fandomhigh | Finding (More) New Hobbies, Thursday Period 2

Finding (More) New Hobbies, Thursday Period 2

“It’s our final class together,” Stark said. “And I’ve brought a friend to help us learn about a hobby. Or it doesn’t have to be a hobby. It can be an entire job, too. So. Prompto is here. To talk to you, to us, about photography. Which some of you know about already. Maybe all of you do? Probably all of you do.”

Stark shrugged. He was getting close to babbling. Maybe it was time for Prompto to talk.

And Prompto had to grin a little, because it was rare when he was actually not the more awkward public speaker in a room. "Hi," he said, waving a hand, while his other held a camera. "I'm Prompto, I know some of you already, and those of you who do know me know that I am all about this thing." He held up the camera in the other hand. "My camera. And photography, which is a really great hobby because all you really need is a camera, and there's tons of different ones out there, from super fancy ones to even just the camera on your phone. I started my photography journey when I was a kid, and it was a really great way for me to explore and understand my world, and so now I'm going to share some of that with you guys. I'm going to talk a little bit about how to use a camera and basic tips for great pics, and then I've got some great Polaroid cameras so that you can use the rest of the class to give it a try and get to see the results right away without having to wait for the film to develop. While also having a cool physical copy of the picture, unlike with your phone!

"So let's get started!"

Stark nodded. “Yes. Let’s.” Look, he also wanted to play with the Polaroids.

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Shaking it like a polaroid picture?

Luma Zarrin

Steven Grant

Anakin Skywalker

Learn about some photography basics!

Steven did his best to listen to what Prompto was saying. Though photography wasn't a new hobby for him, he did enjoy it. He very much wanted to learn anything Prompto had to teach about it.

He just couldn't help the lingering nervousness from the incident that morning. Specifically the fear he'd had about losing time. So while Prompto talked, Steven held his pocket watch and fiddled with it nervously, trying to use the feel of it to ground himself in the present.

"All right?" Stark asked quietly, walking over once Prompto had finished speaking.

"It's Thursday, yeah?" Steven asked. "I've got the right of it?"

"Thursday," Stark confirmed with a nod. "I had Liliana's class and now mine and Raiden's next. And yesterday was Anakin's nonsense."

Steven took a breath of relief. He still held on to his pocketwatch, but he wasn't fiddling with it as nervously. "Good. Good. Thank you. I wasn't sure if I lost time today. Don't think I did but - the fear lingers, you know?"

"I don't know exactly how that feels," Stark said. "I know how worrying feels. And fear. Did something happen?"

"Someone showed up at the museum today," Steven said. "Cross with me even though I'd not met her before. In the past when that's happened it's because I lost time. Don't remember something I did that offended someone."

"Did she say why?" Stark asked.

"I'm sorry you've been unsettled by that. But you're here now when you're meant to be, if that helps."

"It does, thank you," Steven said. As did talking to Stark in general. It gave him another thing to focus on to keep himself in the present. He put his watch back into his pocket to keep it safe. "Friend of Harley's? Demanded I apologize to her. Harley, that is. Very - er - passionate about that."

Have fun! Be goofy. Or serious. Do whatever.

Sure, Eleanor had told Luma about her ohine having a camera and selfies, but she really liked the idea of learning the proper way to do something she had enjoyed the result of for most of her life, relying on magazines and the like to know what went on and was popular in the outside world. So after eagerly listening, she was just as eager to get her hands on one of the cameras and get started, looking around at what might be good to take pictures of: empty desks, the view from the windows, her shoes and her nails (badly in need of being redone)....

Although most of her time was spent trying to figure out how to do selfie with a Polaroid, invested in it with so much focus that most of them involved her brow furrowed in concentration and a dissatisfied frown at the results.

And when she was sure no one was paying attention, she tried a few shots of her teeth, too....

They are here. Probably.

It was true! Prompto was there! And totally ready to answer all your photography questions!

Maybe even other questions, as well! Who knew? Only one way to find out!

Edited 2025-08-21 17:34 (UTC)

"Thank you again," Stark said. "I appreciate your help. And these cameras seem fun."

"I mean," Prompto chuckled a little, "i think all cameras are fun, but there's something really satisfying about the near-instant memory of a Poloroid, huh? And don't even mention it. You know I'm glad to help. Thank you for giving me the chance!"

It was pretty good for him to have something to focus (ha!) on right now, really, since next week was the annual Noctis Memorial Fishing Trip, and Ignis had....well, he'll just say big plans for it that were making Prompto...well, he'll just say antsy.

So distraction? Yes please!

"I like having a chance to work together, with friends," Stark said. "Even if you were doing all of today's work, really. And they are fun. I like the cameras."

Maybe he bring some with him if we went home again soon. Maybe.

"It's not really that much work," Prompto pointed out, grin going a little sheepish. "Just an excuse to babble about cameras,which I love doing anyways. Nice to have a captive audience again; Noctra's a little harder to subject to impromptou lectured now that she's walking."

A pause.

"Well, running, really."

"Maybe if I find a dog Noctra can play with it sometime. They could tire each other out?" Stark suggested.

"And any time you'd like to babble I'm good at listening. And babbling back."

"She's actually into bunny rabbits at the moment," said Prompto, grinning as he rolled his eyes, clearly proud as hell and pleased as punch despite his attempts to seem exasperated by the ever-changing fancy of a two-and-a-half year old. "Which doesn't bode well for me, they go like crazy! But it'll probably just be for these next weeks or so. I hope so, anyway."

He gave Stark a smile he thought was confident and excited, but came out much more nervous than anything else.

"She's meeting her first real chocobo next weekend!"

And even if he didn't have all that crippling portal trauma that made him terrified of the upcoming trip, he's still be nervous as he'll.

Imagine if his daughter ended up hating chocobos!

How could a man even go on after something like that????

"I heard about the bunnies, on the radio," Stark said. "Chocobos are birds, right? Large ones?"

Awesome ones, Stark. Awesome birds.

"Are you going home for the weekend?"

"Next weekend," Prompto corrected, with a nod that he hoped hid the hard swallow that came with it. The significant draining of color from his face (save, of course, for those freckles, now standing out more that ever against his palor) was probably harder to hide, too. "For our big annual fishing trip. Ignis wanted us all to go back to Eos for it this year."

Fine. It was fine! They weren't going to get stuck for ten years again, ha ha ha, that would be silly and unlikely and a totally unfounded fear that he didn't need to worry about at all!!! Ha ha ha...

"But, yeah. Big riding birds."

Even chocobos, though, could push through the anxiety and pull a dopey, admiring, lopsided smile out of Prompto.

"Pretty much the most magnificent, amazing, incredible creatures ever, that's all."

"You don't seem too excited...for the fishing," Stark said carefully. "Are you all right?"

You'd gone pale, Prompto. That was mildly alarming.

"And...maybe you could bring back some good pictures of the birds. The chocobo?"

He was a Nif! With really bad genes! The paleness was unavoidable! You should have seen the guy he was cloned from! Practically translucent!

(Granted, that probably did have a lot to do with the Starscourge he'd been injecting himself with, but still!)

"Oh, well," Prompto chuckled awkwardly, and the color was back to his face, but it kept going until his cheeks were glowing freckled red, and he rubbed the back of his neck, "I never look forward to the fishing. None of us do, really, but...it's tradition."

Thr color seemed to even out again as he smiled a little weakly. "An important one. But, yeah, I'll definitely take plenty of pics to share."

Assuming he could even get back again to show him!

That's why going noticeably pale was alarming, Prompto!

"I'm sure Ignis will cook something delicious with the fish," Stark said. Did that help? Who knew?

"I look forward to the pictures then. Maybe fishing stories. Or stories of Gladio feeding everyone Cup NoodleTM if you can't find any fish."

THE END.
Or something.

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Finding (More) New Hobbies, Thursday Period 2

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