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Prompto was humming softly to himself when Noctis walked in, stringing garland along the window sills of their shared apartment. Noctis dragged his weary body over to the bubbly blond and wrapped his arms around him, pressing his face into his boyfriend's back. Prompto laughed and the rumble of it vibrated through Noctis's chest and warmed his heart.
“How was work?” Prompto asked, reaching over his shoulder to ruffle Noctis's hair.
“Mm, boring.” Noctis mumbled into Prompto's shoulder blade, “Woulda preferred being home and decorating with you.”
“Well, I saved the tree for you. So how about you get changed into something comfy and we can decorate, hm?”
Noctis smiled and pressed a kiss to the back of Prompto's neck. “You're amazing. I'll be right back.”
Returning in comfy loungewear, Noctis joined Prompto where he was sorting through their ever growing collection of ornaments. “I wasn't sure if we were going for a theme this year, or if we just wanted to put out our favourites?”
Noct looked around at the apartment and how it had been lovingly decorated and smiled, “Let's put up our favourites. It doesn't have to be Citadel perfect, it just has to be ours.” He kissed Prompto gently as he reached past him for an ornament and then turned to place it on the tree – a chocobo in a festive red and white hat – proudly displaying it in the center of the tree. Prompto blushed softly and hung Noctis's carbuncle ornament beside it.
Later, cuddling together on the couch, basking in the glow of the rainbow of lights on their tree, they both agreed that they had done an amazing job. Each of the little ornmaments represented them and their life together – fish and chocobos, special charms with dates, cameras and video game references – all snuggled amongst garland and popcorn. It was them and it was perfect.
***
“I can't believe that you won't let me wear my Solstice sweater, Noct!” Prompto pouted and Noctis wanted nothing more than to tell him that it was okay for him to wear the sweater, but he knew that Ignis would kill him.
“I know you want to, babe, but we can't for the Citadel party. You can wear whatever you like for our Solstice dinner though, I promise.”
Prompto's pout deepened, “And you'll wear one to match?”
Noctis was weak for those puppy dog eyes and sighed. “Yes, I'll wear one to match.”
Prompto cheered and tackle-hugged Noctis. The smile that greeted him and the kiss that followed made the promise worth it. “I'm still wearing my chocobo tie though!” Prompto asserted as he pulled back. “Gotta liven up this suit somehow.”
Noctis snorted, “Yeah, alright, give me my Solstice fish tie.”
“Oh, living on the wild side. I like it.”
“What can I say, you bring out the best in me.”
Prompto giggled and kissed him again.
***
“Oh no, no no no!”
The stovetop hissed as liquid sloshed over the pot's edge and bubbled away.
“Noctis? Is everything okay?”
Of course Prompto got home at the exact moment that he messed up his surprise. He looked over his shoulder to see Prompto looking concerned, brushing snow out of his hair.
“It's okay,” Noctis called to him sheepishly. “I just had the heat up too high and the milk boiled over.”
“Milk?” Prompto crossed over to him and glanced in the pot curiously. “Whatcha making?”
“It was supposed to be a surprise.” Noctis pouted until Prompto kissed him. “You got home too quickly.”
Prompto snorted and looked over the counter, noticing the chopped pieces of chocolate. “You're making cocoa?”
“I'm burning milk at the moment, but I'm trying to make you cocoa, yes.”
Prompto laughed and kissed him again. “Let's start over and I'll show you how to do this properly okay?”
Noctis melted into Prompto and nodded. “Together. I like the sound of that.”
Unsurprisingly, Prompto's cocoa turned out amazingly. He liked to say that he wasn't up to Ignis's culinary level, but there was so much love in everything that Prompto created that Noctis could taste it in every sip. Curled up on the couch with him, enjoying his mug of love and chocolate while the snow fell softly outside, Noctis felt as though there was nowhere he'd rather be.
***
“Thanks for coming early, Iggy. You're seriously a lifesaver.” Noctis quickly returned to the kitchen while Ignis shed his winter outerwear in the foyer.
“I was surprised that you volunteered to cook tonight's Solstice dinner. In equal measure I am completely unsurprised that you need help.”
Noctis pouted at his friend, “Oh come on, you and Prompto always do this stuff. I want to do it for you this time. Except... well, I have no idea what I'm doing even though Prompto gave me lessons before he left.”
“Alright, well what are you making for dinner? What can I help you with?” Ignis pulled on an apron and moved to wash his hands.
“Uhh okay, we're doing a turkey and Prompto set that up and told me not to touch it, so that's fine, but it's everything else that's just... harder than I thought. Like how am I supposed to make gravy?”
“Well you usually use the drippings from the turkey. I'm assuming it's in a roasting pan?”
“Uhh yeah. It's in the pan that's like an egg for the turkey?”
Ignis snorted, “An egg for the turkey? I've failed you clearly. Yes, that's a roasting pan. So you don't make the gravy yet. What else?”
“Mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce? Think we bought the sauce so that's fine. Uh, boil some potatoes then?”
“Wash them, peel them and then boil them, yes. Have you really never done this before?”
Noctis blushed sheepishly. “I uh... No. But how hard can it be?”
“Famous last words, Noct.” Ignis teased, “And what about vegetables?”
Noctis wrinkled his nose, “Do I have to?”
“Yes, Prompto enjoys his vegetables. You'll make him sad if you don't make any.”
“Ouch. Low blow, Specs.”
Ignis grins and starts chopping vegetables for him. “We'll just throw them on a tray and roast them. It'll be easier than teaching you how steam them without over-cookng them.”
“Wow. You have so much faith in me.” Noctis had barely finished speaking when the pot of potatoes boiled over and hissed. Noctis panicked and moved to rectify it while Ignis burst into laughter.
***
“I can't believe that you called Iggy to help you with dinner,” Prompto teased as they got dressed in their matching sweaters before everyone else arrived.
“Hey, I still did all the work!” Noct pouted, hoping to earn kiss.
Prompto tapped his lips with a fingertip, but didn't kiss him. “Hmm, well 'A' for effort, I suppose. At least the house didn't burn down.”
“I would never!” Noct pretended to be hurt, until Prompto gave in and kissed him.
“Come on, Iggy's waiting and everyone will be here soon.”
***
The evening was lively - full of laughter and family and love. Ignis had made his Solstice mulled wine and not a drop was left by the time everyone went home. Quiet settled over the house – the kind of quiet that comes when freshly fallen snow blankets the world. Prompto leaned his head against Noctis's shoulder, staring into the crackling fire and enjoying simply being together. Noctis pressed a kiss to the top of Prompto's head. “Would you like to open one of your presents?” he asked, mumbling into soft golden hair.
“Early? Are you sure?” Prompto shifted slightly trying to look at Noctis.
“Yeah. I think now is the perfect time.”
Noctis moves and plucks a small gift bag from where it was tucked underneath the tree and holds it out to Prompto.
Prompto pulls a small wrapped box from where it was nestled against decorative tissue, frowning in his curiosity. “What's this?”
“Open it,” Noct whispers softly, love in every nuance of his voice.
The wrapping is peeled away to reveal a black ring box. Prompto's fingers shake as he goes to open it and Noctis wraps his hands over Prom's to steady them. Inside the box was a gold ring with a line of black through the center, embellished with a diamond set within the shape of a star carved into the metal. Prompto was crying before the words even left Noctis's lips.
“Marry me?”
Prompto answered him with a kiss.
“Well, aren't you going to put it on me?”
***
This year's solstice party had finally come to an end. The kids had long since gone home, but they remained behind; four men under the stars with the fire crackling between them. It was nostalgic. It was home.
Prompto had fallen asleep a short while ago, leaning heavily against Noctis's chest until Noct carefully moved his head to rest on his lap. Setting his mug of warm mulled wine beside the empty one that had held Prompto's cocoa, Noctis brushed Prompto's hair behind his ear to where the hair was now more of a warm grey than a blond. Noctis's own hair was more salt than pepper these days and it made him smile - these signs that they were growing old; that they had grown old together.