A Chocobro Christmas

[chocobosnap]

Who: Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum, Ignis Scientia & Gladiolus Amicitia
Where: Prompto and Noct's apartment.
What: Holiday shenanigans
When: December 24th overnight!
Warnings: Chocobro dorkiness.

Ignis had kindly left them a list of things to get so he could make them a meal fit for a king, which coincidentally, that's who he was cooking for. Prompto diligently got everything on the list, and a few decorations to put up around the apartment while Noct was at work. He didn't have presents, but Santa already sent his gifts to his friends, so they would just have to manage without that aspect.

He'd also gotten some drinks, because they were all old enough to partake if they wanted, and he settled down to wait for everyone to arrive, bouncing on the couch. He had a Santa hat pulled over his head, just for effect.

((OOC note: Tags can be done all together, or grab a bro to the side, it doesn't matter. It's a free for all, just like all their interactions.))

Comments

Arrival - Gladiolus

[shieldyourass]

Knock knock, guess who's here and ready to party?

Gladiolus has brought a case of beer, because of course he did, it's a party with his bros. He has a holiday-themed bottle opener sticking out of a shirt pocket, and a huge grin. There was a list of Future Things He Didn't Want to Speak of or Think About, but.

Tonight was exactly the night to forget about all of that. He wanted to just hang out with his friends like nothing ever happened - just for one night. Like he could actually turn back time. As much of a fantasy as the idea was.

[chocobosnap]

"Hey Gladio!" Prompto is in good spirits, with the silly Santa hat and everything, there was a lot he wanted to forget too, but as far as they all knew, it's like they're back in Insomnia when everything used to be simpler.

They're all good at putting on a brave face, and this will be no different. He gets up off the couch, eyeing the beer.

"You can put it in the fridge if you want, there should be space! Iggy promised to cook, so I didn't get a whole lot!"

[shieldyourass]

He waves, and moves toward the fridge, as instructed. It is looking a bit bare, but there are some mixers for drinks in there already. He stuck the case in, grabbed a beer for himself.

"Good. We won't all die of food poisoning tonight. I'm real glad I can cross that off my list of concerns."

Looking over his shoulder, he asked, "Want me to grab you anythin?"

[chocobosnap]

Prompto laughed at him. "Well if you wanted food poisoning, Noct and I could have made dinner. I figured you didn't and so we'll let Iggy do it!"

He grinned and shook his head. "Nah, I'm gonna wait til it's cold to drink it. I don't think drinking warm beer sounds very good."

He stared at Gladio contemplatively. "I know!" He snapped his fingers and disappeared into the bedroom down the hall.

It only took him a minute before he came back and held out a pair of reindeer antlers. "Put them on big guy!"

[shieldyourass]

"Such little faith," Gladiolus said, and cracked one open for himself. "These are cold. Had them chillin in my fridge before I came over."

When Prompto returns with the headband, Gladiolus stares.

And stares.

Then, he lets out a large, belly laugh. This - this was perfect.

He reached for them, and placed them on his head. Carefully tucked his hair around them.

Confident and unashamed, he grinned down at Prompto. "There. How do I look?"

[chocobosnap]

Prompto grinned, nothing like getting his friends into Christmas cheer. It really didn't matter to him if Gladio was older suddenly, he was still one of his best friends wasn't he?

"Awesome! It looks great on you!" Everything pretty much looked great on Gladio.

"Then I'll take a beer now." He spun around and opened the fridge, reaching in to pull one out.

[shieldyourass]

Still chuckling, Gladiolus wandered to the livingroom, kicked back on a chair, putting his feet on the coffee table.

Took a sip of his beer.

"What kinda animal does this belong to, anyway?" he asked. There were little bells attached to the antlers, and he flicked one, making it jingle.

[chocobosnap]

Prompto opened his beer and moved to flop on the couch, but he stopped at the question.

"Oh! A reindeer! Check it out!" He pulled up a picture on his phone of a reindeer with the antlers and everything. He leaned over the arm of his chair to show it off.

"It's a Christmas thing. The bells are just festive!"

[shieldyourass]

Gladiolus pointed out, wryly, "I figured it was a Christmas thing. You aren't the time to keep random animal-themed headbands around."

Not even chocobo ones, actually.

He peered at the picture, scratching his chin thoughtfully. It looked like some kind of herbivore, maybe. Hard to judge how big they were from the photo.

"Huh. I wonder what they use the antlers for," he mused. "They don't really look too aggressive, do they?"

noct: a few open prompts! all replies and threadjacks welcome at any time （˶′◡‵˶）

[alternas]

KING'S KNIGHT.

sitting at the table, Noctis shuffles his deck of cards, giving everyone a knowing look, and yet saying nothing. There's a challenging gleam in those blue eyes of his... and a grin to match. It had been far too long since they'd enjoyed something so simple as a game together... and their prince seemed to be revel in the idea of the challenge.

"Should I deal everyone in?"

THE BEST DAMN DINNER.

"Nngh, mmph!" Noctis was stuffing his face which was, without a doubt,
the best tasting food he'd had ever since he arrived in this place. Take out was just fuel to get him by but this... this was where it was at!

He was looking more and more like he hadn't eaten in months, from the way he was packing it in. He doubted that Ignis would ever lose his touch in the kitchen,
everything tasted better than he remembered with each bite.

"Pass me some more gravy," his cheeks are full, apparently forgetting his manners in his joy.

INEVITABLE... INAPITABLE?

It had been a great night... After the food, things had been winding down.
Noctis was sprawled out on the couch, eyes closed, a hand resting on his full belly.
"That was... the best..."

There's a 90% chance he's about to fall asleep, full and contented, with his best friends all around him... just like he remembered.

OTA

( open to any other set-up/situation! )

CARD GAMES FOR ALL

[chocobosnap]

"Oh yeah, definitely deal me in, I have to kick your sorry ass!" Prompto grinned at him, taking a seat. He didn't win very much, but that was okay, it was going to be fun. He turned the chair around so he could straddle the back.

"You're going down Noct!"

CARD GAMES FOR ALL

[shieldyourass]

"Deal me in."

Gladiolus sits down, sprawling out on that chair, leaning forward. His smile is cocky. Self-assured. Ready to beat them all.

When was the last time he got a chance to play cards with his friends? Seriously?

His eyes sparked with mischief. Like none of them had a chance.

[alternas]

Just as planned... as he continued to shuffle, Noctis looked over the both of them, grinned, and proudly announced the next phase.

"In that case, I call Iggy for my team, shouldn't be a problem right? I mean, since you're both so confident."

[culinaryvision]

"I trust you'll be winning, Noct. I've taught you everything I know."

Was that a small smirk? Yes, yes it was. He sat down next to him, holding his cane in front of him, steeple fingers on top of it. He whispered to Noctis, "There's a slight advantage to my condition... I can tell you who may be bluffing."

[chocobosnap]

"I'm so confident, I'm willing to bet on it." Prompto boasted, it wasn't like he wasn't good, but Gladio was a much better player than him.

"Gladio and I've got this, you and Iggy are going down!" He answered, tapping the table.

"If we win, you do all the dishes for a week Noct." He wagered with a grin at his roommate and best friend.

[shieldyourass]

There was only a moment's hesitation on Gladiolus' part - perhaps only perceptible to Ignis. Perhaps. He was confident he'd beat all of them in a four-way battle - he wasn't counting on teams.

But he shrugged, casual, and answered in a tone which was still all confidence, "Not goin to be a problem at all. Might not even be a challenge."

Ah, well. At least if he was going to lose - he wasn't putting everything on some silly bet, like Prompto and Nocits probably were.

[alternas]

His grin spread from ear to ear at Ignis' whisper, dealing out the cards to the other two parties. There was no way he would lose, especially not with his adviser by his side again. "Only a week? Make it two!" he countered jovially.

And as he organized his cards, he leaned in to quietly tell Ignis the details of their starter hand, shielding his mouth as he spoke with the fanned out cards.

After dinner...

[chocobosnap]

Prompto came around the couch and poked at Noctis.

"Aren't you going to share the couch?"

Poke. Poke. Poke. He wished Noct good luck sleeping through his pestering.

[alternas]

Dammit Prompto, he was just about asleep. Have half of one eye opening with a big frown as he moves to swat that poking out of the way. Pushing himself into a different position, he made room on the opposite end for his friend to sit, especially if it meant the pestering would die down... though part of him had missed it, if he was being honest.

"I hope you at least brought some of the desserts with you over here, to bribe me into being awake..."

[chocobosnap]

"I thought you were full!" He said, accusingly, but because Prompto was just the best friend in the whole world, he swung back around to the kitchen, put a few of the sweets on a plate and brought them over to the couch.

Prompto took his seat on the other side of the couch and with a smirk moved to pick up one of the cookies.

"Oh, did you want some?"

He smirked and gave Noctis a look, did he dare?

Kitchen! (any posts are always threadjackable on my end)

[culinaryvision]

After being told where the spices and items were for the dinner he insisted on making for them, Ignis had arrived earlier in the day to prep a giant turkey and stuffing that was at this point had at least half an hour in the oven left.

When he first arrived at the apartment, thankfully he had received enough help he needed to get everything started and organized, and even made a quick icebox chocolate pie that was in the refrigerator. He had greeted Gladiolus as well, and resumed what he was doing.

Garlic and herb mashed potatoes and yes, seasoned vegetables BECAUSE KINGS SHOULD EAT THEIR GODDAMN VEGGIES were next. He felt the counter for the chef's knife and stack of potatoes, raising one to his nose to smell it, just to verify it was the correct item, smiled to himself, and began peeling and cutting.

He seemed at ease doing this, more proud of the fact that the hard part was long done, even if it took him just a little longer for something as extravagant as this feast.

The biggest annoyance he was finding, was setting correct temperatures, and was internally fretting getting the actually turkey out of the oven to set on the counter. The only way one would know, is the slight scrunch of his face that grew as the timer ticked a litter faster, showing that it was getting closer to going off.

Ignis finally spoke up, almost hesitant, but he knew where his current weaknesses lied.

"If I may... could I get some assistance in the kitchen?"

[shieldyourass]

Gladiolus was very carefully and very consciously avoiding the kitchen until then - hanging around the others, joking, having a couple of beers. Tried to forget the first camp after Ignis' injury, the single piece of toast, the sudden loss of confidence. The thankfully temporary loss of confidence. By now - or, rather, by the time he left Eos and was brought here - Ignis was even better than he'd ever been, sighted.

He didn't want to seem like he was hovering, or worried. He remembered he'd gotten told off a few times, in the past, that he was being overbearing, overprotective. That Ignis didn't appreciate his opinion that Ignis shouldn't fight, that he should stay behind. Gladiolus didn't want to repeat past mistakes.

However - at the question - Gladio immediately set down his beer, and stood. Put on a casual expression, crossed his arms.

"I'll give you a hand, Iggy."

And moves towards the kitchen.

[culinaryvision]

Ignis smiled and nodded towards the voice, "Thank you Gladio. That timer should be going off any minute now, and I would need the turkey to be set on those towels there on the counter."

He finished putting the cut potatoes into a pot, and lifted it, shuffling to the sink to add water before setting it on the stove, turning on the heat with a frown as he attempted to feel for the notches to show it's on high heat. As sure as he was going to get, he felt for the salt and added it to the water, then put the salt back in its place.

He joked somewhat as he went back to his cutting area, "At least it smells good. I just hope I didn't mix sugar and salt. That would be embarrassing."

And his biggest fear.

He grabbed the carrots and asparagus, preparing them and putting them in a bowl adding oil and herbs, using his hand to toss them, then set it aside to rest. Afterward he leaned against the counter, facing his friend and speaking somewhat quietly.

"If I'm honest, I'm not as confident in my skills as I wish I was. This is the most I've done on my own. So thank you. For your assistance. It really is greatly appreciated," his head seemed to look in Noctis' direction, towards the living room. "With everything we've been through, we're all back together again. He deserves a nice holiday."

[shieldyourass]

"Got it," he acknowledged verbally, rather than just nodding. Gladiolus wasn't the taciturn, silent type, but he was definitely a lot more vocal around Ignis. In fact - if this version of him had been further from their past, and still sighted, he didn't think he'd have been able to break the habit.

Gladiolus found the oven mitts, tucked them under an arm, and dutifully waited for the timer to chime.

He peered toward Ignis, watching him work. More slowly than he was used to. Frowned. Responded, casually, to the joking-not-joking fear, "If you need me to glance at anythin before you toss it in, just let me know."

And, once Ignis spoke more candidly, he listened. He didn't realize that - of course if he was just taken from that trip on the train - he wouldn't have had the chance to build up his skills. So. It made sense this was the first time he'd get the practice.

"Anytime," Gladio answered, and admitted himself, "... I was kind of an ass about this, the first time 'round, and kept butting my nose in, tryin to help when you didn't need it. But. Don't get me wrong. I do want to lend a hand, however you want it."

He looked toward the living room as well. His voice was quiet, sincere. "... We all do. But. Specially him."

It was borrowed time, and Gladiolus wanted to make it count.

[chocobosnap]

"I'll help you Iggy! I'll help you by staying out of the way!"

Prompto leaned over the back of the couch and flashed him a victory sign - Ignis couldn't see it, but the others could, he knew where his skills were.

"Please take care of us poor mortals who are hopeless in the kitchen!"