Just a flock of birds, that's how you think of love

[photoshooter]

Who: Prompto Argentum photoshooter and open
What: A log that isn't about chickens! Come jogging, celebrate a special birthday with MEAT MEAT MEAT, witness something odd in the tech lab, or take a romantic picture in the rain.
When: April 2 - 8
Where: (i) The beach, baby! (ii) Keystone kitchen (iii) Tech lab (iv) Tempest Seacaves
Warnings: Nah.

Any day, early morning, Glitterstone Beach

[Prompto's been feeling better these days, what with the prospect of a new feathery addition to hype and his boyfriend moirail best bud in town. With his hugest source of anxiety quelled, he's been keeping more regular hours and a more regular diet, and the best way to maintain that is to get up early to get some exercise in.

Every morning, rain or shine--and it's mostly rain, this week--Prompto's out jogging down Glitterstone Beach. If it's wet, all he does is throw on a poncho made out of a garbage bag. Ain't nothing keeping a boy from his cardio.]

April 2nd, evening, kitchen

[It's not common knowledge, but today is a very special day for a very special meatstick. I mean man. And while Gladio might not be here for the boys to celebrate with, Prompto can't let his birthday go unobserved.

Besides, he's been wishing he could help out a little more. Most folks he sees in the kitchen lately are a little... well, they make him feel less bad about himself, let's put it that way.]

Let's see... I'm sure I've seen Ignis do something like this...

[There aren't any instructions on the packages of razorbone steaks, but Prompto swallows his fear like the manliest of men and reaches for the salt and pepper shakers.

Soon, there's a delicious smell of cooking pepper-crusted meats--venison-like, if you happen to have that kind of creature on your home planet--as Prompto, nervously humming, does his best to sear those steaks. They might come out overdone, or over-salted or -peppered, but there's buttery pre-made mashed potatoes heating up in the microwave to go with them and a variety of fresh fruit set out in bowls, and, hey, at least he didn't burn anything.]

Too bad we don't have any Cup Noodle. That would've really taken the cake.

[Also, at least he didn't try to make a cake.]

April 5th, late night, tech lab

[Mmm, machinery and the smell of grease--no better antidote for nightmares. Sort of. Maybe. Prompto can think of a bunch, actually, but it's too late at night to bother the chickens and he certainly doesn't want to wake anyone else. So, he's put his glasses on his nose and stuck his arm in the guts of something engine-like, trying to distract himself from the quavery chill of his dream by getting the thing started.

It starts, to some yelping, and Prompto yanks his arm back and away as the engine chokes out some dust at him, sputters, and then quiets to a jittery hum. Prompto coughs and shuts it down again, pulling off his glasses to wipe them on his shirt, still spooked by the noise.]

Ugh, warn a guy next time, would you? You scared me!

[He breathes on the lenses of his glasses to fog them up, then stills very carefully.

This close, even unaided, it's hard to miss the frost that's spread across the front of his glasses, forming delicate fractal patterns.]

April 8th, day, Tempest Seacaves

[But anyway, he's not gonna think about that.

Even though it's the fifth in a series of miserably rainy days, Prompto pulls on long sleeves and heads out--not to the beach, but just to explore the caverns, jacket against the wind. Now that it's stabilized, it's a lot safer down here, and he takes his time to snap photos of crystals and cool rock structures and those creepy fish things in the tidal pools.

Eventually, he finds his way to the eastern overlook, where he sits to eat a sandwich lunch. And just in time--the sun finally breaks through the clouds, and Prompto laughs and drops his sandwich back into the Armiger to take pictures of the resulting rainbow over the sea.]

Comments

[rhododendronhoney]

[A contemplative nod.] I'd like to compare notes with him. Do you know if he's tried...hm, frying them tempura-style before?

[photoshooter]

I don't think there's anything he hasn't tried. Man, they even practically dueled to the death over it once. It was terrifying, Noct used the Royal Arms and the magic of kings and everything.

[Prompto gazes off into the distance, pausing in his work, and then says:]

That's the only time I ever saw Noct eat lettuce.

[rhododendronhoney]

...wow. [She's not sure what else to say to that.] But sounds like Ignis managed to win anyways.

[photoshooter]

Yeah, Iggy's pretty much the scariest guy alive. [Said casually and fondly.] It's a good thing he's on our side!

[rhododendronhoney]

[She blinks, then nods.] Wow, now I definitely want to meet him someday.

[photoshooter]

Yeah, I bet you two'll get along great! He does all our cooking and baking. You can trade recipes!

[rhododendronhoney]

[That gets a wide grin out of Cori.] Oh, definitely. That's the sacred ritual that cooks must follow whenever they meet, after all.

[photoshooter]

I'm really looking forward to you two meeting. Me and my stomach.

[rhododendronhoney]

Well, I'll do what I can for your stomach while we wait to see if he shows up.

[photoshooter]

Aww, you don't have to! ...But thank you, if you want to.

[rhododendronhoney]

[A smile] Hey, you can also think of it as you giving me free taste testing!

[photoshooter]

Haha, happy to provide!

[He offers her a goofy, exaggerated bow.]

[rhododendronhoney]

[She grins.] Then shall I mix up some sauce right now to go with your steaks?

[photoshooter]

Oh! Yeah! I didn't even think of that! Cori, you're the best!

[rhododendronhoney]

[She grins, setting down the soy sauce and moving to start grabbing other ingredients-ketchup, onion and garlic sauce, some hot sauce, "Warkshire" sauce...and pauses.] Hey, wait, why is the vinegar in the alcohol cabinet?

[photoshooter]

What? Is it?

[Prompto goes to peer.]

Uhh, hmm. I guess because it's red wine vinegar? ...We should probably tell the androids that that's not actually alcoholic.

[rhododendronhoney]

[She stares at it a little forlornly.] Do you have access to it? I just need a little bit for the sauce.

[photoshooter]

I don't, but, um... here, I'll ask right now.

[Boop! Off goes a quick text to Bottom, back come the proper instructions, and, ta-da! Access granted. Grinning, Prompto presents Cori with the object of their quest.]

Dadada, daaa daaa dah, da-dahhhh!

[rhododendronhoney]

[She takes it and raises it triumphantly above her head. Kenta has exposed her to enough videogames for her to know that's what you should do, at least.] Alright! I haven't tried this with this flavor of vinegar before, but it should work fine-it's mostly for enhancing the other flavors. [A pause] Hmm...how much hot sauce do you think I should add? That's adjustable too.

[photoshooter]

Hmm, some people are total babies about a little spice. [It is not necessarily an exclusive group with the people who are total babies about vegetables.] How about a mild amount, and then if people want more, they can just put on extra hot sauce themselves? Then it's to their individual taste, too.

[rhododendronhoney]

Alright, only a little splash then. [She hums a little as she starts measuring out all the various ingredients, adding the salts a little earlier to give them time to dissolve. The resulting sauce is brown and thickish-but on the other hand it does have a nice smell. She dips a spoon in to taste, and grins.] Tastes good to me. [She grabs another spoon.] You want to taste-test too?

[photoshooter]

Sure, I'll try a little.

[He'll accept the second spoon to taste the sauce. After a second, he lights up.]

Mmm, yeah! You know, Cori, you're really something!

[rhododendronhoney]

[A mild smile.] Aw, thanks for the compliment. Your steaks smell pretty good too, you know.

[photoshooter]

Awwww, I just hope they're edible. I'm not really much of a cook.

[rhododendronhoney]

Smells fine to me. [She says as she goes to grab a steak knife.] Besides, the real test for steak sauce is how well it goes with the actual steak, isn't it?