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

[photoshooter]

You just want to fish. I know how it is.

[He smacks Noct's ass and hops into the lead. At least his hand doesn't feel like ice anymore, even if that was something Noct was likely to feel through his pantsu.]

Okay, this way! Just gotta find one of those water pools big enough. Careful, though, dude, they bite.

[nightcure]

I'd offer to teach you, but you're too bouncy for it.

[ Ah, the butt smack. ]

That's how I like my fish. It isn't fishing if they're not nibbling.

[photoshooter]

They bite legs.

[nightcure]

Then I'll just use your legs as bait.

[photoshooter]

Wow, you would sacrifice me like that? Rude! I worked hard for these legs!

[nightcure]

[ He laughs and elbows Prompto lightly. ]

Just kidding. Then you wouldn't be able to ride your chocobo all day when it gets big and strong.

[photoshooter]

[Big, happy gasp.]

You're right...!

[He bounces along, thinking happy chocobo thoughts and humming, and then stops and waves Noct over when he finds a proper tidal pool.]

Okay, I bet we can find one in here. They're super hard to see unless we disturb them, though. How do you wanna do this?

[nightcure]

[ Noct can't help but grin as he watches him, hands in his pockets. He kneels down near the pool, squinting a little. ]

Throw something in there?

[photoshooter]

You do that, and I'll shoot the picture. Teamwork makes the dream work!

[nightcure]

Hell yeah. Grab me a rock or something, will you?

[photoshooter]

Sure thing. [Hm hm hm.] Heads up! [Le toss. Prompto kneels, too, and gets his camera ready.] Ready when you are!

[nightcure]

[ Yoink! ]

Alright. Three... two... [ He lifts the rock. ] One!

[ TOSS ]

[photoshooter]

[AND A FUCKING THREE-FOOT ALLIGROUPER LAUNCHES ITSELF OUT OF THE POOL, ROCK IN ITS HORRIBLE SAHAGIN MOUTH, BEFORE SPLASHING BACK IN.

Flash!]

Whoa-ho-ho, nice one, Noct!

[Prompto's grabbing Noct's arm to drag him back from the pool, laughing and grinning even though THAT THING IS TERRIFYING.]

[nightcure]

Holy crap!

[ THAT'S NOT A FISH PROMPTO THAT'S A MONSTER

He lets Prompto pull him back, and he's laughing, too. ]

Did you see the size of that thing?! I nearly died!

[photoshooter]

Come on, you did not! [Prompto claps his shoulder good-naturedly.] Like I'd let you!

[Beaming bright enough to light up the cave, Prompto switches to gallery mode and shows Noct the shot: the splash of water frozen in time, the alligrouper bursting from it, all twist of body and monster teeth, Noct's expression in the bottom third of the photo, surprise captured in profile.]

What do you think? Catch of the day?

[nightcure]

Hah, yeah, just like I'd never let you fall.

[ He grins and nudges Prompto with an elbow. Then, he's looking at the picture, eyes widening a little. ]

I think this is one of the best photos you've taken, man.

[photoshooter]

You just like it because there's a fish.

[nightcure]

Dude, that's not a fish, that's an abomination.

[photoshooter]

It's an alien fish! Come on, all the animals are weird here, you can't call them all abominations.

[nightcure]

Fish should not look like that, it'd eat me before I could reel it in!

[photoshooter]

I mean, not if you killed it first? Like if you had a spell ready or something, I don't know. You think they're edible?

[nightcure]

Do you think I could reel in a huge fish like that and kill it at the same time?

[photoshooter]

Okay, or I can kill it! Or we could Thunder the whole pool, but that sounds kind of overkill.

[nightcure]

Thundering the whole pool miiiiiiight backfire on us, too.

[photoshooter]

Oh yeah. Yeah, let's not do that. I guess I wouldn't eat one of these anyway.

[Unless Ignis cooked it.]