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Okay, Gladio liked video games. He wouldn’t deny it. He had fun on the nights they spent at Noct’s apartment, clustered around the television shooting up aliens or robots or whatever the latest release had you destroy. But this was getting ridiculous.
Noctis and Prompto had been glued to this game for hours. Gladio had jumped in a few times when one of the younger boys needed a break, but he was bored from all the inactivity.
Restlessly, he paced around the living room, trying hard not to get in Iggy’s way. As usual, the Royal Advisor was incapable of kicking back and relaxing with the rest of them, and instead had set himself to cooking dinner, doing the dishes, and cleaning the apartment. Gladio wanted to tell his boyfriend to sit down, to bodily take him by the shoulders and push him into a chair if need be, but he knew the argument that would start.
Plus, no one was supposed to know they were dating.
It had only gone on for a few months now, and they had agreed to keep things on the down-low until they were certain it would last. The liaison was certain to make waves through the Citadel - while members of the royal entourage weren’t expressly forbidden from dating, fraternization certainly wasn’t encouraged. No sense in ruffling all those noble feathers without due cause.
Gladio was in. He was all in. But he was okay with giving Ignis the time to feel more confident about their partnership, and if that meant keeping things quiet, then so be it. He didn’t mind. It was nice enjoying the heady rush of new love without being under the intense scrutiny of their peers.
So he wandered around the small apartment, alternately watching the boys play their game, and Ignis continue to tidy up. Astrals, the man was dusting the baseboards. Who the fuck looked at baseboards?
When Ignis straightened and looked at his watch, frowning, Gladio was hopeful it meant an end to game night. He had plans for Iggy that involved far less clothing.
“Noctis. Prompto. Time to shut off the game,” Ignis said in his smooth, cultured accent.
“Aw, this is the best part!” Prompto whined. The energetic blonde pointed at the screen. “We’re almost to the mothership! There’ll be aliens everywhere! And we get to shoot them all to pieces!” he explained with bloodthirsty glee.
Ignis leveled a flat stare at the hyperactive teen. “Shut it off. Now.”
The Crown Prince of Insomnia heaved a long, melodramatic sigh. “Yes, Mom.”
Prompto dissolved into giggles.
Gladio had to bite back a laugh himself. While Noct had no call to be disrespectful to Ignis, who was just trying to do the job King Regis has granted to him, it was pretty funny.
Ignis was Not Amused.
The advisor arched a perfectly shaped ash-blonde eyebrow, meeting Noctis’s eyes with a firmer expression than he had directed at Prompto. “Now.” A momentary pause. “Your Highness.”
Gladio watched Noct and Iggy stare each other down. He noticed Prompto’s eyes had gone so wide it was comical, rapidly darting his attention back and forth between the two engaged in the contest of wills.
Fighting back another chuckle, Gladio cleared his throat. “You heard him. Shut the damn thing off already.”
Ignis shot Gladio a look that was half appreciative for the back up, and half annoyance at the interference.
“Fine,” Noct muttered, finally powering the system down. The young Prince smirked, glancing between the Shield and the strategist, the two older men standing in near identical poses despite their significant differences in appearance. “Aren’t you two a cute couple?”
Gladio blinked in surprise. How’d that little shit figure it out?
Prompto emitted an excited noise so shrill, Gladio doubted even Iris’s vocal range extended so high. “Oh my gods! You guys would be so perfect together!” He jumped to his feet, digging out his phone. “Lemme take a picture!”
Ignis stepped forward and plucked Prompto’s phone from his hands. “No pictures. Time for Noct to go to bed.” He looked to Gladio in silent inquiry, and when the larger man nodded, Ignis continued to speak. “Gladiolus will take you home, Prompto. Good night.” He tossed Prompto’s phone to Gladio, who caught it easily, shoving it in his pocket.
Gladio walked the youth to the door, but paused as it clicked shut behind them. He had to do a little damage control. “So, that’s some theory you kids got there. Me and Iggy… really?” He did his best to sound incredulous.
Prompto let out another peal of laughter. “Noct was just messing with you. Did you see the look on Ignis’s face? That was gold!”
Gladio felt a flash of relief. Okay, they hadn’t figured it out. Though really, it was only a matter of time. They spent so much time in close proximity, and Gladio knew he wasn’t exactly good at pretending not to be in love with Ignis. Hopefully they’d be able to come clean about their relationship soon.
“Yeah, it was pretty classic,” he agreed with Prompto, slinging a friendly arm around the kid’s shoulders after giving him back his phone. “If it were to happen, though… just don’t call us Mom and Dad!”
“You got it, big guy!” Prompto continued giggling as they walked down the street.
Gladio couldn’t help it. The sound was so infectiously happy, he laughed too.