Work Text:
Prompto had never truly cooked for anyone in his life before.
While he was growing up, he learned how to make basic meals that would supply him with the right necessities. Perhaps they weren’t the healthiest for the boy but he didn’t mind. He survived this long on the meals so he must have been doing something right. It was also the same situation for while he was on the road with his friends. Ignis, the man who cooked for the group, tried to teach his friends how to cook more exquisite meals. However, as intently as the boy listened, none of it stuck with him. It merely went in one ear and out of the other. While he was strolling around his kitchen, he was beating up on himself on how he should have paid more attention.
There was barely anything in his refrigerator; nothing that he could throw into a pot and call it a meal. The items in his fridge were either leftover food or take-outs from restaurants. He sighed once more to himself as he shut the door of the refrigerator. He had stared deeply into the contents that the fridge held, as if he hoped for something in return. However, with no avail, nothing came to him. All while he did this, his text notifications were blowing up on his phone. Numerous texts were sent back and forth between his friends’ on their group chat; the majority of them were about Prompto’s situation. He didn’t bother to check the messages or respond to them. He didn’t want to submit to defeat just yet.
Even though he didn’t respond to the group chat’s worried pleads, he picked up his phone and traveled back to him and his crush’s messages. He read through the joyfulness of their conversations. A droning feeling of guilt and despair gnawed at him; his insides flipped and flopped with regret. He hated letting people down, especially if it was someone he cared for. He knew he had to tell them one way or another - they were coming over in under an hour. Yet, he didn’t know how to initiate such a disappointing topic. His fingers were slow and they slightly trembled as he typed out some sort of apology. However, he suddenly stopped mid-sentence when an incoming message interrupted him.
A message from Gladio read:
Just tell them. Be honest. I’m sure they’ll understand, dude.
Prompto let out a soft sigh. He set his phone down (not without quickly erasing his words to his friend before doing so) while he ran both of his hands through his hair. He pricked his usual standing hairstyle into an even higher mohawk. When he released his hands from his head, his blond strands of hair fell to his nose. To which, he blew the locks away from his face. He tended to play with his hair whenever he was nervous. The anxious tick of his eventually calmed him down in certain situations. However, he found himself toying with his mop of hair longer than he should have.
Prompto’s sudden anxious habits faded away when his phone rang with a different ring tone. His friends’ group chat had a different notification sound. Everyone did, especially his crush. He had been listening to the same old sound for quite some time now. So, hearing something different than that definitely piqued his interest. His head perked up and he eyed the device with excitement and fear. His mind wandered with both the best and worst situations that the text message could include. Perhaps, they cancelled. Or maybe they’re demanding a -
“ Dammit. ” Prompto mutters to himself, which was quietly masked underneath his defeated sigh. Before his mind could race with nerve-racking thoughts, he stopped himself and grabbed his phone. He was hesitant to turn on his phone screen and read the message but he pushed through. He softly read the words out loud to himself. His lips barely pressed together as he spoke, the words were more so spoke as a simple breath. Which would soon be roughly sucked in and then replaced with a cheerful smile. He bared a toothy grin while his teeth bit down on the plump flesh of his bottom lip. With the text message that repeated in his mind, he felt more triumphant than before.
Hey, Prompto! Why don’t we hang out at my place instead? Bring your games over and I’ll supply the food ;)