He felt a dull pressure on his right knee as his hearing started clearing up.
“On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain?” the person asked. His voice was frantic, eyes wide and darting between Prompto's face and his legs.
Prompto had to think about it. He mostly felt numb before the feeling came back to his body. He felt normal. “Three,” he said, just as the pain starting shooting throughout his body. “Five. Eight. Twelve,” he hissed, clenching his eyes shut. How did he not realise he was in pain? “Fuck.” It seemed to radiate from his right leg and he wondered if it was broken.
“Yeah, I need an ambulance,” he heard the young man say over him. He glanced over to him and noticed the man's arm was scraped up and faintly bleeding from what looked to be some serious road rash. “The corner of Maple and Pine. His leg's bleeding pretty bad.”
My leg's bleeding? Prompto tried to lift himself onto his elbows, wincing and hissing from the pain but managing after a few seconds. He saw the man holding what looked to be a shirt on his leg, the dark green fabric turning black in some places. Prompto felt sick and dropped back down to the ground, hurting his head in the process. “Ow.”
The young man turned back to Prompto at the noise, eyes still wide. “The ambulance is on the way,” he said. “Try to not move.” After a moment the man spoke again. “Sorry I didn't get the plate number of the car,” he said, smiling weakly. “Could have sued them for hitting a pedestrian.”
Prompto winced, biting his lip. “Was my fault anyway,” he managed to get out through gritted teeth. “Wasn't paying-ah!” The pressure on his leg increased. “Wasn't paying attention.”
“Well, that was dumb,” the guy laughed.
“Don't lecture me,” Prompto groaned, pushing his hands over his eyes. “When is the ambulance getting here so I can die in peace?”
The guy laughed again. “It's on its way,” he said. “I can hear it now.”
Prompto grunted out a response, listening to the siren growing louder until it was near deafening. There were new hands on his body, the shirt was peeled away from his leg before a new, softer cloth was pressed to the cut.
“Sir,” a new voice said and Prompto took his hands away from his eyes, looking up at the paramedic. “Do you remember your name? Can you tell me what happened?”
“Prompto Argentum,” he said automatically. “Wasn't paying attention and walked out in front of a car.” He glanced over and saw a second paramedic with the guy who saved him, examining his arm before nodding. He jumped when the man beside him started to lift him onto the stretcher, strapping him down around the waist.
“Do you have a next of kin we can contact?” the medic asked as he was being lifted into the back of the ambulance.
“My parents are... out of town,” he said, pausing for a second when he watched the young man follow them, sitting along the side and holding a cloth to his arm.
The medic nodded, making a note before he closed the doors and the vehicle drove off. He started touching Prompto's ankle, elicting a sharp hiss. “Looks like you may have a sprain, too,” he commented, carefully removing Prompto's sneaker and sock. “It's swollen but doesn't feel like theres a break.”
Prompto nodded, closing his eyes. He only vaguely remembered the ride to the hospital, keeping himself quiet and trying to focus on anything but the pain in his leg. It just barely worked.
At the hospital, he answered the questions he was asked by the doctor, eye squeezed shut as he poked around the cut. Prompto had yet to see how bad it was, he didn't want to see it. It felt like it went to the bone. The pain eased off when the anesthetic took effect, resulting in a dull, numb sensation as the doctor began to clean and stitch the wound closed. His ankle was being iced to lessen the swelling, the cold tolerable and almost pleasant underneath the pain.
When the doctor was done, and a large bandage placed over his shin, too large in Prompto's opinion, nearly covering half of the side of his leg, he was handed a clipboard and told to fill it out while his ankle rests. The doctor told him he'd be on crutches for a while until his ankle heals properly and he's lucky it was only a sprain.
Prompto didn't feel lucky.
He'd have to change his exercise routine while he healed. No running for the time being.
He laid back on the bed and rolled his head to the side, spotting the crutches he'd be on. Riding the subway to and from work and the university was going to suck. He groaned and rolled his head to the other side, yelping when he saw the guy who saved him, sitting in the chair.
“H-how long have you been there?” he asked, looking between him and the door, still closed.
“A few minutes?” was the reply, followed by a shrug. “Sorry I scared you.”
Prompto flushed, embarrassed. “You didn't scare me,” he interjected. “I was just... not expecting to see you. Um... how's your arm?”
The guy, who Prompto finally realised was indeed Prince Noctis now that he wasn't focusing on the pain, looked to his bandaged arm. “Oh, it's fine. Just a scrape really.”
That was Prompto's fault. Because he couldn't pay attention for two seconds, the Prince of godsdamn Lucis ended up getting hurt saving him. He'd probably get arrested. Or executed. He hoped it was a private affair. Did Insomnia even have public executions anymore?
“Didn't really have time to focus on where I was warping to so we kind of landed badly,” he said, chuckling softly and scratching at the back of his neck. “Hit the curb and went sliding. I'm just glad you're not more injured.”
Prompto frowned. Why would he care if Prompto was hurt?
“Ready to get out of here?” Noctis asked, standing from his seat. “I called Ignis and he said he'd give you a ride home.”
As he nodded, Prompto watched Noctis grab up the crutches, leaning them against the bed, and took the clipboard from Prompto's hand.
“I'll give this to the front desk,” he said, holding out his free hand and waiting for Prompto to grab it.
Was he even allowed to touch Noctis? He faltered before finally reaching out, carefully taking Noctis' hand and sliding to the edge of the bed. His leg twinged with pain from the movement but it was managable. He grabbed up the crutches and stood, following Noctis from the room and into reception. Noctis did all the talking with the man behind the desk, handing over the clipboard and sorting out something to do with payment.
Prompto wasn't too worried. He had insurance to cover this, thank the Astrals. He turned to the door when he heard Noctis saying his thanks to the man. Turning with the crutches was harder than he anticipated and he nearly toppled over.
A hand grabbed his arm and Noctis righted him with a smile. “Ignis should be here by now,” he said, giving Prompto a once over before letting go of his arm.
Ignis. Was that one of his soulmates? He remembered the second sentence mentioned Noctis and wondered if this Ignis was the one who spoke it. Stepping out of the hospital, he watched Noctis wave to a man walking across the parking lot.
He was tall, with light brown hair and glasses, and wore a light grey polo shirt and black dress pants. When the man, Ignis Prompto assumed, stopped in front of them, he turned to Prompto and nodded. “I apologise if Noctis has said or done anything untoward,” he said, eyes shifting over to Noctis who looked away.
Prompto froze, eyes wide. He was one of them. His soulmate. “You're one of them,” he blurted out before he could stop himself. He dropped his head quickly and blushed, when Ignis looked back to him.
“Noct, what was the first thing Prompto said to you?” Ignis asked, keeping his eyes on the blond.
Prompto sucked in a breath. He knew his name? How? Perhaps Noctis had told him. He had heard his name when the paramedic asked, after all. But why did Ignis want to know the first thing Prompto said to Noctis? Had he said something wrong? Insulted him without knowing?
“Um... some numbers?” Noctis answered, thinking. “Yeah, I asked him how much pain he was in and he said some numbers.”
“Three, five, eight, twelve,” Prompto said quietly, remember the numbers easily. He didn't know what they had to do with anything. Wait.
Oh.
“Hey, who's the kid?”
Prompto's head shot up at the new voice, about to argue that he was not a kid. What came out was completely different. “Gods, you're huge.”
All eyes went to him and he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. It felt like the Infernian was burning him from the inside out.
The new, absolutely gigantic man laughed loudly. Prompto felt like dying of embarrassment before he spoke. “And they said it was about my cock,” he laughed, wiping at his eye.
Ignis swatted Gladio on the chest. “This is Gladiolus Amicitia. Pay him no mind,” he said to Prompto. “Might I inquire about your soulmarks?”
Prompto shifted. “I'd... rather not show them in public,” he said. “If that's alright with you.”
“Of course,” Ignis replied and changed the subject. “Noctis suggested I give you a ride home. Please follow me.” He shoved Gladio away first, getting a stifled laugh from the man.
Noctis followed after with Prompto beside him. “I glad we found our third soulmate,” he said, smiling at Prompto.
“How... how long ago did you three meet?” Prompto asked. It had to have been a while ago seeing as they were all comfortable around each other. He wondered if he was intruding on their relationship, even if he was their soulmate.
“Let's see. I was three when I met them so it's been sixteen years,” Noctis told him. He opened a car door and stood to the side. “In you go.”
Prompto looked at the car. It was fairly nondescript. A simple black, four door sedan, but an expensive one. Gladio was already settled in the passenger seat and Ignis was stood by the driver's side door. Noctis took the crutches when Prompto held them out, balancing on one foot as he slipped into the car. They were laid over his lap before the door was shut and Noctis rounded the car to sit beside him. He gave his address when asked and Ignis started the car.
“So, do you have three marks?” Noctis asked before they even pulled out of the lot.
There was a sigh from the front seat as Prompto answered. “Yeah. They showed up about three years ago.”
“Most likely around the same time our third marks arrived,” Ignis commented, turning onto the road.
“Where are they?”
“Noctis, manners,” Ignis scolded. “Forgive him. It's among the first things he asked us as well and he's been very eager to meet our newest soulmate.”
Prompto nodded. He deliberated on answering. Would they want to see his marks, to confirm he's really their soulmate? Or would they just accept his answer? Would he be okay with them seeing his marks? Would they show him theirs?
“Mine's here,” Noctis said suddenly, turning his body to show the marks on the inside of his right bicep.
He heard another sigh from Ignis as he examined the writing, seeing the numbers he had said earlier at the bottom of the list. So he was their soulmate. “Mine are... on my leg,” he said after a minute, placing his hand on his thigh. He resisted pulling the leg of his shorts up to show them off. They were pretty high up, in his opinion.
“Can I-”
“Noctis, he's clearly uncomfortable,” Ignis said, cutting him off. “Leave him be.”
Noctis tensed and watched Prompto for a few seconds before apologising quietly.
The car was silent for the duration of the ride. It gave Prompto time to think about his circumstances. He was a soulmate of the Prince of Lucis, something he never thought possible. Something he never even imagined in his wildest dreams. He wondered if he would have to meet the King. Would he need his approval before he would officially be considered one of the Prince's soulmates? Why did his marks appear so late in his life when Noctis said he got his first two when he was still really young? Though Ignis did say their third showed up around three years ago.
He wondered what kind of relationship the three men had. Were they all platonic soulmates or romantic? Would they want him to be a romantic soulmate? Was he even ready to have a romantic partner, soulmate or not? He was nineteen and most people his age already had at least one romantic partner, whether it was their soulmate or not, but he never felt like he was ready. Would they be upset if he didn't want to be romantic with them if that's what they were used to?
“-mpto? Prompto?”
He jerked himself from his thoughts at the voice calling him, looking to Ignis. The car had stopped in a neighborhood and, when he glanced through the window, he saw his house. He had missed the entire ride.
“Is this the correct house?” Ignis asked, turned to look Prompto in the eye. Prompto nodded. “Would you be alright if we came in with you? I'd like to discuss what you being our soulmate entails and, if you like, we can show you our marks.”
Prompto felt his heart skip a beat before he nodded slowly. He jumped when his door was opened, not having noticed Gladio stepping out of the car. He moved the crutches so he could stand, Gladio helping him keep his balance. “Thank you,” he murmured. He was grateful his parents were out of town on business so they wouldn't have to see him have a potential mental breakdown at the realisation he was the Prince's soulmate.
He was, admittedly, still in a state of shock about the whole thing.
Leading the way up to the front door, Prompto worked his keys from pocket and unlocked the door. “I'm afraid I don't have much. I intended to go shopping tonight but, um,” he trailed off, opening the door.
“That is quite alright,” Ignis said, following Prompto and Gladio inside, Noctis behind him.
Prompto hoped they wouldn't judge his house too harshly. While it was clean, it was also small, much smaller than he knew they would be used to. “I think I have some tea if you guys want some?” Would his tea even be up to par for them?
“I can handle that,” Ignis said, steering Prompto towards the couch. “You just rest your leg.”
“O...okay. Um, the tea bags are in the tin on the counter and there's a tea pot in the cabinet next to the stove,” he said, trying to point the places out while Ignis moved to the kitchen. Gladio sat on the love seat across from him and Noctis took the spot beside Prompto, leaving a bit of room between them. “Um, so... what did you want to know?” he asked after a few minutes of silence, lacing and unlacing his fingers together before letting them fall to his thighs.
“Do you have any soulmates other than us?” Noctis asked the first chance he got, leaning forward.
“No? I mean, I don't think so?” Prompto answered, nervous. “I only have the three sentences. But if you guys got an extra mark, I guess I could at some point as well?”
“Three soulmates is a rare enough occurrence as it is, it would be improbable for you to gain a fourth,” Ignis said, placing a tray that Prompto had thought was lost on the coffee table, ladened with four mugs, the sugar bowl, and the tea pot.
“Oh?”
“Indeed. We were all quite surprised to find a third mark on our bodies three years ago, though we had no way of knowing who it meant for us to meet,” Ignis continued. “With Noctis, it was straightforward, as both Gladio and my names appeared on his arm when he was two. Even Gladio's name was on my own body, seeing as Noctis and I met him at the same time.”
Prompto nodded and reached out, taking the blue mug with small white flowers. Ignis poured tea into the mug, as well as the other three mugs. “Can I ask where your marks are?” he asked, looking between Gladio and Ignis.
Ignis raised an eyebrow for a second, a subtle look of interest on his face. “Of course. Mine are on my chest, just beneath my collarbone,” he told him, placing a hand on the spot.
“And mine's here,” Gladio said, lifting his shirt and twisting enough to expose the writing above his hip.
“You said yours is on your leg, correct?” Ignis asked, taking a sip from his mug, a pale green one Prompto's mother typically used. Prompto nodded, knowing where the conversation was going. “Would you still be opposed to showing it to us? Or is it in an inappropriate location?”
Prompto bit his lip, placing his mug on the table. “It's not really,” he said. “I guess I could show you.” He could feel Noctis scooting closer as he stretched his left leg out. After a breath, he pulled the leg of his shorts up, displaying the three sentences etched into his skin. He looked away as the three men leaned forward. “I gotta say, that first one gave me nothing but severe anxiety for almost a year,” he laughed, hoping it would mask his nerves.
“I can see why. Even I'd be worried if the first thing my soulmate said to me was to evalute my pain,” Gladio agreed.
“And seeing Noctis' name on your body wouldn't have done anything to help the matter,” Ignis pointed out.
“I did always wonder if it meant that Noctis,” Prompto hummed, finally turning back to them and fixing his shorts. He picked up his mug and held it in his hands, just to give them something to do. “Um... can I ask what sort of relationship you three are in?” he asked. He quickly added, “Y-you don't have to say if that's too personal.”
“Sexual,” Gladio stated simply, getting a harsh glare and a jab in the ribs from Ignis.
“What he means is, the three of us are in a romantic relationship,” Ignis interjected. “Though if that is not what you wish to be in, we will be content with a platonic relationship. That was how we started out, since we were so young.”
Prompto nodded and took a sip from his mug. He cringed. He forgot to add sugar. Placing the mug back on the table, he reached for the sugar bowl and added two heaped spoons, stirring and hoping it would dissolve. “I've never been in a relationship before.”
“And rest assured, we will not pressure you into one just because we are soulmates,” Ignis said calmly. “Your comfort is far more important to us. Though we will have to set up a meeting with the King soon. It's only right for the new soulmate of the Prince to meet his father.”
Prompto gulped. He might as well write out his will. The King would never approve of someone of Prompto's status being with the Prince.
“In the meantime,” Ignis continued, drawing Prompto from his thoughts, “why don't you write out a grocery list and Gladio and I will do your shopping. You're in no condition to be carrying heavy groceries home while you're on crutches. If there are any specifics, I'd prefer you to write those down so I do not buy the wrong item.”
Prompto nodded. “Uh, I have a pen and paper on the counter,” he said, looking over his shoulder. Gladio stood at the words and walked into the kitchen, grabbing up the items and bringing them over, handing them to the blond. “Thank you.”
He quickly wrote out his list, making the words legible, before holding it out. Ignis took the notepad and tore off the top sheet, folding it and slipping it into his pocket.
Prompto was expecting him to leave that instant but Ignis relaxed back into his seat and sipped at his tea, pulling out his phone and tapping the screen.
“So, do you live alone?” Gladio asked, leaning forward, empty mug on the table in front of him.
“No, but my parents are away on business a lot so it's kinda like I do,” he replied, taking a gulp from his mug. The sugar hadn't dissolved all the way, leaving it still slightly bitter.
“What do they do?” Noctis joined the conversation, leaning closer to Prompto.
Prompto shifted in his seat. “They're both truck drivers. They make regular deliveries to Galdin Quay and Lestallum, sometimes they go as far as Ravatogh,” he told them. His parents could be gone for two weeks at a time, only coming home for a day or two before heading off again. “I'm pretty used to it, to be honest. Even learned how to cook and clean when I was twelve.”
“You were alone often from as young as twelve?” Ignis asked, frowning at the idea.
“It was fine, my neighbor always checked up on me to make sure I was fine,” he said, trying to reassure Ignis. “And I texted them a lot.”
Ignis didn't look impressed. “Do they know about your marks?”
Prompto shook his head.
“You'll have to tell them soon,” Ignis told him.
Prompto didn't like the idea but he agreed.
“Now, Gladio and I will return shortly,” he said, placing his mug on the table and standing. “Noctis, I'd prefer if you stayed inside the house while we're gone.”
“Sure,” he heard Noctis say beside him. There was a nudge to his arm and Prompto turned. “Hey, got any games?”