#Prompto and Ignis make an appearance

[sparklecryptid]

A Reveal because the Lucis Caelums had a magical family tree made up once and somebody finally found the thing after it was lost in the archives for a few centuries.

Regis is not even the only person with bastards, he's just the most recent one and it's not even the biggest scandal.

(That would be the confirmation that the children of that one LC queen couple of hundreds years ago were most definitely not sired by her husband, which honestly, everyone expected already because the man was so gay and not even pretending otherwise.)

Noctis stares at the magic family tree.

He stares at it. Ignis stares at it.

The two of them exchange looks.

"Well," Noctis says eventually, "Do you think I can toss the crown at one of my siblings-"

Ignis gives him a look that would make lesser men weep.

"I'm not sure they would appreciate that."

-

After that Noctis takes the family tree and with Prompto's help carefully looks up the names of his siblings.

One of them lives in Lestallum and works as a scientist at the power plant, Thanatos seems to be a cheerful man with red eyes and that makes Noctis wonder WHY no one has connected him to their father earlier.

The next is Ardor, who has a Kwetter account that is only used to post blurry shots of beasts and daemons that Ardor was hunting and to response to his other siblings.

Which is how Noctis finds out that all his half-siblings know about each other and regularly interact through the internet.

It makes him feel a bit lonely to be honest. He understands their desire to not want to come forward but-

Well.

He's always wanted a bigger family.

The next person Noctis and Prompto find is a man named Ace who is Hunter and sometimes appears in Ardor's photos. He's Galahdian, obvious by the beads in his hair, and Noctis and Prompto share a look when they realize that Ace is married to an active member of the Kingsglaive.

Persephone is next, she's a priestess with a warm smile that Noctis thinks is somehow comforting and threatening at the same time. She is also married to an active member of the Kingsglaive and routinely shows up on her siblings feed asking them to 'please reconsider what they are about to do'.

Jules works in a book store. She has mousy brown hair and bright blue eyes hidden behind thick frames. She looks like someone Ignis would get along with.

Bard is - okay, Noctis has known who Bard is for a while know, her videos go viral whenever she posts her street performances and Noctis knows that Ignis and Gladio are fans. He wonders if he can get them an autograph.

Jupiter is the sister of an active member of the Kingsglaive and Noctis begins to wonder if they're training them so poorly they can't recognize members of the loyal family.

There is nothing on Mercury's page but cat photos that she tags her siblings in with 'this you?' the latest of which is a wet cat staring at the camera that Mercury tagged Ardor in.

Noctis is a little hurt that they all know each other and yet never bothered to come forward.

If he posts a video of the magically glowing family tree on his Official Account and tags all his siblings in it with 'this u?' well-

Noctis deserves to blow up the internet once and while.

As a treat.

(The existence of the siblings gets quickly brushed aside when the family tree - upon study by various historians - confirms that the children of The Star were not sired by her husbands.

Thanatos immediately posts a joke about 'horny running in the family'.)

[mrsmneme]

My Art Summary 2023

2023 will end soon. I faced a huge change throughout the year such as promotion, relocation, tougher schedule, etc. I was too busy to make arts, but I'm so glad that I made enough to create an art summary. Because my arts weren't finished in monthly basis, so I don't add names of months again. Thank you for all impressions and participations for my work. I'll keep practicing. 🥰❤️

The first one was the 2023 celebrating piece. I made the chocobros playing multiplayer game, the same composition as Comrade's advertisement, but they are older, in alternate ending appearances.

The second one was a happy birthday Ignis piece. I drew his much older self, as we had seen him greeting King Noctis in alternate ending end credit. Thanks @gakusa2 in x for the gorgeous reference.

The third one was a happy birthday Ardyn piece. I drew his chancellor outfit with his famous grin.

The fourth one was a comic I made in an Ignoct gift exchange 2023 campaign. I drew more realistic brotherhood Ignis for the first time.

See full work here.

The fifth one was a finished sketch, but I will color it later. The piece was a Gladio/Ignis romantic moment. I got my inspiration from my Gladnis mutuals and made such ship related piece for the first time.

The sixth one was one of [chocobros in Hellsing TV series outfit] series, I drew Noctis in Integral Hellsing's outfit first.

The seventh one was a part of [chocobros in Hellsing TV series outfit] too. I drew Gladiolus in Alucard's outfit.

The eighth one was still part of [chocobros in Hellsing TV series outfit]. I drew Ignis in Walter C. Dornez's outfit.

The ninth one was made for Ignis fashionweek 2023 campaign. It was first created in 2022 but I couldn't finish it, so I retried in 2023. The outfit was [shirtless under a suit].

The tenth piece was a happy 7th anniversary of FFXV piece. I drew 7 characters in top 100 Final Fantasy Big Vote.

The eleventh piece was made for Christmas-themed FFcolorwheel in x.

And the twelfth piece was the last one in [chocobros in Hellsing TV series outfit] when I drew Prompto in Seras Victoria's outfit.

[veryace-ficrecs]

Prompto/Ignis Fic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)

third time's the charm by greyskiesblack - Rated T

The last thing Prompto expects when he finds a Mr Flopsy toy is a date, but that's exactly what he gets.

For What It's Worth by saisei - Rated T

Genetically engineered clones weren't made to live long. When Prompto finds out he has just months to live, he calls Ignis. Ignis will know what to do.

Come Find Me by saisei - Rated T

Prompto sees Ignis' soul-light the moment they first meet; Ignis doesn't. Prompto knows that not everyone's guaranteed a happy life with their soul-partner, but he's glad to be able to be friends. He doesn't mind knowing he can never have more.

i saw you in the stars by chthonicheart - Rated T

To: Noctis 11:02 AM did i happen to get married to anyone last night? To: Noctis 11:02 AM particularly, ignis?

The Train by Selador - Rated T

Someone summons daemons in the middle of the train in Insomnia, and Ignis isn't sure if he wants to date the blond guy who helps out or recruit him. Fortunately, he's good at multitasking.

Momentum by Asidian - Rated T

Just the sight of him, standing there holding a cup of coffee, barrels through Prompto's brain like a puppy excited about going out for a walk – and before he even realizes what he's doing, he's fumbling for the camera. He snaps five shots, in quick succession: Ignis looking into the distance, expression soft and preoccupied. Ignis lifting the coffee. Ignis with his lips on the rim, taking a tentative taste. Ignis closing his eyes as though to savor it. Ignis with his eyes open again, looking directly toward the camera. Wait, thinks Prompto, as the last one burrows its way into his thoughts and starts setting off alarm bells. What?

Dragon Blush by Selador - Rated G

Dragons always protect their hoard.

You Say Rotato (and I Say I Love You) by lithos_saeculum - Rated G

Prompto, brainwashed by late-night infomercials, starts buying Ignis useless kitchen gadgets. Surely this can't end well. Or can it?

until you make me move by taizi - Rated T

This moment is one Ignis will keep until it sits in his memory the way Prompto’s camera sits in his hands; well-loved and weathered from being picked up and admired over and over and over again.

How to Break a Deal With the Devil by ohmyfae - Rated T

Prompto Argentum was cursed at birth by a bored trickster god, giving him inhuman, glowing red eyes. His curse earned him censure and ostracism from the town in which he grew up, but he stubbornly refused the god every time he appeared to offer Prompto a wager as a way out.

Then Prompto met Ignis Scientia, a blind traveler from Insomnia with secrets of his own, and with their burgeoning friendship, Prompto found that he suddenly had much more to lose...

Hold Me Tight, Or Don't by countingpaperstars - Rated T

It was then that he saw him - the most gorgeous person he’d ever laid eyes on, leaning against the bar and laughing openly at something his friend next to him was saying. His hair was spiked up, like many of the other patrons', and he’d somehow squeezed into the tightest pair of jeans ever created, a purple coeurl-print shirt stretched across his broad shoulders like sin.   In which Prompto finally meets Noctis' advisor Ignis, but to both of their surprise, they've met before.

The Short Double-Life Of Ignis Scientia by ohmyfae - Rated T

Ignis Scientia has promised Noct that he'll go out and meet his new friend, Prompto Argentum. Just for an afternoon, of course, to make sure that the strange, disconcertingly cheerful teenager is truly everything he seems to be.

Eight hours later, Ignis is sitting in Clarus Amicitia's office, covered in glitter and body paint. How the hell did it end up like this?

Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive by whimsicottly - Rated G

“Give it to me straight. Does Ignis hate me?” “Yep,” Noctis says. “Wait, what?!” Prompto struggles to not fall out of his chair. It takes him a second to recompose himself. “I mean, of course! I knew that.” “That explains why he watches out for you in battle, takes the time to learn about your interests, and makes excuses to spend time with you,” Noctis, the traitor, continues. “Good job figuring it out.” “When you put it that way… “

If the Strain Proves too Much by saltslimes - Rated T

Prompto knows, on some sort of principle, that Ignis will not kill him. Consciously, unconsciously, whatever. But practice and principle are two different things.

[lunarlegend]

Ignis' original personality is such a treasure.

i'll explain.

yes, Japanese Ignis is very serious. he is logical, he is practical, he is predictable.

but do you know what else he is? warm.

JP Ignis is an extremely gentle person. he is kind. he is considerate. he is understanding.

his voice (thanks to his talented seiyuu Mamoru Miyano) is like honey. he speaks softly but with purpose, and his tone, by default, is soothing.

JP Ignis is an incredibly multi-faceted character. despite appearing strict and intimidating, the person underneath that facade is anything but. Ignis' true personality is that of a nurturer. he is a warm, caring individual who naturally puts others' needs before his own.

not only that, but JP Ignis is very modest. despite his many talents, he does not brag or flaunt his abilities. he does not use his knowledge or skills to put anyone else down.

he is honest. he is trustworthy. he is reliable. he is the type of person who'd notice your tears and sit quietly beside you. the type of person who'd offer you a meal when you're too stressed to cook. the type of person who'd text you after you leave to make sure you got home. and never judge you or expect anything in return.

all of these wonderful qualities are what make Ignis, Ignis. this is why he is the person he is.

and (you knew this was coming), this is also where FFXV's English localization failed Ignis so badly. not just by adding dumb puns to his vocabulary and giving him an out of place accent, but by making him cold.

EN Ignis is rude. he is snarky. he can even be genuinely mean. he's only as serious as his next sarcastic joke, and his seriousness masks nothing because there is no gentleness in the person underneath.

EN Ignis boasts his talents and brags about his intelligence. he has no problem putting others down, especially those who are obviously insecure (like Prompto). he repeatedly gets satisfaction out of acting as a bully to someone 'beneath' him.

EN Ignis is confident and sharp and devoid of the tenderness that made the original Ignis who he is. rather than a natural caretaker, he is instead characterized to be a stereotypical butler, courtesy of the localization team who completely missed the point of his role.

i could not love a character like EN Ignis. i don't understand how anyone could. so many times in western fanworks, i see reflections of this dub persona and i genuinely wonder what the appeal could possibly be. how anyone could take such a character seriously. and why on earth anyone felt the need to change him in the first place, when the original Japanese Ignis is perfect just the way he is.

JP Ignis is the kindest, sweetest soul in the body of someone who looks like he could kill you. a man with the mind and skillset of an extremely logical assassin, but who genuinely cares about your feelings and won't tell anyone he saw you crying. and yeah, he completely missed your joke, but he remembers exactly how you take your coffee.

JP Ignis is a treasure.

[omegothic]

opinion on ffxv after 75 hours of playing (and one hour of running in circles to level gladio's skill up) (still haven't played any of the dlcs but i'm gonna take a break or something for a few days because i severely neglected my university stuff and spent most of the last week obsessively playing this game)

i love this game. am i tired? hell yeah. would i want all these hours back? hell no.

the game is a mystery to me.

the sidequests are genshin impact open world quests level (which means that if i hear anyone talking, i'm pressing the skip button because i don't give a fuck). you listen to someone yapping about unimportant stuff and they make you collect the same shit over and over again. peak game design.

the main quests are good but the ending made me age 10 years in a week. there's NO NEED for these tragedies. boy you literally have the power of gods on your side and they tell you the only way to get rid of the big bad villain is to kill yourself? sounds like bullshit to me. also why even bother if there's only a few thousands people left in the world. you already lost, all this stuff had to be done 10 years ago to have any meaning. and there's no way the world didn't just implode or something when the sun stopped rising. the true ending is noctis getting spat out of the crystal and realising everyone is long gone because there's no sunlight.

the mentally ill hobo could have been more cooperative too geez. i'll be honest i like him much more than the six. and everyone's like "oh gods are helping you" no they hate me and want me to die for no reason. i'd rather join forces with ardyn and try to take them down. even if he did a lot of questionable stuff (cough- killed my bride -cough-cough- and her brother -cough- also kidnapped my friend and tortured him-)

the hunts are kinda fun when it's a big monster but when it's a bunch of goblins i'm like,,, why did you call me here? ngl i thought all hunts would be like the first one, it was truly cool. there was some kind of plot, some interactions with my friends, some stealth, the monster seemed really tough (meanwhile me, fighting the lvl 99 adamantoise 65 hours later: the ring of lucii go brrr-)

the dungeons are ass. i thought nothing could be as disorienting as daggerfall's randomly generated dungeons but they really managed to do a miracle with ffxv. although the dungeons in ffxv are not scary at all, that's the difference.

the open world is okay. there're some interesting places (when you first see the big mysterious creature in the lake you're like do i have to fight it?? can i get closer to it?? what is this??) and the nature is beautiful. altissia looks majestic but sadly there's not much to do. i appreciate the hard work tho.

using regalia was a delight. when you want to take a break and just look at the landscape you can just sit still with a controller in your hands and enjoy the ride. really therapeutic. don't drive at night when you're low level though... listen to ignis. ignis is always right.

the camp life is by far the best out of all games i've had an experience with. there's so many little details everywhere that you cannot help but adore your companions. it's the way every time you make camp you get a bunch of photos prompto took since the last break. it's the way your companions talk to you almost all the time and you truly feel like you are on a road trip with your friends. it's the way gladio calls you out on your bullshit and afterwards you want to bite his head off each time you talk to him. it's the way ignis cooks for the entire party and makes you help him sometimes. i just love the way friendship is portrayed here.

what was not as good is luna and noct's relationship. there was not enough of luna. yes she loves noct but why? yes noct loves luna but why? luna literally appeared in the plot for two minutes and then tragically died. i think it's really bad. also imagine not seeing your bride for 12 years, when you finally meet her again she immediately dies, then you spend 10 years trapped in a crystal, fucking die and then get to marry your bride. honey it's been 22 years since i last talked to you in person. i'm NOT marrying a random woman in the afterlife (no hate for luna, just this love story didn't seem convincing enough). hopefully i'm gonna see what they wrote in the dawn of the future soon (please pray so that my amazon package doesn't get lost 🙏)

the music is incredible. the woman who wrote the soundtrack is my goddess and i am a devout worshipper 🙏🙏🙏

so, why is the game a mystery to me? because no other game could make me endure 75 hours of boring side quests. i managed to play hogwarts legacy for 44 hours and i despised that game when i finished it. i despised it long before i finished it. but not ffxv. they could make me do all this boring stuff again and i would do it (not for free tho because i've got better things to do with my time 🤣)

i enjoyed ffxv a lot. it also made me depressed for a week because ending a game like that should be a crime. i think i'm gonna do a few last quests after that but there's not much left (and i'm not looking for more because if i think i am done then i am done). not sure how long episodes gladiolus, prompto and ignis are gonna take, but they're also in my plans (no ardyn tho, gotta go watch some playthrough). there's also anime and a film so plenty of content for me. and i am waiting for the arrival of my book 🫡

(noticed that there's nothing about the combat. well it's because i don't care. i don't like combat. i don't like it in any game. i prefer to flee)

[olivia200312]

Chapter 2: The Ball || Different (FFXV! Ardyn Izunia x WW! Reader)

Summary:

Y/N is a fallen Wing Warrior that can't fly. She is also a loner. When she gets found by King Regis, he takes her under his wing and trains her to be a strong warrior. But when a handsome (tragic) man, known as Chancellor Ardyn Izunia, sees her at a ball, held by King Regis himself, he takes an interest in her. He begins watching and obsessing over her. When Y/N gets sent away by King Regis to protect Noctis and his friends, Ardyn will do anything to make Y/N his… and his only.

But while Y/N is completely clueless about it, she searches for answers through stories. But can she change his heart that is shrouded in darkness and desire for revenge? What if Ardyn becomes king when Noctis sleeps in the Crystal for 10 years? What if he returns to fight Ardyn? What if Y/N becomes deadly sick with no cure?

All can be found in this book!

------------------------------------------

It's been like a month ever since Y/N arrived in Eos. It's like an earth-like planet where she was now. It's been... interesting to say the least. She was allowed to explore the surroundings of Insomnia and mostly the books attracted her to them. Y/N was careful of her surroundings and she didn't let her fears get in the way, especially when it came to her wings, her pure fluffy white wings. They were sensitive, yes... but they were strong as well. 

As time passed, Y/N eventually met more people who would become her friends: Noctis, Gladio, and Prompto. She already met Ignis. She found out more about who they were. Noctis was the son of King Regis and also the heir to the throne. Prompto was Noctis' best friend. Gladio was Noctis' shield while Ignis was the advisor of the royal family. It was... interesting. 

Not only meeting them but also her training. 

The current king and Cor trained Y/N for hours by fighting with weapons. She felt herself becoming stronger than before. While she did become stronger, there was someone in the shadows watching over her... 

Y/N was clueless about it.

She also got permission to use books to learn more about the monarchs, histories, and places. The very first Lucis Caelum king was Somnus. The book said things like who his parents were and where he was born. It also said that he was the only child. Now something told in Y/N's gut that it wasn't true. Why was she feeling this way? Was there something that the historians didn't find? Or was it kept a secret? Why was the woman feeling rage? 

It was nearly ball and Y/N found a dress that was color (choice) (please choose or imagine a color that will suit Ardyn's appearance. It's unknown which color his favorite is. But if you dislike the idea, than feel free to choose a color that matches your white wings). She got enough gil, the money that Eos uses, to pay for a dress in a clothing store outside of the castle. She put on the beautiful ball gown dress and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked beautiful... stunning. She was taken aback. Her hair was slightly curled and her face had light makeup on. She wasn't too girly to put on a lot of makeup. She didn't mind to put a little bit.  

Once she saw that everything was looking fine, she put on her ladies' flat shoes instead of high heels. She was not a chick high-heel person. She took a deep breath, closed her wings securely, and opened the door. She could hear very faint music playing around. She stepped out and closed the door behind her. She walked towards the main ballroom, where the king held the ball out for this evening. Y/N entered the room and she gasped by how big the room was and even by how many people there were. Everyone was well dressed in suits and dresses. King Regis was this time not on the throne as he was speaking with some men who seemed to be in high positions. 

Once she saw that everyone seemed to be busy with one another, the Wing Warrior began to feel sad. She was again a loner and an outcast. She needed to do something about it. 

But what she didn't know was that she was being watched. 

She saw a drinking table nearby so she went there and boy, was she a shy and polite girl. If she bumped into someone then she apologizes. She also said politely and softly "Excuse me" to pass by. Once she reached the table, she grabbed a glass and poured water into it. She wasn't a drinker or a smoker. She preferred herself clean inside. Once she finished drinking water, she set the glass back down and that's when King Regis walked on stage, grabbing the microphone from the stander. "Good evening, everyone. I want to thank you all for joining the ball for tonight." King Regis went on by why he held the ball and he spoke a little further, until the singing part comes. He looked at Y/N, who looked nervous. She asked the king a day before if she could sing before the ball would be held. She explained the reason and that was she wanted to sing and teach the people of Eos that she was different. She was sure that the music was still the same just like in her world. 

"We will today have singers on stage, first one will be my apprentice. Please welcome Y/N," King Regis said, welcoming Y/N with a warm look in his eyes. 

Y/N walked towards the stage and there were applauses from a lot of people that were in this room. She felt shy and smiled a little. Due to being an outcast and a loner, she experienced depression and had many episodes of attacks inside of her. But she tries her best to not let it get to her. She stepped on the stage and took the microphone from King Regis' hand before bowing to him in respect. Once she stood up, she saw his kind and heartwarming eyes looking into hers. He laid his hand on her shoulder and patted her very shortly before leaving the stage. 

Y/N looked toward the crowd while hiding her nervous expression. She was sweating but hoped it would be gone if someone wanted to dance with her. Uhm, spoilers, she was a bad dancer. She did a small bow first before she stood straight up and spoke: "I'd like to thank his Majesty for inviting me on stage. I requested it before this ball took place. I will today sing a song that is actually from my world. It is in French but it's a beautiful one. It's called 'Love Story'. Enjoy."

As Y/N began to sing, she didn't know that her singing voice improved. Sure, it was normal for beginners not to sing perfectly but... there were celebrities out there who were born with singing talent. Some of the couples began to dance while others were gaping at Y/N. To them, she was a beauty with a beautiful voice. Y/N sang with her eyes closed and with a smile, she danced a bit and used her whole body to move. She even did a couple of small and delicate spins. 

Among the crowd, there was a man with yellow/amber eyes. He didn't exactly wear a suit but he looked damn fine. His hair was red-violet. He also had handsome strong features. He looked at Y/N with deep interest and smirked. He will speak to her after she finishes. 

Once Y/N was done, she bowed and the public gave a big applause to her for that. She gave the microphone to the next singer, who was also a woman but not a Wing Warrior. Both women gave each other a respectful nod before they parted ways. Y/N carefully walked down off from the stage and once her feet hit the floor, she felt relieved. Sure, she did enjoy singing, but she was a nervous wreck on stage. Her sweat began slowly to disappear. 

Just as she wanted to grab a drink (with water) at the table, a man stopped her. He was dressed... with interesting clothing for this ball tonight. Or was this his choice of clothing for a living? He was dressed like a chancellor and wore a fedora hat on his head. His eyes were amber and his hair was red-violet. He smirked at the Wing Warrior and the woman was blushing. But why? 

"My dear, I heard you singing on stage and I must say, your voice is like gifted by the Gods," the man responded. 

Y/N felt her heart flatter at the compliment by this man. But... why did her body tell her that he was not someone to be trusted? He looked to be a mysterious man but why does he look interesting to Y/N? "Why, thank you, sir. It's an honor." She bowed. 

The man grinned this time but still had a smirk on his face. "I must say, you're interesting."

Y/N tilted her head a bit to the side. "How so?" She was clueless about what the mysterious man meant about that. The man thought that it was cute of her to be oblivious. "I heard that you are from a different world by rumors. And that seems to be correct—my, my." He circled Y/N and the Wing Warrior kept an eye on him. "You are unique. Wing Warrior, am I correct?" He said as he stopped in front of the woman. 

Y/N nodded, showing the signal that he was correct. That's when he smirked again and wanted to touch her wings, to feel how soft they were. But he decided not to do it that... yet. He leaned a bit too close to Y/N's ear and whispered: "Even your name is beautiful... Y/N."

Y/N wanted to ask how he knew her name until she remembered that King Regis said her name out loud in front of the crowd. She felt herself embarrassed. She tried to hide it by covering her face with her hands but the mysterious man grabbed her hands delicately and held them in his big warm ones, causing Y/N to blush. 

"Ah, ah, ah. Don't hide your beautiful face, my dear," He flirted. 

Just as Y/N wanted to remark, she heard the woman sing a song and Y/N couldn't help but look at her. She was... too shy to look at the man holding her hands. Y/N felt her fingers hooked under her jaw gently and her head turned to look into his amber eyes. He smirked, let go of her, and bowed, which surprised Y/N. 

He then stood back up and stuck out his hand to her, causing Y/N to blush even more. "May I have a dance with you?"

Y/N settled her hand on his and he, with care, romantically held her hand. Y/N blushed again. She should learn to stop blushing so much. The man noticed it and chuckled. "You blush too much, my dear."

Y/N squealed and pulled away gently. But the mysterious man pulled her back. That's when another beautiful song came on. It must be a song from their world, Y/N thought.

The mysterious man gently tugged Y/N and she quickly woke up, realizing that she was being led to the dancefloor. Y/N didn't know how to dance and she panicked on the inside. Once she was by the other dancers, Y/N didn't know what to do and she looked pleadingly at the mysterious amber-eyed man for help. He smirked at her and placed her one hand on his shoulder and the Wing Warrior felt his one hand on her back. She blushed slightly. He leaned to her ear and whispered: "Just follow my lead, my darling."

Y/N nodded, shyness taking over as they began to dance. It was a slow dance and it felt... so right. But her body kept screaming at her that this man was not someone to be trusted. But she betrayed herself and found herself enjoying the dance with him. Who was he? She felt lost in his amber eyes. 

Y/N yelped as he dipped her gently. He smirked and pulled her back up. As the song ended, he leaned in and Y/N blushed furiously. Was he going to kiss her? She had never been kissed before. Yes, she was a virgin too and it made her nervous as heck. She found herself leaning in too and just as their lips were about to meet, there suddenly was an attack, causing Y/N to pull away to look at what was happening. She looked with wide eyes as a familiar figure entered the room with black wings. It was a male. He scanned the room and smirked upon spotting Y/N. "I finally found you, Y/N."

[avianscribe]

Regis Fic Recs

For my next installment of fic rec lists from my works (since I don't have anything new to post and won't for a little while longer), I'm turning to our revered Regis Lucis Caelum! I have 11 fics in which Regis makes an appearance, but only 9 of those in which he plays a significant role, and those are what I'm focusing on for this list.

Regis POV

Starting with the two fics in which Regis is the POV character!

"Heartbroken" -- The kings of yore tell Regis about his son's destiny.

"Hidden in Scars" -- Soul sickness happens when two soulmates have been separated from each other for too long. But Noctis can’t possibly have soul sickness, because he doesn’t have a soulmate. Does he? (This one actually has multiple POVs, including Regis.)

Regis-centric Shorts

Most of the rest are either Ignis or Noctis POV. Most of these feature a very young Noctis (and often Ignis) and Noct's childhood relationship with his father.

"Not the Way You Play the Game" -- It's Ignis' first day in the Citadel…. and Noct's governess needed the day off. Cor is assigned to watch them both.

"A Blossom Grown for You" -- Young Ignis notices that Noctis is feeling poorly -- and King Regis's frequent absences only seem to make it worse. (Familial hanahaki!)

"Constants" -- There are three constants in Noct’s short life. First, his mom and dad are always there for him when he needs them. He doesn’t have to question. Second, when they can’t be near (they are Important and Busy), he has his nursemaid. Third, his Uncle Ardyn is really, really strange.

"King" -- It’s time for the King to visit the nursery, and Ignis doesn’t know whether or not he’ll get there.

"Taming the Moon" -- Ignis has come to the Citadel to begin his work for the Crown, and to be introduced to Prince Noctis. What he finds is a surprise. He knows how to be chamberlain to a boy. How can he be chamberlain to a cat?

"Crown" -- Regis visits the nursery.

And of course, finally, Thirst -- in which Regis is a very powerful and very ancient vampire, with all the powers thereof.

"Thirst" -- Noctis is a vampire, and Prompto is a vampire hunter's son… but they can still be friends, right?

[ffxvficrec]

by chasingfigments It’s going to take several days to make it up to the Vesperpool, and who knows how long after that to see if they can actually locate any of the mythril Cid needs to repair the boat. The first day’s drive is a lot of aching silence, which Prompto tries in fits and starts to patch over. Ignis tries to engage with him, a little, but when his eyes aren’t on the road, they’re on the rear-view mirror and the sullen Noctis in the back seat. Noctis tries even less, and Prompto wilts into silence in the front seat. Or: After Gladio leaves, Noctis withdraws. Words: 1890, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Final Fantasy XV Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Prompto Argentum , Noctis Lucis Caelum Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum Additional Tags: Canon Compliant , Emotional Hurt , ignis technically appears but not enough to be tagged , Missing Scene , One-Sided Attraction , there are hints prompto has feelings but noct's feelings are unknown

[ruinedbycatastrophe]

@pyramultimuse liked the idea of a ball/gala thread!

The Shield's foot tapped against the marble floor, amber eyes looking around for something. Some kind of danger or conversation he could cut in or even some people watching he could do. Noctis wasn't even here, at home sick. Ignis and Prompto were with him but Gladio had to make an appearance here at this gathering. It's something in Amicitias to show up for the King, even if it isn't their King. Gladio frowned. He wants to sneak out. His eyes catch a flash of long silver hair. Piercing eyes. His head tilts. The Shield moves from his position against the wall. Suddenly intrigued. He's never seen him before. Gladio watches him for a moment more before walking closer. Testing the waters.

[crackshots-a]

( HAPPY BIRTHDAY PROMPTO!! | @royalarms )

❛ hey . ❜ the greeting seems cool & unbothered to most , but there's a certain uncertainty that might be sensed by any who know him more personally . he approaches his friend with hands stiff in his pockets & blue irises that wander anywhere to avoid the contact with the cherished man's before him . but , he knows he'll only make their situation uncomfortable if he continues to stand there , so he cuts to the chase with a much less awkward approach , ❛ it's your big day , yeah ? don't think i forgot . ❜ & he summons a couple items , all placed in a carefully organized in a gradient orange - yellow paper bag ( re - imagined by ignis , because noct's first attempt at its presentation went miserably ) . within it sits some contrast & color - correcting lens filters , as well as an insomnian photography magazine featuring some of prompto's signature work on the front page . he'd managed to pull some strings . there is an assortment of scattered candy at the bottom & a gift card to their favorite high school burger joint . there's also a signed card with the first polaroid photo prompto made noctis take in their younger years . he cherishes the photo greatly , & it has remained pristine through its age . he has another couple of pictures in his wallet , so he'd thought prompto might appreciate the sentiment . it's not often noctis allows himself to sit in the nostalgia of their history . ❛ come on . we've got stuff to do today . ❜ he urges him through the process of opening his gift , that he might not think too hard on it .

❝ hey,❞ the greeting was returned with a smile, prompto rising to his feet at the prince's arrival. the lack of a birthday acknowledgement right away didn't bother him. all he wanted was to spend time with his friend anyways, & he didn't care whether that came with any of the usual birthday expectations or not, as long as they got to have some fun.

he should have known better, though. as nonchalant as noctis seemed, there was always more going on than he sought to reveal. he knew the signs that showed that noctis was feeling uncomfortable, but before he could ask about the stiff stance or avoiding eyes, his best friend supplied undeniable proof that the day hadn't been forgotten. the sudden appearance of the paper bag ( in a series of prompto's favorite colors–––– ones that reminded him of his favorite pictures of the sunset ) almost made him jump.

  ❝ that's a serious misuse of the armiger. does iggy know you kept this there? ❞ he couldn't help but joke in hopes that noctis would take his wide, excited grin as a reaction to his tease instead of anticipation of what awaited him inside the bag. his earlier thought was true, he really wouldn't have minded if noctis had gotten him nothing. but, the fact that there was something filled him with a rush of warmth. a reminder that he was cared for by those he cared for.

  ❝ but, really, dude, thank you! you didn't have to get me anything! ❞ he felt a bit childish, sitting on the floor to dig through the tissue paper ( clearly packed in by ignis, he'd have to remember to thank him too, later ), but it was the best way to conceal his bouncing legs & jittery hands & avoid dropping anything that noctis had been kind enough to get him.

the handful of lens filters would have been more than enough. as he looked at each, he couldn't stop himself from rambling about what he could use them for–––– they'd be added to his camera bag as soon as he was able to do so, that he promised.

at first, he'd just thought that noctis had scored him an advanced copy of one of the photography magazines he grabbed from time to time. but, then he realized the picture on the cover looked familiar. & then he realized that it was because it was his.

❝ oh––––em–––– gee! how did you score this, noct!? this is awesome! i gotta get this framed–––– i gotta take a photo with my phone to show everyone & then get it framed! this is so cool! ❞ if he could have hugged the magazine without wrinkling it, he would have! but, there was still more to see.

he tossed one of the pieces of candies to noctis & extracted promises that they'd visit the burger joint during the week so he could splurge & use the gift card before prompto realized that he'd made a huge error.

  ❝ oh, wait, i was supposed to open the card first, right? sorry, dude! i'll open this now! ❞

true to his word, he opened the card, immediately falling still as he caught sight of what was inside.

 ❝ is this––––? ❞ he didn't have to finish the question, he knew exactly what picture he was looking at. the first polaroid that they'd ever taken together. his eyes grazed over their smiles, loose ties & unopened books. just off to the edge of the picture, prompto's thumb was just slightly in frame. ❝ dude, i didn't know you still had this! ❞

this he had to frame. he wanted to preserve it. he wanted to pull it out when they were old & noctis had been king for decades & go–––– look how young & stupid we were! & he was going to make sure he was able to.

  ❝ thanks, noct. seriously, all this it's...it's awesome. ❞

keeping the emotion out of his voice was impossible & it was his turn to avoid noctis' eyes as he packed his items back into the bag ( taking great care with the card with the photo in it ).

  ❝ stuff, huh? there's more? ❞ he hopped to his feet, brushing himself off.

  ❝ alright, off we go! lead the way! ❞

[destiniesfated]

+ @tragidies ( soulmate au )

the world makes more sense when you’ve found your soulmate, that’s what he’s heard anyway. he’s not sure why things are the way that they are, or why his soulmate is picked at the hands of the universe, or the gods, whoever it may be. he hoped for a while that it would be noctis, if not because of his crush on the man then maybe just because that was his only friend. he'd sat for hours, for as long as he could remember, pining over the other. praying to the gods that whatever his fate may be, that he'd end up with him someway, somehow. but when the words appear on his skin long after he’s come in contact with him, he knows it can’t possibly be. and gods, how he'd waited each day for those words to appear -- for them to match anything the other had said to him; so he could cling to whatever hope he'd had left.

prompto isn’t really well versed in soulmate stuff, never took the time to learn more about it. he’s not sure how it works, but he’s been paying close attention to who says what to him. ever since he'd spent hours inspecting every inch of skin after meeting noctis to make sure that it couldn't possibly be him -- he'd took it upon himself to go out of his way to introduce himself to every person he possibly could. then he'd go home and do his routine inspection, only to be left markless. until the day finally came where the words appeared, a sure indicator that he'd be meething this soulmate relatively soon. pleased to make your acquaintance. he traces his finger over the words marked along his skin, soft sigh falling from his lips. this couldn’t be just anyone, could it ? no, surely it was someone prompto would know when they met. though, he tries not to think too much about it as he walks through the citadel with noctis, only stopping once they reach the kitchen to grab breakfast after training. ❛ ‘sup, man ? ❜ prompto hums, offering ignis a warm smile when their eyes meet. he'd learned a lot about ignis over the time him and noctis had spent together, and secretly he'd been jealous of the man for how much time he really got to spend with the prince. ❛ what's cookin', good lookin' ? ❜

[thisfairytalegonebad]

Scars - Whumptober day 27

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Character: Mostly Noctis Lucis Caelum (even though the scars refer to Prompto) Rating: Teen and up Warning: None

Read below the cut or on AO3 here.

Gladio has had scars for as long as Noct can remember. They didn’t meet as children, but apparently, he was a rowdy child who got hurt a lot, so he was already littered with scars of varying size and severity by the time Noct met him. Later, as his duties became more serious, so did his scars. The first really memorable one was of course the one on his face, the one he received protecting Noct from some drunk strangers, but more followed over the years, like the huge one on his chest or the other one on his face. But the scars suit him and give him a rugged sort of appearance that he seems strangely proud of, and Noct doesn’t think he’s ever been bothered by them at all.

He never imagined Ignis with prominent scars. His hands are scarred quite a bit from handling knives, both while cooking and in training. He doesn’t nick himself a lot anymore, these days, but both skills took time to master and during that time, he cut himself pretty frequently. He also has a small scar on his right wrist from when his chronic tendonitis could no longer be treated by conservative means and had to be fixed with surgery. But Ignis isn’t in the direct line of fire, and so Noct thinks him relatively safe of major scarring. He is, of course, horribly wrong as he finds out after he wakes from his extended sleep in Altissia and finds Ignis’ face marred with silvery burns along with his entire left shoulder and arm.

And of course, Noct has his fair share of scars of his own. The biggest one and the one he hates the most is the one on his back from his childhood accident. He can’t see it without a mirror, but the look of it is burnt into his mind’s eye. It’s not a heroic scar like Gladio’s or Ignis’, it’s not something to be proud of. The only thing it is is a permanent reminder that he has a target on his back simply because of who he is.

The only one out of the four of them who is blessedly free of scars (except for the one on his abdomen from getting his appendix removed) is Prompto. Prompto is not a fighter, and he hasn’t gone through rigorous training since he was old enough to walk - he’s just a civilian who gets dragged into one mess after another through no fault of his own other than being best friends with Noct.

After ten years of being locked away in a crystal, it’s hard enough coming to terms with your friends having lived a third of their lives without him in them, but so far, the changes have been subtle enough for Noct to ignore them or at least easily get over them. Gladio got even more ridiculously jacked and handsome, Iggy learnt how to fight blind, Prompto has a patch of hair on his face and tries to call it a goatee. A little unexpected, some more than others, but ultimately no big deal.

But when Noct enters the sleeping quarters in the Glaives’ hideout beneath Insomnia, he catches a glimpse of Prompto’s body as he’s out of his uniform and only wearing his boxers, and he freezes mid-step.

Prompto is absolutely covered in scars. Some small, some bigger and more serious-looking, and they’re on his legs, his torso, his arms, and Noct feels sick.

“Oh, hey, Noct?” Prompto says when he notices Noct in the door. “What’s up? You look a little pale, you okay?”

“Where did you get those?” Noct voice cracks at the last word.

Prompto frowns. “Get what?”

“Those!” Noct croaks, gesturing at Prompto’s everything.

“What’s those mean?”

“The scars! Where the hell did you get so many scars?!”

Prompto looks down on himself as if it were the first time he became aware of the marks on his skin. “Oh, those?”

The nonchalant way he says it, accompanied by a shrug, makes Noct want to grab him by the shoulder and shake some sense into him.

“Just, y’know. It’s a dangerous world out there, these days. This wasn’t a specific event or anything, they’re just from ten years of fighting,” Prompto explains. He makes it sound like it’s no big deal, and, shit, Noct knows Prompto, knows when he’s just putting up a front, but this? This sounds like he genuinely doesn’t think it’s a big deal, and that, for some reason, is enough to break some kind of dam inside of Noct.

It’s all his fault. If he hadn’t taken ten entire years to become strong enough, a worthy King, if he had been there then he might have prevented this. Even from his short time back among the not-crystallized, he’s seen how much they’ve suffered, how much they’ve lost, all because he wasn’t strong enough to do his duty for Ten. Fucking. Years.

The weight of everything is concentrated in Prompto’s scars, a permanent reminder of Noct’s weakness, his failure.

He can’t vocalize any of this, though, has neither the emotional capacity nor the words for it. The only thing he manages is, “You shouldn’t have those.”

Prompto, even after all this time, is still as good at reading people as he was ten years ago, and so he catches on immediately.

“Hey, it’s fine, c’mon, let’s sit down,” he says, gently grabbing Noct by the shoulder and making him sit down on a bed. When he sits next to him, he’s close enough that their shoulders and knees are almost touching, and the proximity is both comforting and punishing - Noct doesn’t deserve to be this close, he just hurts everyone he loves with his presence.

“I know what you’re thinking, I can see the gears turning inside your head, so let me just preface this by saying that those are in no way your fault,” Prompto starts. He knocks his knee against Noct’s in a familiar, friendly gesture. “Also, most of those weren’t even that bad. We just had to ration the curatives we had left, so we couldn't just fix every little cut with a potion like we were used to, so stuff would just scar."

“Is that why you have so many?” Noct’s voice is barely above a whisper. “Do the others look like that too?”

Prompto sighs and leans back on his hands. “Kind of? I mean, Not quite as many as me, but still a fair share. Look, the reason why I’m covered in scars is because I couldn’t fight for shit for the first year or so. I learnt a lot of stuff when I was on the road with you guys, but it’s still different from hunting daemons in an apocalypse, y’know?”

He pauses then, seemingly searching for the right words to explain.

“Gladio was a badass from the very start, it didn’t take much training for him. It was harder for Iggy, but the fighting itself was mostly muscle memory. It just took some time for him to adjust, but everything’s dark anyway so he wasn’t much worse off than we were. Me, though? I realised real damn fast that you guys carried me through most fights back then and I was kind of useless most of the time.”

“That’s not true,” Noct says immediately and without thinking, but that doesn't make his protest any less true. “You weren’t useless!”

“It’s fine, I know I was.” Prompto smiles wistfully. “Either way, it’s a different world out there now. The daemons are bigger, stronger, smarter. It was a steep learning curve for me, and the result was a lot of bleeding wounds. But I’m fine and I only got stronger from it. I'm pretty damn good at fighting now, you know.”

To that, Noct doesn’t really know what to say, and for the first time, it hits him how grown up Prompto sounds now. It’s still undoubtedly Prompto, his best friend, but it’s obvious that he’s changed - they all are. They’ve lived through things Noct can barely begin to imagine, and they’re all real, proper adults now, while Noct…

Well, Noct is technically, physically, also thirty years old now, but being stuck in a rock for ten years doesn’t really compare to fighting for your life and that of others for ten years.

Regret and guilt fill his chest at once, and he balls his fist in his lap.

“I’ll make it worth it,” he promises. “Everything you’ve fought for - you, the guys, everyone else, I’ll make sure it wasn’t for nothing.”

It’s the least he can do, he owes them that much. He knows his fate now - Bahamut hasn’t really left much up to interpretation. All that’s left for him to do now is to step up and do his job, even if he knows he won’t live to see the dawn.

Prompto doesn’t know that, though, doesn’t know any of it, and so his smile is no less bright and cheerful than what Noct is used to from him when he says, “I know you will, buddy.”

And Noct intends to keep it that way as long as he can.

----

Read all of my Whumptober prompt fills here.

[lunarlegend]

okay, now i've fully played through Verse 2 with the subtitles mod. and while i enjoyed it much more now that Ignis doesn't sound yandere for his brother, i still don't think it makes sense. and i know it doesn't technically have to, since it's meant to be an alternate ending anyway, but.

i dislike how quickly and seamlessly it goes from Point A to Point B. that's something the canon game already struggled with, and Verse 2 is even worse. in this ending, the events of Episode Prompto never happened. that's a whole chunk of the game that's straight-up missing. but more importantly, Verse 2 erases Noct's character development.

it's a huge deal for Noctis to slowly start to grow up and accept his responsibilities throughout the second half of the main game. and it takes more than just the Train Scene to do it...it's also dealing with Prompto getting kidnapped, being separated from his friends, losing his father's car, etc. there are several events that all build on each other, resulting in Noctis being truly alone for the first time in practically his whole life, with nothing to protect him but the Ring he initially refused to wear.

that's a lot.

and none of it happens in Verse 2.

in the alternate ending, there is no train ride after Altissia. there is no argument, no reason for Gladio to push Noctis into accepting his role, because the catalyst for that (Ignis going blind) didn't happen. no appearance from Luna's spirit, no visit to Tenebrae, no traumatic journey to find Prompto. none of it.

if Verse 2 were to be believed, that would mean that Noctis (after years of relying on others and a history of not wanting to embrace his royal duties) is now showing up, directly to Zegnautus, and immediately saying "I'm sorry. I was weak." before willingly stepping right into the Crystal. and that just doesn't make sense to me at all.

i still believe it is Ignis' fantasy. it's the version of Noctis he never got to know. the one who recognizes everyone's sacrifices and has the self-awareness to make the right choices without having to be pushed. in the canon storyline, we don't get to see this Noctis until the night before the final battle. and it makes more sense to me that Ignis would want to imagine a world like that, than believing Noctis as a character could just do a complete 180 in maturity in such a short amount of time.

also, i continue to find the final scene of Noctis on the throne to be very unsettling.

the room is completely empty and has a distinct blueish tone that makes it seem cold (as opposed to other scenes featuring the Citadel's throne room, where there are people and you can see warm light streaming through). it is silent. even Ignis' words are silent. and Noctis looks far too serious.

i don't think it's really Noctis at all.

[gingerel]

Tap, tap, tap.

Prompto swings his legs back and forth, the heels of his boots tapping against the dinky cabinets in the camper kitchen while Noctis scrubs at his hands in the sink.

He already showered, but while Ignis then Prompto took their turns with the lukewarm water, Noct went ahead and prepared the fish for dinner. Half boredom and half wanting to see the part shock, but mostly pleased, Ignis falls into whenever Noctis manages to surprise him. Surprise him with something good anyway. Fish scales and guts make for a scent that lingers unfortunately, making Prompto wrinkle his nose when Noct stooped down for a kiss, even though his mouth pouted prettily to accept it.

And he can’t have that.

“I think they’re clean now,” Prompto complains.

Noct rinses the soap away with the hottest water he can make, shaking them off before reaching for the clean hand towel Prompto set out for him.

“Yeah?” Noctis asks, holding them up. They feel dry, beyond the recent lack of water, the marks of the road and general disinterest in caring for them stacking up. Prompto’s hands are always soft, beyond an obvious callous on his trigger finger and Noct wonders if he should feel guilty about not being able to offer up the same.

“Lemme see,” Prompto murmurs, reaching for Noctis, making grabby motions with his hands.

Noct sets his hands into Prompto’s, palms upturned and his boyfriend parts his legs a little wider and drags him all the way in to stand between them. Thumbs press down as Prompto surveys the freshly scrubbed skin. He drops one of them quickly enough, cradling one in both his own.

“Clean enough?” Noctis asks.

Prompto nods, dragging his thumb over one of the lines on Noctis’ palm. When Noct tries to pull his hand back Prompto grips it tight, yanking it back into position with a little huff.

“What are you doing?” Noct wonders.

“Reading your palm,” Prompto tells him.

“Because that’s a real thing you definitely know how to do,” Noct says.

Prompto glares at him without tilting his head up so his glower is rather ruined by the fascinating way it appears framed by his golden eyelashes.

“By all means,” Noct laughs. “Continue.”

“This is your head line,” Prompto says confidently, jabbing it with his finger. “Yours is like, really faint, and it’s because you take so many naps.”

Noct snorts.

“Your sun and fate lines cross which means something I’m sure,” Prompto sniffs. Noct drops his forehead onto Prompto’s shoulder and shudders through a silent laugh. “But your fate line is also wrong, um fate is actually ignoring you, so we can do whatever we want and that’s nice.”

Noct smiles, wishes it could be true, wishes between the two of them they could defy whatever plan the Gods have in store for him. Whatever it is it can’t be as important as this — as Prompto.

“Your life line is strong,” Prompto says. “You’re actually gonna live to be one hundred and sixty-three years old and, I for one, am very grateful.”

“Guess I don’t need to be so careful in combat,” Noct teases, pulling back and offering a wry little smile.

“Mhm,” Prompto hums. “Because you see this little notch, right here? That’s the bit which says how Ignis has a stash of Phoenix Downs put away just for you.”

“He does not,” Noct argues.

“He does,” Prompto says softly. “I help him with the budget in the mornings sometimes, when Gladio’s off chopping wood and you’re catching up on your beauty sleep. He thinks I don’t know, but the money is exactly the cost of three Phoenix Downs.”

Prompto looks up properly, giving a little shrug as his eyes crinkle in a gentle smile. Noct squirms, uncomfortable with the idea and channels his restless energy into smoothing his palms up the outside of Prompto’s thighs.

“What else,” Noct urges, desperate to move on.

“Your sun line is super strong, which is why you can’t go to Kenny’s at three in the morning without ending up in the newspaper,” Prompto says gleefully. “Born to be famous and all that — which I know is your favourite part of existing.”

“You’re really enjoying this,” Noct accuses.

“Duh,” Prompto says, thumb moving over his palm again. “Your love line is interesting. It’s uninterrupted, which means you’ll only have one love your entire life — sorry about that.”

“Oh no,” Noctis says sarcastically. “The horror.”

“But,” Prompto goes on. “They are devoted to you, like it’s almost creepy how intensely they love you.”

“Wow, I probably need to get some space from that person,” Noct says, but he steps closer, makes it so Prompto can’t really see his hand at all. Instead of complaining Prompto just shifts his hand, tucks their palms together and interlaces their fingers.

Prompto hums softly when Noct kisses him.

“You didn’t let me tell you how it ends,” Prompto mumbles against his mouth. “It’s the best part.”

“Pretty sure it doesn’t have an ending,” Noct says.

“Damn someone spoilt it for you.”

Prompto tucks his arm over Noct’s shoulders, tugs them right together, chest to chest, for another kiss. He was definitely doing something, before Prompto distracted him but it doesn’t matter. Just like the fate bearing down on him, palm be damned, is nothing in the force of what he feels for the boy currently in his arms.

With a breathless laugh, Prompto pulls them apart.

“Ignis is going to tell us off for canoodling in the kitchen,” he pecks Noct’s mouth very quickly. “Let’s go help with dinner. And later I’ll read your fortune some more.”

“Anything for you,” Noct says. And he means it.

[heartlessfujoshi]

burnt to a crisp - an ignoct one shot

Title: Burnt to a Crisp Fandom: FFXV Pairing: IgNoct (Noctis Lucis Caelum x Ignis Scientia) with hints of Promptio (Prompto Argentum x Gladio Amicitia) Rating: General (Fluff - Tooth-Rotting Fluff) Word Count: ~1,900

Summary: Noctis decides he wants to do something nice for Lovers Day, and fails spectacularly. 

A/N: Happy V-Day! :) With the suggestion by my dear friend @xbittersweet-nostalgiax, here is my offering for this manufactured holiday. Please enjoy! 

---

“And you put the foam right here?” Noctis asked, holding a canister in his hand, looking down at the plate in front of him. 

Coctura clapped her hands, and nodded her head. “Yes, Your Highness. That’s perfect. You followed my steps very well!” 

“You’re very patient.” He wore a half-smile on his face, as he put the foam down, and took a look at the dish he’d just created. The dish that Coctura had showed him how to do, step by step, moving at a snail's pace as he was horrible in the kitchen. 

“Smile!” 

He looked up and saw Prompto was standing in front of them, his camera up against his face as he snapped a picture. “Prompto, do you really have to do that?” He asked, but that half-smile had turned into a full blown one as he knew what his best friend was doing.

“Gotta make sure the memory gets preserved!” Another aperture sound could be heard as his best friend snapped another picture. “Iggy is going to be so surprised when he sees you!” 

Noctis turned to look at Coctura. “And you’re sure it’s okay if I use the kitchen tomorrow night after everything closes?” 

“Yes, Your Highness. It’s my kitchen, and I would be honored for you to use it.” Coctura bowed her head towards him. “However, please do not burn it down.” 

“Uh oh.” Prompto said. 

He shot a look at his best friend. “Ignore him. I won’t. This recipe is simple enough. I shouldn’t burn anything down. But if I scorch a pan?” 

“Please try not to do that either.” A look of weariness appeared on Coctura’s face. “Maybe I should help you-” 

“No, it will be fine.” He shook his head. “Thank you, Coctura. I don’t know what I would do without you.” 

“I’m happy to assist you, Your Highness.” She left the kitchen, leaving Noctis alone with his best friend. 

He turned to look at Prompto. “Is everything all set for you guys tomorrow night?” 

“Yep!” Prompto’s blond hair flopped back and forth as he nodded his head. “Gladio knows that we’re camping out on the beach, while you guys get the fancy suite here.” Prompto put his camera away, and leaned up against the counter where Noctis had put his dish. “Does Iggy know that we won’t be around?” 

Noctis shakes his head. “No, but I’m sure he’ll figure it out.” 

They’d been traveling through the countryside, taking jobs here and there to make enough gil to fix the boat they needed to get to Altissia. To where his future wife was, although with how things had been going so far on the trip, he was going to have to tell Lunafreya that while duty was one hell of a thing, he was also in love with someone else and couldn’t fairly marry her and be true when his heart was with another person. 

Ignis.

Ignis Scientia, who had been his best friend growing up, and then shifted to become more of a shoulder to lean on as he went into high school. Once those days were over, Ignis had turned into his confidant, the man he was supposed to trust the most in his life. And with those responsibilities, Noctis had slowly begun to fall in love with him without realizing it until the world had fallen apart. The news of his father’s murder, and the fall of his kingdom, he’d discovered his feelings for Ignis weren’t going away. And as he hid from the world at large, he sought solace in his retainer’s arms, who had kissed him and told him that everything was going to be all right. And Noctis believed him. 

They had become inseparable after that emotional night. Noctis made any excuse that he could to be alone with Ignis so that they could kiss and do other unmentionable things without their friends around. It had become almost comical how the two of them would choose to sleep in an RV rather than a motel. Prompto and Gladio didn’t question it, and accepted it as fact. 

But tomorrow night, it was a special day. It was ‘Lovers Day’ in Insomnia, and Noctis wanted to show Ignis how much he appreciated and loved him by doing something special for him. They had been staying at Galdin Quay for a bit, as their hunts were around this area and it made a good base. He’d gone to Coctura to ask for her help in creating a dish for Lovers Day that he could serve to Ignis without too many complicated elements. And he’d just finished doing that, and was now tasting the fruits of his labor. 

“This isn’t that bad.” He grinned, setting the fork down as he looked over at Prompto. “Want to try?” 

“After the last time you cooked something, and I got sick? No, thanks.” Prompto shook his head, then pretended to fake a stomach ache. “You might want a backup in case what you make isn’t edible.” 

He pushed his best friend’s shoulder, Prompto’s laughter infectious as he chuckled with him. “It will be fine. If I mess it up, then it’ll be a fun story.” 

“Sure, Noct.” Prompto patted him on the shoulder. “Good luck with that.” 

Closing his eyes, he tasted another part of the meal and found that it was still pretty good. “You’re just jealous.” 

“Oh, totally. Except my boyfriend is going to cook a great meal for me over a fire, and then he’s going to rail me until I beg him to stop.” 

Noctis blushed, hating to hear how pornographic Prompto’s relationship with Gladio truly was. While he had found himself in love with Ignis, Prompto had found himself falling hard for Gladio. It had all worked out naturally, and now the four of them were paired off in a way that Noctis would never have imagined. It was one of the main reasons why he hadn’t really felt bad about asking to be alone with Ignis in the suite. He knew Prompto would want to be alone with Gladio, and they’d switch off the next time Prompto wanted to do something nice for Gladio. 

Tomorrow night would be a successful Lover’s Day surprise for Ignis. Noctis could feel it. 

***

It was not a successful Lover’s Day for Noctis. Not in the slightest. 

The food that Coctura had taught him how to make, and how he’d taken precarious notes on to make sure he did things correctly were wrong. Or, he had thought he’d taken them right but when he tried to execute the meal the same way, everything turned out terrible. So terrible that he was staring at what was supposed to be a piece of garula, but it was completely burnt to a crisp. 

And before he could do anything to fix it, the door to the kitchen was being pushed open by his lover, who he had instructed to come and find him back there at half past ten in the evening. 

“Your Highness?” Ignis’ voice traveled through the deserted kitchen. “Are you in here?” 

He stared at the charred meat in front of him, looking at the foam that was the only decent thing on the plate and tried not to sob. “Over here, Ignis.” He called out, his voice wavering only slightly as his emotions took a hold of him. 

“Your Highness, I wasn’t sure why you asked me to meet you in here, and I’m still…..What is that?” Ignis came into his line of sight, and he was pointing at the dish in front of Noctis, who was looking at it with a sad look on his face. 

“Happy Lover’s Day?” He offered, feeling like a complete fool. Prompto was right - he should have had a backup plan to this disaster. But it was too late, as Ignis was here now, and was staring at the food in abject horror. Or so it appeared to Noctis, who was letting his brain get the best of himself. “I wanted to surprise you, and I messed up.” 

Ignis came around to where he was standing, and looked at the plate a bit closer. “What is it supposed to be?” He asked, his voice calm and understanding. 

“Garula served on a bed of potatoes, with a rich cheese foam.” He sighed. “I think the foam is the only good part.” 

A finger was dipped into the foam, and Ignis gave it a slow lick. Noctis openly stared at him, his mouth dropped open as he watched him lick the tip of his finger over and over. It wasn’t fair. It looked way more sexual than it should, and it was causing Noctis’ head to spin, and his pants to grow a bit too snug. He wanted to tell his lover to stop, but instead, Ignis picked up the canister and brought it over to Noctis. “Tilt your head back, darling.” 

He did as he was asked, and then he felt Ignis pour some of the foam into his mouth. Closing his eyes, Noctis groaned as the foam was good. It would have been great on the meat, had he managed to not burn it to a crisp. “I’m sorry.” He looked at Ignis, who had a smirk on his face. “What?” 

“Coctura told me what you were planning on doing.” Ignis set the canister down, and went over to the fridge and pulled out a plate of sliced meats and cheeses. “Happy Lovers Day to you, Noctis.” 

Noctis stared at the meat and cheese, then threw his arms around Ignis’ body. “Oh, Gods, I’m so glad you know me so well.” He held tight to him, and sank against him as Ignis’ put his arms around his body to hold him close. “What’d I ever do to deserve you?” 

“Your effort is very much appreciated.” Ignis spoke softly into his ear, Noctis holding him a bit tighter as heat raced through him. He had no idea how Ignis could say such a simple thing, and make it the most sensual sentence that Noctis has ever heard in his life. It was a gift. Truly. “Your meal may have failed, but the cheese foam will go well with our backup.” 

“I can think of another way it could be used.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, Noctis’ eyes widening as he realized he’d said it out loud. 

The smirk on Ignis’ face returned. “I have no doubt that you do. As do I.” 

“Ignis.” His cheeks flared with heat as he looked anywhere but at his lover. 

“Let’s retire to our suite?” 

He nodded his head. “I thought you’d never ask.” 

Ignis carried the board of goodies, while Noctis kept the foam with him. The suite was bathed in candlelight, Noctis stopping in his tracks as he looked at the decorations that Ignis had set up for him. For /them/. Ignis set the board down, and put his arms around his waist, holding him from behind. 

“Happy Lover’s Day, Noctis.” Ignis kissed his cheek, then kissed him gently on the lips. “It is a pleasure to be with you on this day.” 

Turning around, he wrapped his arms around Ignis’ neck and pulled him down for another kiss. “I love you, Specs.” He whispered, bringing his forehead to Ignis’. “Show me again why I love you so much?” 

“It would be my honor.” 

[darkpuck]

AO3 First Lines Tag Game

Tagged by @caparruciaucia~

Rules: Share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written fewer than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

01. watching in slow motion as you turn around and say (ffxv)

"And so, with the forthcoming wedding between His Royal Highness, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum and the Most Honourable Marquis Besithia, Lord Mercurius Eleuthia-Besithia, we announce the end of the war and peace between Lucis and Niflheim." The Prince Regent laid aside his quill with a finality that seemed, to Prompto, like a jail cell slamming shut.

02. A Change of Pace (ffxv)

Ignis woke every morning at five. He'd always been a morning person, and sheer habit had ensured he never slept past half the hour, no matter how exhausted he was. The others all slept later than he — granted, Gladio tended to rise at six, but that was still a single, glorious hour he had to himself before duty reared its head.

03. Oathbreakers (ffxv)

"So many dead over so simple a thing," Luche says, looking at the small, almost insignificant talisman in his palm. "But why? For what?" He's taunting her, like he did Ulric, making them hate him. "Power," the Oracle says, meeting his gaze without fear. "Untold power beyond the control of someone like you." Her words are a taunt in return, and a challenge — prove yourself worthy. Put it on and demand recompense from the Kings of Old. "Power…" he says, looking down at the ring again. He could do it. He could put it on, demand that power, destroy Insomnia and the Empire alike. He could do it —

04. foreboding (pokémon)

"James." The name is enough to make Jim stop, because... nobody in Galar knows him by that name. Nobody outside Galar even bothers to call him by it, except... "Sabrina," he says, turning to face the Saffron Gym Leader. "Surprised to see you here." "I could say the same for you," she answers. "You shouldn't be here." "Windy called you, I take it?" "We're the closest Psychic trainers she knows." "I'm not a Psychic trainer," he says, the same way he does every time she calls him one. Because he's not.

05. of the loved ones that we've lost (kingdom hearts)

Lourd had learned a good many skills from the months he’d spent in bars, learning to support himself on the turn of the card. The most important of those skills was acting. For days, maybe even weeks, he’d acted as though he’d given up. Lying still instead of struggling within his bonds, no longer tracking movements with his eyes. Yes, he still had his heart, but he clung to that out of sheer spite. It was easy to make it appear as though that spite made him too tired for anything else. And then at last–                                                 –at last– His efforts were rewarded.

06. Unseilie (kingdom hearts)

Only three months ago, Maliaur had been free. A refugee, certainly, with his homeworld destroyed at the hand of one of his own kind, but he had been alive and free — and slowly amassing power to challenge she who had destroyed their world and betrayed all, enemies, allies, and kin. Now he had nothing — not life nor freedom nor even his own name. The so-called Superior didn't know what he was, but he did know the power of names. He had stripped Maliaur's name from him, rearranged it to his liking and put his mark on it, then presented it to him as though he should be grateful to be worthy: Marluχia. None of the others had noticed, but then, they were only mortals. 

07. Echolocation (kingdom hearts)

I don't know what I expected after diving deep into my own heart, but landing all but weightlessly on stained glass flooring was not it. Suddenly everything seemed — muted. Tranquil, almost, despite the disorientation of going from white hallways to stained glass in blackness. It was still imperative that I find the darkness I'd kept back from myself, but the time it would take no longer mattered. Glancing down, I suddenly realised that the stained glass beneath my feet bore a distinct image. I backed up, my steps echoing hollowly, until my heel brushed empty air. Now I could see the whole of the image, dominated by a boy in the centre. Black-haired and black-eyed, he wielded a lance two feet too big for him; his face was a grimace of rage, pain, and fear. He was me, as I had been the night Radiant Garden fell.

08. Glaciate (kingdom hearts)

Demyx hadn't been a member of the Organization for very long. Still, he thought it was just as well that he had made the attempt to play the shadows to their doom rather than his sisters. He wasn't sure humans were a delicacy they would willingly give up. Surprisingly, it hadn't taken him long at all to get used to walking. Getting away from Vexen had been a strong motivator, admittedly, and learning to control water instead of swimming through it a good excuse. The clone-forms were a happy accident, one he never would have discovered by practising magic as Vexen had shown him. Even as a merman, instruments had been his forté, and water simply responded better when he played. Why else would his sympathetic weapon manifest as a sitar?

09. Genesis (kingdom hearts)

Someone was watching him. Dilan pushed Aeleus back and signalled quickly for a pause. The other Guard frowned as Dilan glanced around the training room. "What is it?" Aeleus asked. Dilan shook his head, returning his attention to the taller man. "It's nothing."

10. Winter Court (kingdom hearts)

Rufus hated dealing with Maleficent. While not necessarily a usurper, she still ruled the kingdom that was his by birthright. Unfortunately, the witch had made it plain that his continued existence depended upon her unopposed rule. He supposed he should consider himself lucky the terms of their bargain hadn't altered as he aged.

Tagging @twocatstailoring, @tigerkat24, @shadowsong26x, and everyone whose tags i've forgot!