Undecided

Chapter 26: Silent

Trent mentioned silent treatment was one of your many antics as a teenager, sharing the numerous occasions Mykos would butt heads with you on purpose to get you talking. Unfortunately, Mykos was not around to break through your silence, leaving the rest at loss on what to do next. Your silence continued for the next four days, building anxiety within the group. Gladio sighed heavily, plopping down on one of the chairs outside Churrobo, letting the humidity of Lestallum tickle his tanned skin. 

"Any word out of (Your Name) yet?" Noctis asked, taking the seat opposite of the shield.

"Absolutely nothing," Gladio replied, sitting up a little and noticing a new accessory dangling from his liege's neck, "That's new," Gladio commented, nodding his head towards Noctis' neck and grinning when the Prince blushed.

"Ah... yeah. Got it yesterday from the market," Noctis replied vaguely.

"So who bought it for you?" Gladio asked, his grin growing wider when Noctis was unable to meet his gaze.

"Iris," Noctis mumbled softly, bringing his gloved hand to cover his mouth, redirecting his attention elsewhere.

"Wouldn't have guessed," Gladio teased, settling back in his chair. Three guesses what that letter 'I' pendant represents. Gladio' mouth twitched in amusement as Noctis struggled recomposing himself. "Since when?"

"Huh?" Noctis panicked. "Uh... well... two days ago?" 

What had Gladio chuckling to himself was the fact that although Noctis was a full-grown man in his late twenties, he never lost the awkwardness of an inexperienced teenager when it came to the opposite sex.

"Anything else?" Gladio pushed, wondering if Noctis understood what the older Amicitia sibling wanted to hear.

"I..." Gladio watched as Noctis took a deep breath, before looking straight into the shield's eyes, "I can't promise I won't make her cry, because there are many things we have yet to go through together. But I will protect her, treasure her, and treat her with the utmost respect she deserves," It was no surprise the Prince was nervous and hopeful for Gladio's support on the new budding relationship. Yet it seemed those nerves went out the window the moment the next-in-line had to ascertain his feelings were genuine. Relieved and filled with glee that Iris' long love for Noctis was mutual, Gladio chuckled again, watching Noctis relax a little in his seat.

"I'd be a hypocrite if I told you not to make her cry. Considering the track record I have with opposite sex," Gladio grimaced, receiving a small, sympathetic smile from Noctis.

"Then you had to go ahead and find someone who is potentially the best match for you but..."

"Is currently transformed into a hot-blooded teenager who childish silence is driving us all mad,"

"Say... There wasn't anything on (Your Name)'s phone mentioned anything more on the Phoenix Hunters?"

"Nope. It was mostly about Arielle, which is a little intriguing. I get that she's the leader and cause of Phoenix Reborn becoming into a public nucience. But sending out an ex-member solo to resolve their juvenille antics just doesn't make any sense,"

"There wasn't any mention of Phoenix Reborn in any of the council meetings I attended. Father hadn't mentioned anything either," Noctis' disgruntlement was warranted, considering he was supposed to be across everything and anything to do with ruling Lucis .

"Hey where is (Your Name) anyway?" Gladio asked curiously, nodding his head towards the other two who had joined them.

"Apparently she went out this morning with Trent, Mia and Iris on a cruise," Prompto replied.