daemonized | RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

...weird.

[he quiets down, taking his phone back. his face burns and he's keeping his gaze low, to avoid ardyn's look that this somehow should be obvious to him. how embarrassing.]

[he keeps on tapping]

Can y'check all my conversations?

[he's feeling hilarious in a panic-y way]

Of course.

[In normal circumstances he'd laugh at Prompto's lack of experience with these matters, to the point where a bit of audacious flirting causes him to blush. But he doesn't want to embarrass him for the sake of embarrassment, so his response is measured. He nods.]

Show them to me.

[He's still wondering if there's a certain one nestled in there, somewhere.]

[prompto hesitates in silence for a very long time, seemingly looking down at one conversation... before he decides to hand it over to ardyn. the thread is one with noctis. it includes also the private thread he and dante had for a moment.]

[he seems oh so interested on the carpet, pinching at the thick threads, after handing the phone for ardyn to read.]

We're just jokin' around. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

[Ardyn waits patiently for Prompto to give him the phone. He scrolls through the conversation, though nothing warrants anything like... concern, which is what Prompto seems to be implying?

He hands it back.]

...Would it be so bad if he was flirting with you?

[prompto stays quiet at the question, doesn't even lift his hand to grab the phone back. doesn't realize that ardyn is trying to hand it back, even.]

[there's a lot of thinking going--but most of the thinking has nothing to do with prompto picturing him in a relationship with noctis, or yoon-sung, or any other guy for the matter. it's more about the essence of how it's just frightening and weird (it's gotta be, right?), at all these insinuations of guys hitting on him.]

[why are guys hitting on him?]

[thus comes the petulant murmur, turning his head slightly to the side, and away;] It's weird.

[The phone is still being held out, expecting for Prompto to take it, but he's met instead with the other not even lifting his gaze to meet his own. And so he places the phone down gently on his desk, trying to parse out the mystery of what's going through his mind.

It's weird, he says. Which part, was the question, and Ardyn takes a not-quite stab in the dark.]

That they would be attracted to you, or... something else?

[he stumbles on his words, struggles to put his thoughts onto words. instead, he uses his hands to express his frustration, falling back so he's pressed against the wall instead, slumped over.]

It's just that... they're guys.

I...

[it scares him, not because he dislikes or has anything against homosexuality, but because of what he fears will come of admitting that he likes men, or admitting any sort of behavior that goes against the norm.]

[Ardyn frowns at all this reaction, eyes never leaving Prompto. The flicker of hesitation isn't surprising, he supposes -- that which is a shame unto itself. He knows exactly why Prompto would be scared to admit to any of it.]

And which part of that are you fearful of, Prompto? I certainly wouldn't judge you for showing interest in any of them; that would make me something of a hypocrite.

[He's bisexual, didn't you know, Prompto...]

[prompto's slouching is evolving as the seconds tick by. he's got his feet up against the drawers of ardyn's table, and this really can't be comfortable. he's still a sick boy.]

Wait, explain. Hypocrite?

[Ardyn doesn't mind him kicking his feet up. He leans an elbow onto his desk, lifting a brow. He decides to be plain about it.]

I've dated men in the past. That's what I mean by that.

[his voice is so loud when he ultimately shouts out:]

WHAT?!

[PROMPTO CALM DOWN

You almost startled him, good god]

I didn't realize that would be so surprising to you.

But you're with Grell now!?

[listen, he never dared venture into relationships out of the norm. especially not in his most romantic of daydreams, romantic soul that he is.]

I am. And even then, some might call it an unconventional relationship.

[Not that Ardyn would give a damn. He doesn't. Besides, that isn't the point.]

But who I'm with now doesn't change who I've dated before. Men and women alike. And if judgment is ever cast my way because of it, I certainly couldn't care less.

[The point being... nor should you, Prompto.]

[so many questions]

[prompto picks himself up, slowly crawling up onto the desk. elbows on it, knees keeping him steady on the floor, he basically gapes like a fish, unable to actually formulate the questions he wants to ask]

It's really okay?

[with whatever 'unconventional' means with grell, with straying from the conventional guy likes girl set of beliefs]

[Prompto's innocence skirts the line of being both endearing and amusing. But this is something of a serious conversation, not one that he should take lightly. And so Ardyn meets his gaze, and quite confidently replies.]

It is. You cannot help who you're attracted to. And those who think differently? They're hardly worth your time.

[prompto leans over, arms crossed on the table, head over them]

...I never really stopped to consider romantic things in the real life realm.

Why not?

[Time for Ardyn to lean forward on his elbow on his desk.]

Seriously? 'cause I'm me. Whiny, clumsy, sometimes stupid... with freckles, to boot.

[he deflates, feeling embarrassed about what he's just expressed, and gets back on the floor, taking his phone with him.]

'm not someone people have a crush on.

So? I have freckles that show when I've been in the sun too long.

[Like a proper redhead. He knows that's not the point, but it's worth pointing out. He can't see Prompto sprawled out on the floor from this angle, but he can hear him just fine.]

We're our own harshest critics. You're only prone to seeing the negative aspects of what you think is your personality, Prompto. You don't see the positive, that charming energy and optimism that would endear many to you.

[yeah, but sits at the tip of his tongue. freckles that ardyn may have aren't as noticeable as prompto's, sprinkled all over his face and arms and whatever bit of exposed skin they can spring forth from.]

[still, he decides not to argue]

[the whole thing embarrasses him, which is why his answer is a lackluster:] I guess so.

You can afford to sound more confident about it. If you can't bring yourself to believe it, at least believe me?

[It's the best he can offer. There's only so much he can do to change someone's perception of themselves, other than to always be a pillar of support, and always offer encouragement when needed. Especially when it comes to trickier subjects of... sexuality and the like. Ardyn won't push him, but Ardyn also won't tell him anything other than what he believes to be true.

A beat. Then:]

Do you have your eye on someone, by any chance?

[he can't believe it, and ardyn going about believing him, it's still hard to be reassured by it.]

Nah. Still feels like everyone's out of my league, and by the time I'm not some poor, photography student with a weird complexion I'll be forty and everyone will be taken.

[sighing, and finally feeling the dredges of sick, he just lies down against the wall, closing his eyes]

I guess... liking guys is okay, too? I'm not too lucky with girls much.

[It'll still come, these attempts at reassurance. Whether or not he eventually learns to believe them.]

Prompto, it's fine. You cannot help who you end up liking, or who you end up falling in love with.

[Not that the latter applies to Prompto (yet?), but he's just making a point.]

Anyone who tells you otherwise can talk to me about it.

[he's quiet for a moment, then opens his eyes again]

So, you're taking on the official dad role?

[AWkWARd.. but he went for it, grinning a bit]

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