( OPEN ) come with me, stay with me

[paladads]

WHO: Shiro + ???
WHERE: The canal boat & various.
WHEN: All through April.
WHAT: Catch-all for quests and whatever else.
WARNINGS: tba.

[ Fight with a close friend. Make someone cry. Give someone a near-death experience.

Whatever kind of sadist is behind the so-called quests, Shiro has long since decided he doesn't like them.

After taking a chance on becoming an actual lion and finding no real payoff in the wind, his faith in "F" has been scrubbed down to the minuses and any enthusiasm to play their games is hard-won. One of the Blue-marked himself, he tries to sidestep any confrontations that might provoke someone into playing by the morbid rules and mostly spends his days on the canal-boat at the docklands when he isn't scavenging for food. Some salted fish from an inland lake where he starts fishing (and can be found in the mornings) begin to stack up in his and Keith's home, strung over the stove for a warm, chewy snack if the urge strikes, and the vegetables they root out mean a stew is usually simmering in wait for hungry men to come looking.

He likes the library, exploring what he can and finding frustration awaits when he can't. The empty houses in the blue, red, and yellow districts have a creepy haunted quality that he braves only when he and Keith need something homely in a hurry, bedsheets or a small cabinet. It feels like grave-robbing the grey homes which doesn't sit well with him, despite knowing they have no other choice.

And if his evenings aren't spent with Keith for whatever reason he can sometimes be found on the roof of the boat, stargazing.

It's always easy to find Shiro; his arm never stops glowing, day or night. ]

Comments

[paladads]

It's not so bad. You can keep me company while we wait, if you like.

[ Pull up a rock or a log, friend. Amused, Shiro cocks his head as he considers Prompto's reaction. ]

You remind me of an officer I know, he's Keith's age ... kinda. James Griffin, an MFE fighter pilot. He's got barely any patience either.

[photoshooter]

Oh, man. Being a fighter pilot sounds awesome. Maybe not for me, though, the guys barely ever even let me drive the car.

[Eschewing a seat, he just crouches by Shiro with the ease of a boy who does this a lot and also still has them spry young knees.]

Makes sense, though, don't you think? I'm probably about Keith's age, too. I mean, I'm twenty-one.

[In case anyone thought he was, like, twelve.]

[paladads]

From what I've seen you're reactionary, and that's what makes a good pilot.

[ Shiro's knees appreciate the rock he sits on, even if he doesn't entirely lack Prompto's elasticity. ]

Really? [ Brows fly up under his white bangs. ] Huh, I figured you were a couple of years younger.

[ NO APOLOGY. ]

[photoshooter]

[He gives Shiro a Look.]

I'm an adult. I do my own taxes and everything.

[paladads]

[ His smile touches his eyes as he glances to his fishing rod, securing it with a yank deeper into the mud. ]

You have a youthful spirit about you.

[ As if Shiro is Gandalf. ]

[photoshooter]

[Snorting, Prompto leans over to bat at Shiro's arm with the back of his hand.]

C'mon, you can't be that much older than us, Grandpa! If you even are older. White hairs lie, man!

[paladads]

[ His sway away from the thwap is lazy at best, playfully slow. ]

I'm actually a brunette. Tell me how old Ignis is and maybe I'll cough up a number.

[photoshooter]

Really?

[He starts to say something, but then pauses and tilts his head.]

Wait. I just wanna know, how old do you think he is?

[paladads]

Older than you.

[ Cocking his chin in a challenge. ]

[photoshooter]

Tch, well, yeah! I know, I'm the baby of our group. But Iggy's not that much older.

[It looks like he might hold out another second, but these aren't state secrets, here.]

He just turned twenty-three.

[paladads]

Wow, [ that's definitely a surprise, ] I'm twenty-six.

[ He really is Grandpa. ]

[photoshooter]

See! You're not that old. [Shiro gets a friendly slap to the shoulder.] Still spry enough to hang with us youths! The other people I know with silver hair, they're both older than you and still got it. ...Though I would way rather hang out with one than the other.

[He wrinkles his nose and then moves to sit on his bottom again. Unsurprisingly, Prompto doesn't idle well.]

Though I guess they both did try to kill us at one point or another.

[paladads]

[ If it had been Ignis he would have wryly said "must be a silver-haired guy thing" but he doesn't want to dump Doom and Gloom on Prompto, not when he's so upbeat. Even about that. ]

Neither of them live in town, do they?

[photoshooter]

Oh, no, I wish! At least I wish Aranea were here. She's thirty.

[Like that matters, but that's what they're talking about.]

She's actually really nice, and if she were here--

[He catches himself, bites his lips, and then lets his gaze flicker away.]

...Anyway, it'd be better than some other people being here. She's, uh, she's looked out for me personally a lot, too. So I miss her.

[paladads]

[ Prompto must like his lovers older than him if he's not bothered by a nine year age gap. ]

Were you and her ... ? Uh. Together?

[ Tactful. ]

[photoshooter]

What?

[A beat.]

Whhpfffhh-- [SNORT.] No! No, holy crap!

[Now laughing hysterically, Prompto leans away and doubles over, laughing into his arm.]

Are you kidding? Me and her? No! Never! She'd eat me alive!

[paladads]

[ He has a feeling this Aranea commands the same love, respect, and terror as Allura, and it makes him smile along with Prompto's wild cackling. ]

Just making sure you aren't breaking too many hearts, buddy.

[photoshooter]

[SNRKLESNORF.]

Dude, I'm not the one you need to worry about when it comes to that! [He rubs his knuckles under his nose and grins at Shiro.] I'm not even close to being the heartthrob of our roving boy band. It's too bad Gladio isn't here yet, I think even Ignis has a little schoolboy crush on him.

[paladads]

[ It really is astonishing how positive Prompto is about everything. Maybe a little too much. Is he really okay with Ignis fancying other men? Not that looking counts as cheating but if Ignis likes one of their friends, well ...

He knows Ignis is somewhat a busy man, sharing himself between Prompto (his true love) and Noctis (his ???) but Shiro feels like he might be too old-fashioned to navigate a third person in a relationship that intensely polyamorous. ]

You don't sound too bothered by that. That's very big of you.

[photoshooter]

Huh? I--well, no, not really...

[Vaguely baffled and then alarmed, Prompto waves his hands in front of him and shakes his head, blushing furiously.]

Of course it's fine with me! All that stuff is great, why wouldn't I be cool with it? I, I'll always support him, no matter who he likes! S-same for all my friends!

[Red as Ifrit's spanked ass, now, he tries to clear his throat.]

Every day, I just thank my lucky stars I get to be there with them.

[paladads]

[ That's frankly adorable, melting something in Shiro's chest as he chins a hand at Prompto's flailing. ]

Ignis is lucky to have you, Prompto, you're a good guy. [ Getting up to take his fishing rod in-hand and test the float of his bait with a shake, his attention veers away tactfully. Guilelessly, Shiro muses, ] It's really incredible that you're so open to bringing other people into your relationship. I don't think I could do that.

[photoshooter]

[recordscratch.wav]

Uhhhhh, what?

[paladads]

[ The fishing line needs tossing out again, which he does as he replies. ]

It's none of my business, but it's obvious you're his everything. The way he talked about you ... it was very touching to hear how much he loves you. I'm just saying, you have a big heart.

[photoshooter]

[Prompto makes a noise stuck way back in his throat, not unlike that of a bird who's flown into a window just fast enough to stun, not kill.

w h a t .]

He... Iggy? Said that? About...

[The me? goes unsaid. There are no letters in Prompto's throat to get out, only question mark upon question mark. A conga line of ???????????????????????]

[paladads]

[ Aw. Setting the rod down more securely, he takes up his seat again on the rock and lays his hand on Prompto's shoulder in what he hopes is reassurance. ]

Even I could tell he's devoted to you.