#and tired... and noctis consumes me almost always

[royalarms]

this is not noctis related at all but listen... i watched so/nic 3 and i will never be the same

[lov3nerdstuff]

Voluptas Noctis Aeternae {Part 6.14}

*Severus Snape x OC*

Summary: It is the year 1983 when the ordinary life of Robin Mitchell takes a drastic turn: she is accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Despite the struggles of being a muggle-born in Slytherin, she soon discovers her passion for Potions, and even manages the impossible: gaining the favor of Severus Snape. Throughout the years, Robin finds that the not quite so ordinary Potions Professor goes from being a brooding stranger to being more than she had ever deemed possible. An ally, a mentor, a friend... and eventually, the person she loves the most. Through adventure, prophecies and the little struggles of daily life in a castle full of mysteries, Robin chooses a path for herself, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more, and two people abandoned by the world can finally find a home.

General warnings: professor x student, blood, violence, trauma, neglectful families, bullying, cursing

Words: 4.8k

Read Part 1.1 here! All Parts can be found on the Masterlist!

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On the other side of the door, inside the classroom, Robin closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Obviously she hadn't added anything to the antidote, hadn't even had the time to, but she might as well make use of his fear for her in that regard. He undoubtedly believed that she had given him a sleeping draught, and she was glad for her bad reputation for once. Even more, she was glad that it had just been a work of magic. There was still nobody who sincerely cared about her, and she found herself almost relieved at that, even if for a reason she did not quite understand. Perhaps because she wouldn't have to deal with Julius anymore, nor any other idiot, if she just was incapable of being loved. Or perhaps because it was what she thought she deserved after all.

"How did you know it was a love potion?" Snape's deep voice ghosted through the room, quiet and haunting.

Robin's blood froze over with a start, and she stood perfectly still in her spot. "What?" She asked in a whisper while her heart exploded into a frantic drumming. There was nobody here but them… There was nobody he could be speaking to but her.

"He didn't show the usual signs of forced infatuation, so how did you know his affection wasn't real?" He asked in quiet sincerity, uncharacteristically quiet even, and Robin's eyes flew open in time to observe how he moved from the edge of his desk to a stool behind it.

"Oh, come on... As if anyone would actually care about me like that." She scoffed quietly, and her legs started carrying her through the room on their own account until she stood next to her own desk again.

"Whyever not?"

"Because nobody even likes me at all these days! I'm hardly tolerated wherever I go, and even that is only because people are too scared to send me away. There's nobody who actually wants to be part of my life."

"I sincerely doubt that." He said quietly, and something within Robin finally and irredeemably snapped.

"How would you know, huh? You haven't talked to me in three bloody months!!!" Robin yelled at him without a single care in the world if it was in the middle of the goddamn night or not. "Cas is always gone since she and Simon started dating, Jorien is blaming me for her best friend's absence, and don't even get me started on my bloody parents! So yes, there is literally nobody who cares about me at this point!"

She was tired of the anger, of the pain, and of her own crumbling walls that lay in ashes at last. She didn't even notice herself moving in closer to him until he turned in his seat to face her. She didn't notice until it was too late to go back.

"I care about you." Snape replied instinctively upon her words, a blurt of truth that had evaded his facades, and he seemed surprised himself that such a thing had escaped his lips so freely after so long. His torn neutrality started crumbling slowly, when finally he added, "A lot."

"Do you, really? Because as far as I'm aware, people don't just ignore someone they care about without any bloody reason! From one day to the next you just cut me off entirely, from our work and from talking, and from yourself! Do you have any idea how much that hurt me?!" Robin's voice grew thicker, laced with tears that started falling from her eyes with all the anger and hurt she didn't care to hide anymore.

"I was wrong, and that is painfully obvious to me now." Snape said, and while still spoken in honest certainty, his voice grew more quiet with every word. "I made a mistake."

"You damn well did!"

"I know." He held her gaze for a moment longer, eyes like a mirror of her own emotions, until at last he had to look away. But his voice equalled his eyes in sadness either way. "I am truly sorry."

"Sorry doesn't nearly cover it this time! You used to ask for my honesty, so here you have it now: I cried myself to sleep more often than I care to admit ever since new year's. I was lonely to the point of shattering, and I kept asking myself just what I have done wrong. What could I possibly have done to deserve to be treated like that, by someone I care about so deeply." Robin started out loud and ended in a whisper, honest words spoken for him to hear and yet as her own catharsis all over again. A better one, this time. A crescendo of emotion. "But then I realized that I hadn't done anything wrong at all. I didn't deserve to be treated like that, and I didn't deserve the pain. I still don't."

"I never thought that you would blame yourself for any of this. I never meant to hurt you." His gaze still lingered on the ground, but what Robin saw of his face was painted in sorrow. The last walls crumbling, facades but burning ashes. "I was wrong in all I believed, and I made the most terrible mistake by doing what I did. You didn't deserve any of it, which makes it all the more reasonable that you must hate me now."

"Sometimes it's easier to hate something you know you can't have anyway." She replied in an almost quiet calm, allowing the pain that lingered to wash over her while the anger faded into shallow dust and smoke.

"I know." He breathed gravely. "All too well."

"And you know that I'm not one to take the easy way out of anything of importance." Robin took a deep breath, then moved again closer to him in certainty. One step, then another, while her voice stayed steady as herself. She had made up her mind, she had long ago. "I could never hate you. I promised you that I wouldn't give up on you, and I won't. You really screwed this up, you hurt me, and I'm going to be mad at you for a while... But I still forgive you."

"I don't deserve your forgiveness, Robin. Not this time." He finally looked up at her in that rawest kind of honesty, his voice both hoarse and laced with equal sadness as still consumed his eyes. His soul was bleeding, seeping emotions pouring into the open in a way Robin had never seen before. Not like this. It broke her heart to see him like that, and she wanted to make sure she never had to again.

"Forgiveness isn't something that's deserved. It's given to those who need it." Her words were gentle, her voice soft in ways she had never risen up to until now. Without a speckle of doubt on her mind she took the one final step to stand directly in front of him. "Mistakes are the foundation of change, and also of improvement if only they are forgiven first. I'm not going to stand in the way of us being better than this, both of us, and I need you not to either." She held his gaze of drowning sadness with a deep intensity in return, and every bit of desperate hope she felt was out in the open now. Forgiveness really is the highest art of loving. "Be better with me. Please."

Snape merely stared up at her for a few seconds, in that overwhelming unveiled honesty, until at last he nodded, slowly, but in growing certainty no less. Robin released a breath she had held without her knowing, fighting the tears that lingered in her eyes, but it was a fight she was doomed to lose when he dropped his head once more.

Slowly as if afraid to break her, he rested his forehead against her torso in a tender touch, without a word, without a breath. Robin's heart skipped a beat, and another and another, and it now was her who seemed to be frozen by a single touch. She understood him now, understood what such a simple gesture could do to you. Her chest filled with the unceasing warmth of pure adoration, and she slowly placed her hands on his shoulders first, careful in the unusual touch, before she allowed herself to gently wrap her arms around him entirely.

A few seconds passed while Robin drew soothing circles on his back, and she kept reminding herself to breathe. A terrible idea, really, for her breathing hitched the very second she felt his arms encircling her in return, large hands resting on her back while pulling her ineffably closer until she had no choice but to stand flush against him. His hold on her waist tightened, more and more while yet his forehead remained pressed against her upper stomach, keeping his gaze directed to the stones beneath them. Robin closed her eyes against the waves of roaring tears, and gladly let herself tighten her hold on him in return.

"I missed you." Snape finally said, barely above a whisper, but he managed to hold her closer still, clinging onto her almost as if she would vanish any moment now.

"I missed you too." Robin breathed back, and her voice cracked when her tears finally won the fight, spilling down her cheeks only to catch on her lips and drip down her chin into rivers of black. Finally, she couldn't help the small smile that took over her lips no less.

They both were too overwhelmed to say any more after that, for seconds, minutes, eternities… and the silence had mercy on them for the longest time while they simply held onto each other. They needed this, both of them.

"Will you stay with me if I let go of you?" Snape eventually asked, quietly but also calmer than before, less shattered but still uncertain of what the answer might be.

"Obviously." Robin smiled in return, as she couldn't help teasing him even if just to bring a little light into the moment. A few seconds of silence passed, she almost feared that she had actually done wrong this time, but then he started chuckling softly. At first Robin felt it more than she heard it, but after a moment when it became audible indeed, she had no choice but to laugh as well. For no reason, and yet for all of them at once.

They did let go of each other then, reluctantly, but in the knowledge that it had to be. Robin took a step backwards to give him some room which he used to rise to his feet, finally lifting his gaze as well to meet hers once again. The openness had prevailed, but the deep sorrow was retreating, and taking the hurt with it. Good. A sight to behold.

"I better go clean up my desk, huh?" Robin stated more than asked, giving him a half smile while she walked backwards to keep her gaze locked with his. Somehow the idea of letting him out of her sight right now seemed entirely impossible.

"Don't bother, I will have the third years take care of it in detention tomorrow." He replied as his eyes followed her every movement as well. "I believe I still owe you a coffee. How would you like that instead?"

"You owe me far more than one coffee. More like… three months of coffee." Her smile widened a little as she only grabbed her backpack before moving back towards him. "But we've got to start somewhere after all."

He looked relieved upon her words, more so than she had expected, and Robin once more had to realize just how afraid he actually was that she would change her mind, would choose to hate and abandon him after all. But she would never, couldn't for anything in the world, and she would do her best to make him understand that from here on. She wouldn't make the same mistake he had, only to send them both into a devil's circle of common misery. No, she would be better than that. They would be.

As they ought to, they moved over into the office for coffee, to sit at the small table in their usual spots, and in a way, it felt like it had been just yesterday that they had been sitting here last. Snape made coffee while Robin let her gaze wander around the room, taking in its deterioration in comparison to her last visit. It was almost amusing to her in a way, that whoever else came in here surely must deem the space tidy at the least, if not even pedantically organized and neat. To Robin however, who had spent more time here than she should probably admit, the difference was undeniable. Usually the only space that would be a small mess was the lab, and she was sure he only allowed it to be because nobody but him and her ever came in there, but now the office had become more of a mess than the lab had ever been. She found herself curious to see how it would develop from here on.

Finally a mug was placed in front of her, and she was drawn out of her head when Snape took his seat across from her. Taking a deep breath, Robin looked down at the steaming black liquid and smiled, then frowned a little.

"This doesn't smell like I remember it to… Is it the same instant coffee we've always had?" She looked up with a smile and slightly raised eyebrows, inhaling the unusually rich scent of the coffee once again.

"No… this is real coffee, for once. It should taste better than what we used to have."

Robin's curiosity got the better of her, and she took a careful sip even though it was still way too hot. And indeed, it did taste better, a million times even, and that made burning her tongue worth it as she took another sip. They both stayed quiet for a while after that, in the simple enjoyment of the situation that used to be such an essential part of both their days. Somehow, Robin knew that it would be again after today.

"Will you tell me why you put us through all this?" She asked after a while, a calm and careful inquiry only. "As much as I can't quite grasp anything that happened in the last three months... I am starting to understand that this hurt you just as much as it hurt me."

"It did." Snape replied quietly, while his expression turned into seriousness instead of sorrow at least. "There were multiple thoughts involved, but none of them are reason nor excuse for what happened. I simply was wrong, and I did wrong in return."

"I would still like to know." Robin insisted with a half smile. "Please?"

"The easiest one happens to also be the gravest." He sighed, peering down at his coffee, his hands, the table… anywhere but at Robin. "I was afraid. And fear makes people do terrible things."

"Afraid of what?"

"A variety of matters, really, but ultimately only of myself. Of how attached I have gotten to you without even being aware of it."

Robin frowned while yet her heart skipped a beat upon his reply, but she tried to understand instead of basking in it. "Why is that something to be afraid of? Isn't attachment an essential part of every close… friendship?"

"Certainly, yet that is the other issue... I believed that it might make your life easier if you didn't have to endure me as a friend."

"Well, we both saw how not having you in my life turned out." Robin rolled her eyes before she could help it, but when he looked up at her once more, her expression softened immediately. "You see now how stupid that thought was, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Good." She gave him a half smile, in an attempt to cheer him up. "Who else would have coffee with me in the middle of the night, huh? You're my best friend; that's in your job description."

His lips tugged upwards into a small smile, which yet grew tainted all too soon. "Unfortunately, I am also your professor as for now. For a class you don't need, in a subject you know just as well as I do. Perhaps even better, in some regards. It really is a ridiculous predicament we are in... It has been for a while now."

"It won't be for much longer." Robin shrugged, looking down at her almost empty mug while swirling the remainder of the coffee around the bottom.

"What do you mean by that?" Snape asked almost reluctantly, and his tone took on that barest hint of fear again that made Robin look up at him in an instant.

"I mean that Professor Dumbledore approached me a while ago and suggested that I take the N.E.W.T.s for potions and herbology this year already. He brought forth pretty much the same argument, actually, saying that it simply wouldn't make sense for me to attend those classes for another year, and he believes that the extra time I'll thereby gain would be better spent with my own studies. I agreed with him, and he had it approved by the ministry a few weeks ago."

"I had no idea..." Snape mused quietly, surprised and even a little hurt perhaps, then however his brows furrowed into a deep frown. "Have you been preparing for those exams all by yourself this entire time?"

"Obviously. N.E.W.T.s are a real challenge even for me, and if I'm skipping a year of classes, I have to work even harder." Robin shrugged yet again, but tried to keep her face positive nonetheless. "I might be good in the subjects themselves, but there is still a lot of work to do before the exams. Either way, the excessive studying has been quite a good distraction over the past few weeks."

"I should have been there to help you from the start." Snape avoided her gaze yet again, and instead frowned at the bookshelf on the opposite wall. "But I had to be a pathetic fool and turn a blind eye to everything that involved you."

"Perhaps it's a minor form of punishment then that I've been doing pretty well without you, actually. Academically, I mean... Everything else not so much. Or… not at all."

"Why would that be a punishment? I couldn't see your success as anything other than delightful even if I tried." His eyes were back on hers in an instant, questioning, frowning.

"Well, I know how much you enjoy knowing better, or elaborately telling me all the ways in which I'm wrong." Robin said with a small smirk, teasing him yet again even if it probably was the last thing any sane person would do. "It must be a setback for your pride to see that I don't need your knowledge to be good at potions."

"I believe 'good' is an understatement." Snape replied in pointed factuality, with the worst feigned innocence ever, which in return contradicted the fact that he was being entirely honest. "And quite frankly, I could not be more relieved to know that you do not need me at all to be beyond outstanding in any subject."

"It's not fair if you're being all honest with me now..." Robin protested with a groan and laugh, and an equally feigned pout. "How am I supposed to tease you without feeling like an idiot?"

At that, Snape actually did smile. "You will find a way."

"You can be certain of that."

… … …

They stayed sitting in the office for hours, slowly catching up on all the things that had happened in the past months, while Snape kept on making them coffee without a single word of complaint or tease. Robin appreciated it, both the gesture and the coffee itself, but she also kept on telling him that he didn't have to, that there were no conditions for her to stay. (Nor for her to love him, which her eyes kept saying but her lips wouldn't dare to.) He kept on making her coffee nonetheless.

It was dawning when they noticed how much time had passed, and it was three seconds later when they decided that they didn't care. They kept on chatting about Robin's situation with Cas and Jorien, about the impending detention for whoever had given that love potion to Julius, and lastly also about Morgan's eclectic behavior ever since the ball.

It took Robin a while to convince Snape that while it certainly had been horrible to deal with Morgan and his crude shenanigans alone, she yet had come out alright after every instance of confrontation. Nonetheless, neither of them had to mention that things would hopefully be better again from now on. Morgan didn't stand a chance against either of them, but together they were better nonetheless.

When it was about time for breakfast at last, they wordlessly agreed that it probably would be better to get cleaned up and changed first, for they both had a long night painted on their faces, and the smell of fire and coffee clinging to their robes. But at least Robin did get him to agree to actually attend the meal for once, which in her opinion was about as good a start into the day as she's had in a long while.

When they parted in the crossing of hallways at last and Robin henceforth made her way towards her room, she couldn't help wondering where exactly Snape's quarters were located in the castle. Probably in the dungeons somewhere, sure, but where exactly? There were too many hallways, too many locked doors and ineffable possibilities for secret rooms behind uncountable pictures and stones. Perhaps, one of these days she would actually muster up the courage to ask him. Just out of curiosity. As reference for a future that would never come to be.

When Robin entered her room, Cas was painting her face with that horrible brown paste while Jorien was just getting dressed. A normal morning, then.

"Hey guys." She greeted them with an almost happy little sigh, but her mind soon came back to reality and she had to realize that the conflict with her roommates hadn't just disappeared overnight. And it definitely hadn't solved itself just by talking about it with someone at last.

"Oh look, she's happy." Jorien grumbled to herself, then turned to walk away. "Who cares."

"Hey Robin! You won't believe what happened last night!" Cas started in excitement, but kept her eyes trained on the small mirror in her lap.

Robin ignored Jorien's comment for now and dropped her bag onto her bed, then went on to change into something less wrinkled. Meanwhile, she only partially listened to Cas rambling on about whatever it was that Simon or one of his friends had done this time.

"Isn't that just the cutest thing ever?!" Cas finished at last, while Robin was about to make an unnoticed excit.

"Yeah, perhaps. You must know best, huh?" She replied without actually knowing what she was agreeing to, but Cas didn't pay much attention to her reply anyway, and thus Robin could slip away into the bathroom without being held up by any more questions.

When she returned ten minutes later, both Cas and Jorien were ready to leave for breakfast, but neither of them spoke to the other nor made any attempt to even acknowledge the other's existence. And honestly, Robin was fed up with the childish behavior of all individuals concerned, herself included. She had been able to sort out the far larger problem last night, and she would be able to solve this one as well. Really, she should have done this long ago. Would have, hadn't everything else come in the way.

"I would like to see both of you after breakfast. We haven't done proper tutoring ever since Christmas, and I believe it would be a good idea to start with it again. Foremostly because the three of us seriously need to start talking to each other again." She said into the open room while effectively blocking the door to the hallway. Gods, she hated playing the superior part in this, but quite honestly she didn't see another way. A simple attempt to talk to either of them hadn't worked in the months prior, and it surely wouldn't work now.

"Can't." Cas was quick to reply, shrugging. "Sorry, I'm meeting Simon after breakfast."

"You surely can meet him just a little later for once, can't you?" Robin sighed with a neutral expression and an attempt at a calm smile. "All I'm asking for is one hour."

"Just because you're all happy again for once after being gone all night doesn't mean you can order us around like that!" Jorien snapped an instant later, and Robin honestly felt as startled by the sudden outburst as hurt by the comment itself.

"Have you gone mad or what's your bloody problem?!" Cas yelled back at Jorien before Robin could intervene. "Honestly, what's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into YOU is the real question here!" Jorien returned, ignoring Robin now just as Cas did. "You and your pathetic excuse of a relationship! Do you even realize that there are other people on this planet than bloody Simon?!"

"Stop. It. Now." Robin cut in before either of them could continue, in a tone as sharp as a dagger and likely as dangerous, but she didn't yell. She didn't have to, for both girls turned their attention to her immediately with almost startled faces; Robin never spoke to them like that, and she honestly regretted that she had to now. "If you act like children, I will treat you like children. And since you refuse to settle this like adults, I will be seeing both of you for detention after breakfast."

"You can't give us detention." Jorien scoffed and crossed her arms in defiance. "Don't make yourself more important than you are."

"I most definitely can, so you better find yourselves in the potions classroom after breakfast if you don't want me to drag you there while your friends are watching." Robin said in the cold calm she usually would use on people she wished to intimidate, and it honestly felt weird to use it under these circumstances now instead. But she would rather have both girls be friends again and hate her together for what she was doing to them now, than to watch their friendship crumbling apart over a relationship that probably wouldn't last until the end of the school year. Either way, she saw no version of this that had all three of them being good with each other again, and if that's what it took, she would gladly sacrifice her own connection to them to save their friendship at least.

"Okay." Cas finally replied quietly, staring at her own feet with a small pout.

"Not okay!" Jorien protested however, and Robin had to do her best not to roll her eyes. The girl really was quite as stubborn as Robin herself could be, and Robin honestly understood why Snape had been so annoyed with her at times in the more distant past. But Jorien wasn't giving up on it. "I refuse to have a bloody student on an ego trip give me false detention for nothing!"

"You insulted me twice now, does that make you feel better about yourself? Or is it part of your own justification for the anger you direct at me?" Robin merely asked her in return, entirely calmly (as difficult as that was), and turned on her heels to open the door. "If you don't want to believe me, we can ask someone who most definitely will confirm that for you two, my word is law indeed."

"I'll believe it when I see it." Jorien scoffed and left the bedroom after Robin, following on her heels while Cas closed the door after them and even then stayed a few feet behind.

Robin counted her breaths as she made her way towards breakfast, calming herself down as much as possible, while she felt bad already for what she meant to do. Really, bothering Snape with this had not been on her agenda for today. They had been good again for mere hours, and now… oh well. Perhaps it did have a positive side to it though; at least it would be another piece of proof to him that she definitely didn't withdraw from him at all. Things were going to be alright again from here on; she was going to see to that at last.

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[themelodicenigma]

I was talking to someone on in light of my recent post about shipping mindsets (non-blood related sibling shippers), and we got into an interesting conversation about sibling relationships. Basically, what does it REALLY mean to be siblings, outside of the literal, genetic definition.

The way I see it, it’s all about “recognition” and “functionality”, which creates the commentary on how this relationship is presented and identifiable in fiction, not to mention between real life people. “Recognition”, in a sense, happens on the individual level, but can either be funneled through what otherwise is already established in society—this being what makes it something to BE identified by the individual—and/or, it can be gained and tailored by personal experience by said individual.

In other words, “What it means to be a sibling” is going to be dependent upon what can be understood through an established concept and/or an individual’s recognition of this concept’s functionality. 

What? Expecting me to say: “Oh, it’s people who do this and this and this and this together...”? Yeah well, whatever I’d list down, it’d more than likely just be a component of what the “true” answer is, which is going to be interchangeable depending on who you ask and what they essentially recognize as a sibling relationship. It makes you wonder then, is there really a definitive answer? I don’t know if I can truly say yes in a way beyond the literal (especially in having a relationship as opposed to only just being siblings by fact), but what can be observed and compared are the commonalities between people’s recognition of this functionality. Somewhere between that is where a general answer can be noted.

You’ll find this common for most things, whether about romance, siblings, family, personality traits, themes, etc.—how many times have you heard: “well I wouldn’t do that” or “this is totally this” or just simply, “I see it this way”. Be a part of any Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Supernatural, etc.—ANY fandom, really and for more than just shipping. You’ll see this eventually.

Recognition of functionality. If it’s congruent with how someone can recognize it, then that’s what they’ll see it as. “I calls it like I sees it”, and all that.

This can go in a way of even symbolism or subtext that requires “pre-knowledge” outside of the text. These things are used a certain way because people decided it to...well, be understood a certain way. I mean, the color white being a symbol for this or that didn’t just happen out of thin air—this patterned usage and understanding was passed down as a way to be recognized and further utilized a particular way. More simple than that, like for adult jokes—these are purposely written in a way for an adult to understand because they’re expected to have the knowledge available to do so, where a child otherwise normally wouldn’t.

If we’re thinking about how do we get there—recognition—I tend to think about how the world essentially establishes these things as concepts to be understood.

“What it means to be [blank]”

Some societies differ on these things, of course, but even through the knowledge that different parts of the world might have, what you’d say, an “alternate criteria” to define these things—it’s evident to the idea of how our views on things are part of a wider establishment to be understood and recognized in a particular manner.

To break it down, the most basic understanding of what a sibling is comes from the literal—your brother or sister, whether by genetic means or lawful. Beyond that, there lies a function of which this typically happens—you’re reared together as a family, foundationally under platonic connections. Of course these two things don’t always coexist for some people seeing as people can have biological siblings that they weren’t raised with or have an adopted sibling that they’re raised with. But, when these two factors do coexist, then we easily go into what can be experienced within the function of being raised as siblings. The sibling function can even include the mentioned adopted siblings, where they hold the title officially and are reared despite the lack of genetic connection.

That’s where most of if not all the common tropes people think of originate.

But why do you even think of these as “tropes”?

This can either come from personal experience, or that of what you’ve, essentially, been taught through external means, such as media or other people’s experience—this is where establishment happens.

We grow up forming this palette of ideas that we use as a means to recognize the established concept here—which I believe media/fiction is a major influence in how the concept is widely spread to those on a very basic level. In a way, it might even determine the outcome of how people THINK they should act if in accordance to the concept.

“I grew up understanding this is what [blank] means, so therefore not only will it be how I recognize it, but it’ll also be the way in which I believe it should be expressed.”

Most people don’t think about this so intentionally, but if you start to wonder about the reasons as to WHY you think the way you do, this thought will eventually arise in some form or fashion. It’s almost kind of a “chicken or egg” scenario—is the way society thinks about sibling relationships based on the individuals thinking it first, or is it based on what’s represented as a collective and THEN given to the individual to essentially learn?

Ehh, kind of both, really.

For instance, in real life, why would someone get to the point of calling a friend a brother or sister? What would give them the idea to even do this?

One could point to personal experience: what an individual recognizes in association of “family” can be placed on other people, and if that individual has the thought process that has a “criteria” for what it means to be a sibling, they’ll thus place this where they see fit if they can recognize the criteria being met with that friend. It could even be more straight forward through their already existing sibling—if the relationship is similar, then it just naturally falls into place to call this friend of yours a sibling too.

For the second point, media/fiction is well known for painting the picture here:

“Got a friend who you’re really close to and have platonic feelings for [function]? Then they’re like a sibling to you!” 

It isn’t advertised this way of course, but when you see this essentially represented in the information that you consume, an individual will then have that become a part of their palette to be recognized in their own or other people’s relationships. This definitely happens with romance A LOT.

You could have best friend you’re really close to, and maybe they’re like a sibling to you, but that doesn’t seem to stop this annoying kid from pointing out how you “look like a couple” or should “hook up already”. Through either or both of these points, a person can gain the idea to recognize these concepts for themselves, even if by the fact they may be wrong in what exactly is happening.

In fictional material, I believe judging this is typically much easier than it would be in real life. This is mostly due to the fact it’s just so much more...deliberate, whether it’s explicit or subtle, for how a writer does their thing. A writer is just another individual who has their own palette that they’ll express through their work—it either lines up with your own or it doesn’t. What tends to interfere with recognition is context (wooo!), where there lies a flexibility to manipulate the things that otherwise would be identified a different way—symbolism can be a great example, like through the use of motifs that are unique to a story. I never get tired of saying “context is key”, or better yet, “let context be your guiding key”, for my fellow Kingdom Hearts fans.

True love’s kiss? Romantic at it’s core, right? But then Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) comes and uses Maleficent’s true love for Aurora to represent this platonically instead. Frozen does this with with Elsa and Anna for their “Act of True Love”. Hell, I’ve even actually seen the “Jian Bird” representation used to convey the close, existential bond between sisters in a manhwa called “The Gamer”. The key thing is that the concepts here go beyond the connotation it might be widely known for, and thus allows the context to manipulate it for another recognizable meaning. Sometimes this isn’t even really a deviation of meaning—people just sometimes don’t understand how flexible some elements always were in general for how they can be recognized and utilized in fiction or real life.

“Oooh they hugged!! Romance is in the air! OH. MY. GOD. They smiled at each other toooo?!?! It has officially sailed guys.”

....uh, you DO know hugs aren’t limited to that, right? Right?.....Please say right.

Oh boy.

What we know and recognize might not always line up with the context of which the meaning resides, hence why you might have some people shipping characters with a sibling or other platonic relationship—the individuals doing so have found something represented between the characters to be congruent with their personal recognition of romance, even if the actual context is different for the character’s relationship. Sora and Riku, Aqua and Ven, Fang and Vanille, Yuna and Rikku, Noctis and Prompto, Fina and Dark Fina, Tanjirou and Nezuko, Sam and Dean, Ponyboy and Sodapop, Steve and Bucky, Elsa and Anna, Rapunzel and Cassandra—boy, I’ve seen it all and can go on forever. All are examples of relationships that have expressions where a fan might say “hey, I see it this way”, but if what they recognize for themselves is meant to be recognized in a different way via the context....

Conflict breeds catastrophe (Thanks Vision).

Most shipping tension in fandom then comes from whether or not a recognition of something is based on the individual or is based on the material conveying it on its own to be recognized as such. That’s about when terms like “canon” starts being thrown around willy-nilly. What we recognize and what the context is are two things that either line up, or they don’t, and thus we have the pool of interpretations that have a go at each other, some being fierce, meaningless fights and some being pretty great discussions that can often show the flexibility of a context’s meaning. This does line up with something I mentioned before in another post about subtext, and this is certainly related. A big question would be that, if what is in the context is meant to be recognized a certain way, was it REALLY presented in a way to, well, be recognized as what it claims to represent?

That breeds a larger conversation towards the establishment and meaning of all the individual things in question and how either context determines its meaning or if the subject inherently retains a specific meaning. e.g. holding hands or hugging doesn’t mean romance in every context, but confessing you “like like” (lol) someone will “always” have an association with romance or sexual nature...

You know, until someone has the interesting idea to have two people “like like” each other platonically because, you know....recognition? 

There are maybe some things you can count on to mean certain things because, a real life person had to have written it and more than likely has at least some similar recognition patterns shared with their primary audience. Chances are, they wouldn’t be an individual who grew up in a place where their understanding of reduplication is opposite to, well, everyone else. But you never know, I guess. Again, there lies that point about subtext (here is the post, in case anyone is wondering) where you might be able to argue that, pretty much, a writer can make a mistake in their writing and mess up the whole process of recognizing elements within a context unintentionally, where it wouldn’t really BE subtext anymore. 

Other than that, most people’s issues with recognition is interlaced with their ability to identify what these elements are. Between context and what can be understood as “established meaning”, usually the answer can be discerned if the writer is truly creating something to be understood by other people. That’s where authorial intent and THEIR recognition starts to be considered the most by the audience.

Buuuuut I’m gonna stop there.

I’m probably more rambling at this point, but it is an interesting and WIDE subject, so it is to be expected. It’s fun stuff.

[ffxv-chocoheadcanons]

Happy Birthday Love

PolyChocobros x Reader

Reader: Genderless (i think i did well keeping it vauge)

Words: 1,562

this is kinda small i know, but im not in the best mood, not to mention this was kinda something personal that i needed a pick me up for my own birthday today. hopefully you guys enjoy and its not a train wreck.

                       ___________________________________

Everything hurt, from head to toe. Sitting in your car in the parking garage you didn't want to move as you stared at the grey bricks of the building. Today just sucked ass, today was your birthday, just wanted to have a day off to stay at home in bed with your lovers. You tried to request the vacation day you have been saving up for months for this one day but your boss rejected it saying they needed you no matter what.

That morning you had to wake up much more early than normal as your coworker took a sick day and someone was needed in the office. Waking up curled in the arms of your lovers in the bed was so warm and welcoming you just wanted to skip and risk being fired. Yet you needed to make some money and do a job. Forcing yourself to leave the bed you almost fell as Prompto moved his leg trapping your foot nearly falling face first off the bed. With an annoyed huff you took your shower. The world wanted you to suffer this morning as the hot water seemed to not be working at all in the middle of your shower. It was nice and steamy before the icy grip of Shiva hit your back made you yelp out in shock almost slipping and falling. 

Getting out early you got dressed ignoring the voices of the others asking what happened as the sound you made woke them up. “y/n” a softer voice said pausing you in getting your clothes on as they placed a hand on your shoulder brushing hair out of our face as the wet strands clung to your face. “What are you doing with this early love?” Ignis asked in a more groggy deeper tone then normal as he was still very tired himself. Ignis woke early but not this early in the morning around 5am he normally was up around 6:30 am drinking coffee watching reading the news with soft music. Looking at him you sighed. “I need to get to work, they needed me early today” “I thought you took the day off” another much more deeper voice asked. Gladio sat up in bed, his hair a mess as he pushed some of it back with his large hand giving a yawn. “I..i tried but they need me, Jane took a sick day so.. They needed me to fill in her spot” Gladio made an annoyed sound as he shifted in the bed as Prompto and Noctis curled up into him as they lost the warmth of you and Ignis in the bed sleeping like rocks. 

Ignis moved to place a kiss on your cheek before pulling away placing his hands on your jawline. “Love, why are you cold?” “ah, right almost forgot about that. I think the water heater is broken. The water was freezing cold” ''Going to have to call in to get it fixed then” Gladio mumbled as he was slowly drifting back asleep. The room had the soft glow from the lamp in the corner. You noticed Gladios head drip down. “Gladio, go back to sleep, Ignis you too” you said as you reached for your shift slipping it over your head. “Let me make you some coffee before you go, something to eat” Ignis insisted. Looking at the clock on the side of the bed you noticed the time and shook your head. “I can’t i need to get going, but when I come home I would love a cup” with a warm smile you placed a kiss on his lips before telling them you love them with a mumble from Ignis and gladio telling you happy birthday and they love you as well. Heading out of the room to get your shoes on. You had to hunt for your keys before rushing out the door to the parking garage to get your car. 

Normally this early in the morning not many people would be out and about but traffic was annoying as everyone seemed to be taking their time. Stopping at a small place to get something to eat and a coffee you didn't touch it till you got towork clocking in and getting to work. The world just wanted you to suffer, your drink was the wrong one and the food was as hard as a rock making you groan at your desk. 

The whole day was filled with annoying complaining consumers and your boss being irritated that day. Fellow employees as well seemed to throw more work on you that day as well. Around lunch you sat there and reached for your wallet to head out to buy something just to make sure you had the cash for it. You noticed that you left it on the dresser in the bedroom making you groan and thud your head into the desk. 

The day seemed to drag on more and more. You hoped for a text from Prompto or Noctis, but nothing came up even when you sent them a few more messages. Frowning at your phone you felt tears starting to well up in your eyes. Thinking back on all the years of life you never had a good birthday till you got in a relationship with the four of them. You were always forgotten, or ignored, everyone just never remembered it till you mentioned it or reminded people. Your father seemed to forget about it even doing other things on that day seeming to cast you out. Your mother would try to remember but she was ill. 

Family never talked to you anymore maybe from fear of you, or maybe just forgetting about you existing. Scrolling on social media you didn't find anything other than good pictures of food making your stomach growl out in anger. Sending a text message to Gladio and Ignis to ask them to bring your wallet none of them replied as well making the frown on your face deepen more. The tears did start to spill wondering if they were too busy in the citadel.

Turning off your phone you put it away going back to work. It was a long and annoying workday, not to mention having to stay a few extra hours longer. When you were finally able to leave for the night you turned your phone back on for the time. The phone came to life with a few messages from Ignis asking if you are coming home soon. With a quick reply you felt exhausted, your eyes sore from having to mute yourself on the phone with people yelling at you and breaking down because of it. You left heading back home in the traffic. 

Still sitting in the car you considered just driving around and maybe just zoning out, but your wallet was still upstairs in the bedroom. With a huff you got out heading up, opening the door you walked in but yelped in surprise as someone crashed into you.

Confused, you locked up letting whoever it was hug you, not fully registering everything as the house was filled with noise and more people. Standing stiff and still you looked around. Balloons taped to the wall and on the ground with a happy birthday banner on the wall. Ignis stood there with a smile on his face and an apron on with Gladio next to him. Looking down at who was hugging you, your face held a warm smile placing a hand on Iris' head. In The room stood Prompto and Noctis, even his father was there and Clarus and Cor. blinking you took it all in as they smiled at you before it all hit at once. 

For one birthday people actually remembered it making you start to break down and cry moving a hand over your face trying to hide it some. “y/n?” Prompto questioned moving closer before he noticed the tears and pulled you close for a hug asking if you are alright. It took you a moment of crying before you calmed down. They moved you to the couch to sit down everyone having a worried look before you were finally able to even form a word. 

Your voice was shaky as you used it. “S-sorry… i um… never had this happen” you admitted looking around the room at the decoration, the smell of food in the house. “What do you mean never had this happen?” Regis asked from his spot leaning forward. It was weird to see him outside of his normal clothing in the citadel and in casual citizen clothing. “My birthday.. Never really had anyone kinda, remember or well celebrate it” 

The room was quiet as everyone shared small glances as tears started to fall again. Gladio reached over pulling you into a strong hug. “Well… you have us and we are going to every year no matter what y/n” Gladio said kissing the top of your head. You couldn't help but break down into a mess again but this time it was with a laugh rubbing your eyes trying to be happy. For once this was a happy birthday with everyone close to you and with love. For once… it wasn't forgotten, it was remembered. For once, you didn't dread this day, for once you looked forward to it excited for once.

[oveliagirlhaditright]

Watery Grave

Summary: Luna actually runs to Noctis’ side when she finishes her speech in Altissia. And this all leads to a chain of events, where she actually ends up surviving the Trial of Leviathan. For Noctluna Week. Rated T.

Lunafreya—surprised everyone, including herself—and ran Noctis' way, the moment she was done with her speech and found herself in her beloved's arms. And Noctis, while he was taken aback by this at first, was swift to wrap his arms around Luna’s waist and bury his face in her hair. But his initially being so frozen, almost made the Oracle giggle: when they'd been in Tenebrae for that short time—and Noctis had been nursing a crush for her even back then--he'd always made sure to seem "awkward" around her when Ravus was near. And he'd even told her in their letters to each other, that if they reunited somewhere that Ravus was also with them, he'd make sure to be respectful towards her. Well… Ravus wasn’t here, and yet Noctis had still behaved in such a way. And it made Luna believe that Noctis was actually much less suave than he wrote himself to be in their notebook. "What are you laughing at, Luna?" Noctis asked in a very good-natured way, as he tried to pull her away from the people now fanning over the engaged Oracle and Chosen King. Deciding not to tell Noctis that she'd been having teasing thoughts about him, Luna gave him another truth as she waved to the prince's friends to join them. "Just marveling at life... Earlier, I’d thought about giving up... because I know the Trial of Leviathan will be… taxing. And to prepare for that, I foolishly almost held off in coming to see you." Luna made certain to choose her words carefully here: she didn't want Noctis to know yet, was that she'd almost given up in seeing him... because she didn't want him to see her body so frail, and since she knew she’d die after the coming Contract. Why give her precious Noctis even more pain that way? "…But seeing you, Noctis, filled me with such... life, that I just had to be by your side." And it had even reminded her of why she so very much did want to live.

Noctis positively beamed at this, and even seemed to give Luna an Eskimo Kiss for reward—something that Luna didn’t understand at first. But she supposed that he was trying to do something that fit with the children they had once been together, and the lovers they now were. And so surely a kiss on the nose sufficed. And leading the way to where some artists in Altissia were now trying to draw them, Noctis said almost self-consciously, "…I'm really glad to see you happy, Luna. Even when I see you go out and heal people on TV, I see how you're always shaken before you start. This... is a nice difference from that." "You caught that, did you?" Luna found herself saying, before she'd even decided to: it just surprised her that Noctis knew her so well—she loved the public, she did, so she tried to put on a good show for them….—as the fact was, she was shy, nervous about public speaking, and hated being under Niflheim's thumb. And these were all things that Luna had never written in the Lovers’ Notebook. He had just gleaned it from her facial expressions on screen, apparently. "I did." Noctis' face was very close to Luna's now, and time seemed to stop and the world slowed down around them. Out of the corner of her eye, Luna saw streamers falling like rain—because apparently some of Altissia had stopped trying to bother them, but was now trying to celebrate the happy couple.

And even as sweet as it was, Luna now saw it as their cue to leave. Gladio, Luna thought, was tapping his foot at the happy couple impatiently, anyway.

So locking her arm with Noctis'—and how good it finally felt to be with him like this, as she had wanted—Luna followed the brothers to the Leville. ... Once at their hotel for the time being, the five friends tried to decide if Luna and Noctis’ wedding was still on. Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto seemed to think that it should be—as a symbol of the peace, and since both Luna and... Noct wanted it—but Luna was trying to shoo them away from the idea, since no matter what she would die on the morrow.

"Tomorrow, I commune with the Hydraean," Luna spoke firmly, looking at each person before her in turn as she did so. "And while the idea of the wedding is the best that I've ever heard... I can't be at all tired when meeting ��Leviathan tomorrow." Luna thought she may have heard Gladio muttering that she should marry Noctis and have sex with him, then, so she’d be full of endorphins in that fateful moment... but she couldn't be too sure, because Ignis seemed to be trying to save him from choking now? Or was he trying to make Gladio choke?

"Whatever you want, Luna," Noctis assured—ignoring his friends with much effort, Luna thought—as he squeezed her hand in one of his and dealt Uno cards with another. “If you want our wedding to wait—maybe because you want the, a, commande- Ravus, that is, to be here—we can do that."

Gods Luna loved Noctis so much, and the thought of losing him now—after this—was too much to bear. And for that fact, Lunafreya felt a stubborn tear worrying at her eye but she willed it away. "Then it’s settled," Luna agreed.

And she cheated in Uno, to make sure the first card she played in this bonding experience of theirs was something that would make everyone happy… since she knew she'd have nothing but their pity soon. ... While Luna still wasn't sure if she was sleeping with her beloved or not—she didn't need the distraction, and didn't want to show him her disgusting body—they had retired to one hotel room together. And Noctis was reading a fishing magazine in bed, when Luna came out of the bathroom while brushing her long, damp hair. And as Luna sat at Noctis' feet and let the brush fall from her fingertips, she questioned Noctis something she'd been debating about all day: "What's something I can give Prompto for thanks in saving Pryn... err, his 'Tiny'?"

At that, Noctis laughed and brought her into his arms: Luna settled into them easily. "You should know better than anyone, Luna. How have we communicated over the years? How did you first meet Prompto?" Letters? Was that what Noctis meant? Luna supposed it made some sort of sense in a bookends kind of way, but she had planned on giving kind notes to Ignis—for so perfectly helping her to figure out the plan for Leviathan. So if she was now going to give such things to Prompto, what should she now give Ignis to differentiate between the two of them? Curling into Noctis' arms even more, and finding she wanted to be there and much more, Luna said breathlessly, "Do you really think that that's for the best, Noctis?" "Y-yeah." But he didn't sound very certain on the matter. Rather, the King's mind seemed to be a million miles away. The room was charged with electricity, for all of the unspoken things between them and then it seemed to explode. One of them kissed the other—Luna wasn't even sure who started it—and after they had frantic hands and kisses all over each other, they found themselves rolling in the sheets.

Somewhere in the back of her mind during it all, Luna found herself remembering that this was exactly the thing she’d wanted to avoid. But as happiness and pleasure consumed her, the Oracle easily found she could hide just how much her body was already dying in this one moment.

Hours later when they were done, Luna did write a million messages to Prompto.And she took off her seal of Tenebrae and gave it to Ignis, with the words "Please protect Noctis" on it. Given how much he cared for his charge, Luna thought he'd appreciate that more than anything else she could give him. For Gladio, she left him nothing... somewhat to Lunafreya's shame. But she thought if she somehow survived this, and she got pregnant from her and Noctis' actions the previous night, she might name their child after him. Perhaps.

To Noctis... she sadly left nothing behind. And most certainly not the truth. ... Luna, Noctis, and the brothers faced Leviathan… but it all very quickly went to hell. The goddess did not like the idea of helping the Chosen King as much as she should have. And even while she attacked Luna, Luna tried to convince her otherwise. …Altissia was leveled by all of the monster's attacks, and Luna didn't think that the citizens—or Noctis and their friends—could be evacuated from there soon enough: she absolutely cringed when she saw her betrothed fall from the sky and injure himself even more than he already was from his fighting, in nearly breaking his back. Luna tried to get to him... but then the Chancellor she didn't trust, and so had to keep an eye on, ruined everything by fatally stabbing her. The pain was unbearable—even worse than how her weakening body made her feel—but Luna couldn't focus on that now! She needed to rise Noctis up, and to have him finish this fight and receive the Blessing... and she did. And healed an unconscious Noctis and did her best to shield him from towering waves as she bled bled bled on the pavement. ... Luna knew she was some sort of dream-esque, afterlife moment with Noctis… And she tried her best to explain everything to him and give him a heartfelt goodbye... But when she started to sink beneath the water, some of Noctis’ sadness turned to incredulity as he crossed his arms and regarded her. "Luna... you're too ho-hum about this. You- you knew before this, didn't you?! That if nothing else killed you, the Contract with Leviathan would. And you didn't tell me?!" Noctis was furious now, and he had every right to be. Luna had messed up badly... and perhaps he would already move on here, and let her fall. Wasn’t it even what she deserved? But at the last second, almost spurred on by his anger, Noctis got an increase of speed and swam down to where she was in the Trench and tightly grabbed onto her hand. Everything went black then... Luna thought it was the end, so she tried to take the memory of Noctis’ hand in hers now—and he love he'd shown her last night—into the afterlife with her. But then she awoke—awoke!—to light, and her new friends, and the pair of smiling blue eyes that she loved so much. And thinking three times must have been the charm, Luna took Noctis’ hand in hers and leaned into his arm. And Noctis hunched down beside her hospital bed and held Luna as her head rested on his shoulder—both perfectly content.

[animakupo]

Shortcake vs. Beefcake (Gladio x Reader)

i can stay up late working on a fic and yet i can’t even extend the same courtesy to my actual work. Nice™

I tried following the canon timeline for this one, just because a lot of the story was built up within the timeframe before the FFXV game. Also, apparently the whole Gladio vs. drunkard really was the reason for the scar on his face, but I changed it up a bit to accommodate the story.

This one’s a bit more similar to how I usually wrote fics prior to my 9845798-year hiatus from writing fanfiction. wow, yay, party on, woohoo, i’ll edit this later bc it’s almost 3am zzz

word count: 5.8k+, fluff, angst??? kinda slow burn mmm

Whenever people saw you and Gladiolus Amicitia together, they often mistook the two of you as siblings. While it annoyed you to no end, it couldn’t be helped. You often bickered with one another — playful or otherwise — and your substantial height difference only made you look more like a little sister than anything.

Seeing as your mother was a member of King Regis’ council, you were privy to occasional access into the Citadel. At least, whenever your mother was summoned to another council meeting, which grew in frequency over the years due to the continued strain with Niflheim. Thus, the Citadel became a playground of sorts for you growing up.

The royal family’s staff didn’t mind looking after you during those lengthy council meetings so long as you were well-behaved and didn’t get your hands on anything too expensive-looking. For the most part, you acquiesced to their wishes, especially with the threat of being banned from the Citadel — something your mother often imparted on you before heading off to the council room — looming over your naive head.

It was an empty threat, of course, but you were too young to comprehend that.

Many of your childhood afternoons were spent in the garden, filling up coloring books and devouring page after page of your fairy tales. Sometimes, when you thought the royal staff weren’t looking, you would explore the Citadel on your own accord. It was through this did you first encounter Prince Noctis, as well as his Shield, the mighty Gladiolus Amicitia.

One day, on one of your Citadel expeditions, you had somehow stumbled upon the Prince’s training room. Though he appeared to be significantly smaller than his opponent, you were in awe of how well he seemed to hold his own. Upon spotting you shyly observing from the doorway, the Prince became distracted for just a second too long, causing Gladio to send his wooden floor flying across the floor.

At this, you rather impulsively sprinted towards the Prince, opening your short arms as a means of screening him from his own Shield. “Stop bullying the Prince!” you cried, glaring at the much taller young man in front of you.

Gladio raised his brow, both in surprise (‘Who let in this kid?’ he thought to himself) and in mild annoyance at being accused of “bullying” the Prince. “I’m not bullying him,” he replied, walking over to where Noctis’ sword had slid off to. “I’m training him.”

You blinked owlishly as your arms slowly fell to your sides. Unbeknownst to you, Noctis was snickering silently from behind at your accusation towards Gladio. Hearing the Prince get back on his feet, you turned to him, as if seeking confirmation on what Gladio had just said.

Though Noctis appeared little against the strong build of Gladio, he actually had a good head over you, making him appear much taller than he actually was. You stared up at him with a pout, feeling slightly embarrassed at how you had wrongfully accused Gladio of being a bully.

“Don’t worry about me,” he assured you. “I’m fine. And you’re right — Gladio sure is a bully!”

And thus was the beginning of your friendship with the Crown Prince of Lucis.

Being of same age, you and Noctis got along spectacularly well. He had even introduced you to his father during one of your games of hide-and-seek. You offered a polite curtsy to King Regis, to which he responded with a hearty laugh and a small bow of his own.

“I like your dad,” you told Noctis. “He’s a nice king.”

Noctis shrugged as he sipped on his apple juice. “I like him too.”

Although your friendship with Noctis flourished, you couldn’t say the same about your friendship — if you could really call it that — with Gladio.

There was just something about the Shield that brought out every competitive bone from your body. Whenever he and Noctis sparred, you were often spurred on by this inexplicable need to take down Gladio with your own wooden sword. It was usually after his sessions with the Prince did you challenge him for a one-on-one match.

Having no practice or background in swordsmanship, you were — as expected by Gladio (and Noctis, if he was being completely honest) — frequently defeated more often than not. Despite facing the bitter sting of your loss over and over again, you never faltered, always coming in with another challenge for Gladio the next time you saw him.

Gladio had to hand it to you, though. For a small brat, you were pretty determined to conquer him, one way or another.

“Better luck next time, shortcake,” is what he would often tell you as you wallowed in your consistent defeat.

“Shut up, meathead,” was your usual retort, accompanied by a scowl and a huff.

Your competitive streak against against Gladio was not restricted to just sparring matches. Sometimes, you would challenge him to races. (He was always faster than you thanks to those blasted long limbs of his.) Other times, you would see who could do the most push ups in a minute. (You usually gave up after the third count.)

One time, you challenged him to an eating contest. Unfortunately, you challenged him to an eating contest with Cup Noodles. Basically, this meant that you were a goner even before you opened the first pack of Cup Noodles.

You vowed never again to consume another cup of the wretched noodles if it was the last thing you did.

As to why you continued to challenge Gladio — despite his blatant advantage in physicality — remained a mystery to Noctis. But hey, if it got him out of training, then he was all for it.

“Just give it up already, shortcake,” Gladio taunted. “Face it: you’re never gonna win against me.”

‘I will one day,’ you thought, sending a glare towards the smug Amicitia. ‘Mark my words, you stupid meathead. I WILL beat you someday!’

Over time, your challenges with Gladio became a typical occurrence at the Citadel. You later on befriended Noctis’ royal adviser, Ignis Scientia, who found your nearly daily provocations towards Gladio more amusing than anything. You liked Ignis — much more than Gladio, that was for sure — especially whenever he had some pastries to offer after testing out a recipe or two in the royal kitchens.

Still, your competitiveness towards Gladio never wavered.

You continued to challenge him. To his credit, Gladio continued to accept these (sometimes absurd) dares. But, you would still fall at his hands. It was a vicious and never-ending cycle.

“AGH!” you screeched, throwing your hands up in the air as you fell in step with Ignis, who was escorting Noctis to his chambers for another session of tutoring. “Why is he so good at everything he does?”

Ignis readjusted the spectacles on his face. “He has to be,” he said, opening the door to Noctis’ bedroom. “He is the future king’s Shield, after all.”

“Hmph,” you sulked, laying your things out on Noctis’ bed to get started on your own homework for the day.

Noctis sighed. “When are you ever going to learn?”

You squinted at your best friend with a pout. “Never.”

*

When you were 13 and Gladio was 16, he — for the very first time in the history of your relationship — declined a challenge, claiming he had an appointment to get to and didn’t have time for your “childish games.”

This struck a nerve with you, as you never appreciated being treated like a kid. Sure, you looked like one, and your short stature — along with your babyface — did nothing to help this, but it didn’t mean that you were still a child. You were 13 years old already, for Ramuh’s sake!

“Betcha you’re just scared that this’ll be the day you’ll taste defeat,” you provoked.

Gladio scoffed. “Aren’t you tired of always getting beaten by me?”

“Today’s the day, meathead,” you declared. “I can feel it in my bones. Today’s the day that I’ll beat you at something once and for all!”

It was only a year or two ago did you begin to seriously practice your weaponry, not just as a means of someday beating Gladio, but also to pave the road towards your current top aspiration: becoming a member of the Kingsglaive.

You had always admired the Glaives ever since you caught a few of them sparring during one meeting of your mother’s with their captain. They just looked so cool and powerful, and that was exactly what you wanted to be when you grew up.

No one had to know about your tiny crush on the one they called “Ulric,” though.

That felt like almost ages ago. Now, at the age of 13, you were still growing into your body, whereas Gladio was well on his way towards developing his physique into quite the powerful build. His jaw was already becoming much more pronounced, his hair was growing longer, and during one of his sparring sessions with Noctis, you had even noticed that his muscles appeared to be even more distinguished than how you remembered to be.

Gladio may have looked stronger and bigger than when you first met him, but this didn’t deter you in the slightest. “C’mon, Gladio,” you pleaded for once. “Please? This’ll be the last time, I swear!”

“I’ve never heard you sound so desperate for me,” Gladio teased as he set aside the last of the scattered equipment in the training room. “Sorry, shortcake, but I really can’t today. Can I take a rain check?”

You were disappointed and annoyed, but you knew you had to let the Shield go. His appointment must be something really urgent if he couldn’t spare a few measly minutes with you.

“Fiiine,” you relented. “Where do you have to be that’s so important, anyway?”

Gladio sent you a smirk. “Not that it’s any of your business,” he said with a bit of a cocky lilt to his voice, “but I’ve got a date tonight that I have to get ready for. See ya, shortcake.”

You weren’t sure why his response upset you to the point of near tears, but ever since that day, you pledged never to challenge Gladiolus Amicitia ever again.

*

For the most part, you managed to maintain your self-imposed ban on ever challenging Gladio again. It was something the people around you — namely Noctis and Ignis — noticed, but for Gladio himself, it was something he used as ammunition to aggravate you even further.

“What, no confident speech about taking me down today, shortcake?” the Shield jeered when you showed up at the Citadel one afternoon.

“Whatever,” you hissed, rolling your eyes at him. “I have better things to do, that’s all.”

“And what would that be?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, beefcake,” you shot back, “but I’ve got a date with Iggy today.”

At this, Gladio’s brows shot up. “Okay, first of all: beefcake?” Turning to Ignis, he said, “And really, Iggy? You’re dating this squirt?”

“Hey!” you objected hotly. “I am not a squirt!”

Despite already being 14 years old, you still appeared to be rather small for your age, making Gladio all the more relentless with his quips about your height. It didn’t help that Gladio only seemed to grow and grow the older he got, which meant he towered over you more and more as the years passed.

“I’d like to clarify that we do not, in fact, have any romantic plans together,” Ignis said. “However, we will be kept busy this afternoon in the training room. I’ve offered my services in the art of dual-wielding to our young friend here.”

When Ignis began his training in preparation of formally joining the Crownsguard, you sought him out, mostly due to his expertise in your weapon of choice. Taking after your mother, you had an affinity towards daggers, preferring short but quick attacks. Who else to further your training to join the Kingsglaive than Ignis, then?

“Ah, gotcha. Noct and I will give you two some privacy.” Gladio wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing Ignis to sigh in exasperation at his friend’s antics.

“We will?” Noctis parroted, lost with what his Shield was getting at.

“C’mon.” The resident muscle head pulled the Prince by the collar. “We can spar outside. It’ll switch things up a bit. And you,” — he turned to you just then — “I expect your skills to improve after a few training sessions with Iggy here.”

You smirked. “Ready to get your ass handed to you, beefcake?”

Gladio snorted. “Bring it on, shortcake. Oh, and thanks for the new nickname. I’m flattered that you think so highly of my anatomy. I’ve worked hard on it, after all.”

Perhaps only Ignis noticed it then, seeing as he was the one closest to you in proximity at the time, but you were definitely red in the face after hearing Gladio’s parting comment.

*

Unlike your beefcake of a rival, you weren’t much for the dating scene and romance in general. In fact, your first date — if you could even call it that — took place when you were already 19. An old classmate of yours asked you out, and you thought he was pretty cute, so you agreed to catching a movie together over the weekend.

The date was… a disaster, to say the least. This being your first venture into the world of dating, you were a nervous wreck, and throughout the film, your date would obnoxiously make comments scene after scene like some wannabe movie critic. It irked you to no end.

Needless to say, you declined his offer to take you out for some drinks after the film ended. In spite of your blatant rejection, your date was nice enough to insist he take you home. However, wanting to spare yourself of any more moments of awkwardness, you politely declined, claiming your house was only a few blocks away.

Though reluctant, your date finally let you go after a rather uncomfortable parting between the two of you. ‘That… was the absolute worst!’ you thought to yourself, quickly making your way home.

Perhaps tonight was just not the night for you, because as you neared your side of the neighborhood, you accidentally bumped into a stranger in your haste to reach your living quarters.

“Sorry!” you reflexively called out, trying to navigate yourself away from the man.

Unfortunately for you, the stranger was not so forgiving, as he harshly grabbed your shoulder and spat, “Watch where you’re going, bitch!”

You were immediately on guard the moment you caught a whiff of alcohol from the man. Of course, his derogatory slur only caused your temper to flare. How dare he talk to you that way? Intoxicated or not, he had no right to talk to you in such a rude manner, let alone insult you.

“Let go of me,” you said, trying to keep your tone even despite the slight tremble of rage that was weaved into your voice. You didn’t think it wise to provoke someone so inebriated, especially since you were unarmed. There was the option of using your fists, but really, was this drunkard even worth it?

“You know what? I don’t wanna,” he slurred. You took notice of the rather delirious and borderline lecherous look in his eyes — the telltale signs that you needed to get out of there, pronto.

“I said let go!”

You thought taking on this drunk stranger would be a walk in the park. Considering how much time and effort you’ve dedicated to your fighting skills over the years, defending yourself from creeps on the street should come as no challenge whatsoever.

What you weren’t anticipating was for this jackass to grope your chest.

Never in all your 19 years had you ever been violated so… so… you didn’t even know what to call it. You were shocked and frozen at the spot, becoming all the more terrified when the man pulled out a knife from pocket. All your training flew right out the window the moment he took a hold of your… your…

When did you start crying?

The drunkard licked his lips, dragging the side of his knife across his chest. “Now, be a good girl for me and-“

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”

In your hysteria, you were completely lost to the world. All you could hear were punches, groans, a lot of yelling, and the sound of metal being tossed to the ground. It was only after you felt a warm hand on your shoulder did you manage to snap out of your blankness.

Thinking it was your assaulter, you retaliated with a scream, tearfully crying out, “Please, don’t!”

“Hey, hey.” The voice was rough, but there was a gentle tone to it. “It’s me. It’s Gladio.”

The familiar name managed to pull you out of your cowering. “G-Gladio…?”

The young man nodded. “Gladio.”

With a sob, you slammed yourself into his chest, feeling instantly comforted by the feel of his bulky arms around you. “Gla-Gladio, I was… I-I-“ You felt terrified. Embarrassed. Dirty. “I-I’m… I…”

“Shh, you’re safe now,” Gladio cooed, rubbing your back in a soothing manner. “He won’t ever touch you again. You’re okay.” You felt his hand rest on the back of your head, keeping your face securely rested against his body. “I’m sorry. I won’t let anyone ever hurt you again. I promise.”

All you could do was wail, allowing Gladio to absorb your cries and having him become your shield for the night.

*

Things between you and Gladio changed after that dreadful encounter with the drunkard. You had apologized profusely after coming to the realization that your longtime — albeit unofficial — rival took a nasty blow to the face when he defended your honor.

The scar looked painful, but Gladio assured you that he wore it with pride. “Don’t worry about it.” He waved you off with an easy smile, ruffling your hair in the process. “Women love battle scars.”

His comment made you scoff, but nevertheless, it eased the tension in your chest. “Gladio, I…” You let out a deep breath, taking a hold of his hand in your much smaller ones. “Thank you. If you hadn’t been there that night, I-I would’ve…”

“Don’t,” he interrupted, giving you a sharp and warning stare. “Don’t go there. You’re safe, and that’s all that matters.”

Although the antics and banter between the two of you continued on like normal, the air you felt around Gladio felt different all of a sudden.

Jokes on your height went on as they usually did (“Need help with that, shortcake?” was a consistent offer whenever you had to stretch on your tiptoes in order to grab something on a shelf that was just out of your reach), but the shared glances between the two of you were friendlier. Softer.

You still competed with Gladio on the smallest of things, but they were much more lighthearted and comforting more than anything. At some point, you even sought out Gladio’s company with no underlying motive other than to spend time with him.

You didn’t realize it at the time, but this was the beginning of your romantic feelings towards Gladiolus Amicitia.

Developing feelings for Gladio felt almost burdensome to you. For one, you knew he’d never see you as anything other than a little sister. You were certain that you were just Iris 2.0 to him. Not that there was anything wrong with Iris; you loved that girl to death.

It was just frustrating having to keep your feelings at bay whenever you were around Gladio, because really, in his current state of physicality, how could you even resist this beautiful specimen who laid out his muscles for all the world to see?

It didn’t help at all that your height difference — paired with your incessant bickering, as endearing as it was for the both of you — made you look more like a charge he had to look after rather than a potential love interest worth considering.

It might’ve been naive of you, but you held onto your feelings for Gladio anyway, unrequited as they were.

“I’m still going to beat you one day, Gladio,” you swore, taking another swig of your drink on the eve of Noct’s 20th birthday.

“I hope that day comes soon,” the Shield teased with boisterous laughter. “I’m not getting any younger, you know.”

“Can’t the two of you take it down a notch for once?” Noctis groaned. Though he was used to your empty promises of “I’m-going-to-beat-you-one-day” towards Gladio by now, he at least wished that he could be spared of such words on own his birthday, at the very least.

“Someone sure is grumpy,” Prompto teased as he took a random photo of his best friend and his ever-so-permanent pout.

“I can assure you,” Ignis addressed Prompto, “Noct is always grumpy.”

This caused a surge of laughs across your circle, much to the Prince’s chagrin. “Cut it out you guys!” Noctis whined, only leading the rest of you (sans Ignis at this point, because of course only he could stay composed at any given time) towards even more peals of laughter.

Once your noises died down to some chuckling, Gladio suddenly nudged your side, prompting you to turn your gaze from your empty cup to his amber eyes. “What?”

“So,” Gladio started, “what’s it feel like to be officially part of the Crownsguard now?”

Despite your initial ambitions of joining the Kingsglaive, your mother — along with a few other influential parties, a.k.a. Ignis, Gladio, and even the Marshal himself — convinced you that you would be a much better fit in the Crownsguard instead. As the next in line to rule Lucis, Noctis needed his own set of guards, and it was unanimously agreed on that you would make the perfect addition next to Ignis and Gladio — and Prompto, soon enough — in the Crownsguard.

It took a little bit of persuasion (and, okay, maybe a little bit of good-natured provocation from Gladio), but you were eventually swayed into setting your eyes towards becoming a member of the Crownsguard itself.

Once you were decided, Gladio quickly took you under his wing in order to enhance your combat skills beyond not just what you already knew, but what you were comfortable with.

“Weeell,” you drew out. “It feels great, to say the least. Who wouldn’t be happy to be done training with a beefcake like you?”

“I’m giving you a five-second start, shortcake.”

You heeded Gladio’s warning, squealing as you zoomed past the rest of the gang to stay away from the Shield’s clutches.

*

“We’re near the treasure!” you cheered. “I can feel it!”

As fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, you, Noctis, and Prompto were beyond excited for the Assassin’s Festival being held in Lestallum. Not only were your assassin’s robes a nice touch, the slew of festivities to enjoy made everything all the more entertaining for you and your friends.

Well, it did for the most part. There was just one thing that continued to bother you at the back of your mind…

“I. Am. Disgusted!” Prompto scoffed at the sight of Gladio flirting with yet another woman during the duration of the festival.

You faltered at the mere thought of Gladio getting cozy with the women here, but what could you do? This was the resident ladykiller, after all. There was a reason why you called Gladio “beefcake,” and he was definitely taking advantage of his assets as he charmed one girl after another.

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” you gagged. “Besides, we’ve got better things to look at other than Gladio flirting with anything that breathes.”

The quest to fulfill the festival’s treasure hunt was a bit of a long-winded one, but once you all solved the mystery at hand, the fruits of your labor made everything worth it.

“Well, that was fun,” Noctis commented at the end of the quest.

Ignis concurred with a nod. “Indeed.”

Being a massive fan of Assassin’s Creed, it seemed Noctis still wasn’t done with celebrating the festival, as he suggested that your group continue on with a few more rounds of games. Prompto latched onto this idea immediately, especially at the suggestion that they all go for a few Chocobo races.

“Count me in!” Prompto whooped, already giddy at the thought of getting to ride his favorite animal yet again.

Noctis turned to you, as if seeking approval. You nodded with a smile. “Why not? The night’s still young. Iggy?”

“C’mon, Specs,” Noctis egged on. “One race won’t kill you.”

Ignis shrugged. “I suppose a race or two wouldn’t hurt,” he conceded, to which Prompto cheered excitedly. “But I do believe it’s best we retire to the hotel soon. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Aye, aye, captain!” Prompto saluted, the grin on his face growing all the more. Addressing Gladio, the blond inquired, “What about you, big guy?”

You didn’t think it was possible for Gladio to further aggravate you for the night, but alas, how wrong you were in that assumption. “Actually, I’m meeting someone in a few minutes,” he declared, sounding somewhat smug. “You guys go on ahead.”

Indifferent, Noctis shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“Keep it in your pants, big guy!” Prompto called, already racing Noctis towards the Chocobo stables.

Pushing his glasses up his nose, Ignis turned to you and asked, “Shall we?”

Your other three companion might not have minded — perhaps they were used to this side of Gladio by now — but you, on the other hand, were seething. Getting to enjoy festival activities was practically a luxury by now, especially with the Nifs always on your tails. Yet here was Gladio acting all high and mighty, declining the offer to spend time with his friends for a quick romp with a stranger?

You were absolutely livid.

And, okay, maybe a little jealous, but you were definitely more upset than anything.

“I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” you ground out. “I’m going to have a word with that dumb beefcake first.”

Ignis sighed. There was no doubt that your impending confrontation with Gladio was bound to be rather explosive to say the least, but it wasn’t really his affair to meddle with. Besides, he had his other kids — a.k.a. Noctis and Prompto — to look after. Who knows what those two could stir up when left unsupervised?

“Might I advise you not to make too much of a scene?” Ignis proposed. “We wouldn’t want to bring any more attention to us as it is.” At that, he left you to your own devices.

*

When you caught up to Gladio, you found him leaning towards a hooded woman who was backed up against a wall. The sight of the two of them being much too close for comfort made your blood boil.

“HEY, BEEFCAKE!” you hollered obnoxiously, disrupting the intimate bubble of privacy that Gladio had been sharing with the woman.

The large man groaned. “What now?”

“I’d like a word with you.”

He grumbled, irritated that he was being interrupted for the umpteenth time tonight. “This better be worth it.” Turning to his female companion, he said in a disgustingly flirtatious tone, “I’ll be right back, sweetheart.”

“Don’t keep me waiting too long,” the woman crooned, batting her eyelashes at Gladio.

You wanted to barf right then and there.

Once the two of you found a more private corner near the Leville, Gladio crossed his arms and glared at you. “This better be good, shortcake.”

With a stinging look of your own, you said, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Gladio stared at you incredulously. “Me?”

“Yes, you!” You poked at his chest, the frustration towards the man in front you steadily rising. “Here we are wanting to celebrate the Assassin’s Festival as a group, and yet you ditch us — your friends, need I remind you — for a quick fuck?”

Gladio’s eyes hardened at your choice of words. “What I do with my time is none of your business,” he retorted. “Besides, we spend so much time together on the road as it is.”

“What the hell are you insinuating?” you spat venomously. “Oh, are you sick of our company already? Is that what it is?”

“That’s not what I said and you know it!” Gladio snarled. His eyes were ablaze with anger, but this only spurred you on even more.

“Then why would you rather spend the night with some… some stranger than with us?! Why go chasing skirts for something so meaningless when you could do so much more with your time?”

“And what do you propose, huh?” he growled. “What, wanna compete with me on another one of your dumb challenges?” Gladio chuckled almost mockingly, the sound making dread and unease settle in your chest. “No matter what you say, you’re never gonna beat me, you know. You’ll never be good enough.”

You didn’t know you had it in you to deliver a sucker punch that would send Gladio reeling, but it happened.

“Fuck you,” was all that left your mouth before you hightailed it out of there.

*

If he was being honest, Gladio didn’t know what came over him.

Despite the fact that everything you said was true, he had refused to back down, especially with his ego being afflicted by your statements. He wanted to counter with some painful remarks of his own, even if he didn’t mean a single word of it.

‘Good going, dumbass,’ Gladio thought to himself, massaging his sore jaw. ‘That was one helluva punch, though.’

His hot date long forgotten, Gladio searched high and low for you. Still, you were as evasive as ever. Before long, he retreated back to his shared hotel room, thinking it best that he give you your space for the time being.

It thus came as a surprise when, upon entering the room he shared with all of you, Gladio found you seated on the bed. By the looks of it, you had just taken a shower and were getting ready to go to sleep, what with your damp hair and pajama-clad body.

What really gripped at Gladio’s heart was how broken you looked. Your eyes were swollen, an obvious indication that you had been crying. You looked so… so defeated. The sight of you made Gladio regret everything that came out of his big mouth during your very heated exchange.

He took a step towards you, and this was enough to pull you out of your daze. Your eyes met, but only momentarily, as you turned your back towards Gladio and refused to face him any longer.

Anxiously, Gladio ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I’m-“

“Save it,” you croaked, rubbing at your eyes as another sniff escaped you.

Even your voice sounded so shattered. It only served to make Gladio feel all the more worse. He sighed dejectedly. “Listen, I know I’m the last person you wanna see right now-“

“That’s just scraping the surface.”

“-but I just wanted to apologize for earlier.” The bed dipped with Gladio’s weight right next to you. “I didn’t mean any of it, I swear.”

Being so close to Gladio, especially after being burned by him so recently, sent your heart into a frenzy. Taking a shaky breath, you whimpered, “You hurt me.”

Gladio frowned, feeling more and more despicable about himself. “I know, and I’m so sorry.”

“Y-you… you promised.” You were wailing now. Wiping the tears from your face soon became a futile action at how much you were crying. “You pr-promised you wouldn’t let any-anyone hur-hurt me again.”

Gladio stilled, his fists balling in anger towards himself. How could he forget such an important promise he made to you not too long ago? He felt like such a scumbag. “Some Shield I am, huh?” he mumbled sourly. “I can’t even protect the girl I’m in love with from myself.”

You froze at his sudden declaration. “Wha…? What?” You couldn’t help but turn to him then, your mouth agape in disbelief. He didn’t just… did he?

“I love you,” Gladio said sternly. Deeply. Surely. He held your teary gaze and let out a long exhale before continuing. “This… probably wasn’t the best way to go about with it, but I guess the cat’s outta the bag.”

Your eyes widened. “Ar-are you… you’re not joking, are you?”

“Why would I joke around with my feelings?”

“But… you’ve never… with me…” You were stumbling all over your words. “Since when?”

Gladio paused. You could tell he was going over the details in his head. Finally, he answered, “Probably a little after you started training with Iggy. But I don’t think I was really sure about my feelings until the night I got this.” He pointed at the trademark scar on his face. “After that, I was already certain that I was in love with you.”

Your hands were trembling. Gladiolus Amcitia, in love with you? Never in your wildest dreams did you think it was possible that he would ever reciprocate your feelings. By the looks of it though, it seems he did — and tenfold, at that.

You were still hurting a bit from his harsh words earlier, but there was no denying the heat in your cheeks that steadily intensified. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

He shrugged. “Didn’t wanna scare you off, especially not after that night. Then life just got in the way, and I didn’t really know if it was the right time, what with everything going on right now.”

It was silent between the two of you for a while. Maybe you were quiet for a beat too long, because Gladio suddenly took ahold of your face in his hands and dropped his voice to a whisper. “Say something. Please.”

There was a poisonous seed that had been planted in your head, and it was something you needed to clear out before moving forward with Gladio. In a voice that sounded so incredibly sad to his ears, you questioned, “Am I good enough?”

This was enough to break him. “Yes, Astrals, yes.” He was littering your face with kisses now, as if trying to cleanse any trace of the tears and heartbreak that he had caused. “You will always be more than enough.”

Gladio pulled you to him then, and you allowed him to do so, opening your arms not just to embrace him, but to accept his apology and simply open your heart to him fully and unconditionally.

“I love you, Gladio.”

He drew back slightly in order to gaze deeply into your eyes. “You might be a lot smaller than me,” he said, “but your heart will always be much, much bigger than I’ll ever be.”

*

When Ignis divulged to Noctis and Prompto that a storm was brewing between you and Gladio, they had expected the worst. Suffice to say, they were in for a bit of a shock when they found the two of you tangled in each other with your lips locked rather passionately.

One thing’s for sure: your vast height different was no issue when making out with Gladio — so long as you were both lying in bed.

[loveiscosmicsin]

Home Cooking

To @dancingfox on Tumblr, as part of the IgNoct White Day Gift Exchange @ignoctgiftexchange, I offer you a fic (it was a struggle because I was debating with five ideas at once and suffering from writer’s block and then life got really crazy that I didn’t post until way past the dates). I’m not sure what you like since you gave me “Anything, truly :)”, but I can safely assure you that there’s nothing about non-cons or excessive violent themes in this, just lots of fluff and I hope that’s okay! Though this fic can be read on its own, it’s branched off an Fateswap AU where Noctis is the Oracle and Lunafreya is the King of Light and Ignis is her advisor titled “Radiance”. Happy White Day and Happy Gift Exchange, I hope you like this. Sorry for being super late to you and the mod behind the event. I feel massively guilty but I wasn’t going to abandon this. - Title: Home Cooking Rating: G Warnings: None Summary: Courtship is such an antiquated tradition to Noctis, but he’s willing to push the aversion aside and show how he cares with a thoughtful gesture while Ignis is staying in the Crown City. - “Well,” Luna began, crossing her ankles and folding her hands in her lap. Unbridled excitement coursed through her, almost similar to the feeling she relished harvesting raw elemental energy from touch alone, as the King of Light and her trustworthy retainer passed the first landmark. “Our second time in Insomnia swiftly approaches.” “Indeed.” Ignis replied, eyes closed in contentment as he sipped from a can of Ebony, flipping through the magazine, his steady gaze was fixated across the pages. “You must be absolutely delighted that we are to see dear Noctis once more. These last months must have been torturous for you.” “Of course, my lady.”

Luna let the next couple minutes of silence sink in, save for the sounds of the train in motion, before narrowing her eyes and a slight twitch at the corner of her frown took form. “So... pray tell what is so intriguing in this issue’s quarterly that you deign to provide me a proper answer?” “I’m rather absorbed in this soufflé recipe,” Ignis answered without looking up and nothing more. He raised the Ebony again as to solidify the answer he had chosen and end the discussion there. Dissatisfied with the poorly made apology and in one swift motion, Luna pressed her palm firmly on the can and snatched the magazine out of Ignis’ hands. “Why,” Luna’s blue eyes widened before she grinned knowingly as her suspicions were indeed correct. Her advisor had artfully concealed a magazine behind a cooking one. “Ignis, consider yourself caught in the act. You’re reading a fishing magazine!” The woman turned to the can in her hand and shook it. “And not once have you requested a replacement for your beverage. It is empty.” Ignis sighed, color high on his cheeks as he plucked magazine back and set it on the table between them. "I suppose saying merely looking at a recently discovered fish had my mind swimming with recipe ideas wouldn't suffice as an answer?" The advisor tried, Luna sent him a look and he grimaced before admitting,  “Noctis informed me that he enjoys fishing..." Luna smiled. "It's his favorite past time, I'm told. You may find this hard to believe considering my brother’s animosity towards him, but Ravus taught him how.” "It seems very... time-consuming." He tried for a delicate term but the way Luna hid her mouth behind her hand told him he had failed. “He wished to take me fishing at one of his favorite places.” "He will be thrilled to know you've suddenly taken an interest in it." She laughed, earning her a tired stare. "Do not worry, Ignis, for when he sees you, fishing will be the furthest thing on his mind." To see Ignis and Noctis have gained such familiarity and fondness in such little time warmed the heiress’s heart in full. It was unexpected, certainly for her advisor who was quick to assume that the Oracle of Futurity was no more than a voracious beast. Fortunately, his opinion changed overnight when Noctis restored his vision and the two became well acquainted. Luna couldn’t help but feel wholly obligated to cheer and tease Ignis whenever she pleased, much to her advisor’s chagrin. Ignis nodded in appreciation for the reassurance, but the conversation wasn’t over. He gingerly caressed the worn and curling corners of the magazines, conflicted. “Actually, there’s something that I must address with you, Luna. It’s urgent, but we can discuss it later if you prefer.” Luna blinked, her mouth slightly agape. Ignis can be stern and alarmingly taciturn at times, even as a young child, he groomed himself this way so to prove himself worthy of Luna’s retainer despite the disability. He was looking at her now with the same intensity he did then, the scars from the burns could never smother the radiance from the soft sky blue and puffs of white. There was a storm cloud hovering above him. “Do not say that when I have not heard what it could be about first.” Luna regained her composure albeit she stammered when she said this, taking his hand in hers. “Let us discuss this now or I fear we could not enjoy the rest of our journey comfortably.” Ignis was inclined to agree. The lump in his throat bobbed slightly as he avoided looking directly at Luna’s worried expression. “If I could now, I would bend the knee for you, Lady Lunafreya. At your word, my counsel and my blades are yours, always. You will always be my princess and Tenebrae’s True Queen.“ “Ignis,” Luna pulled her hand away, feeling the blades of Ignis’ carefully placed words piercing her heart. “Are you... leaving me?” Her eyes stung, hurt, reminding herself that she was royalty and mustn’t cause a scene in public. If it was her closest friend’s requests, she must grant him leave in a dignified fashion. At that, the advisor’s eyebrows were raised as if offended, no, appalled by the inquiry. That reaction was unwarranted for the princess wanted to berate him for thinking that she would handle this delicately when he knew her much better than that. “No, I believe you’re mistaken by what I’m trying to get across,” Ignis reached out to loosen his collar and cleared his throat, embarrassed but the princess didn’t know by which, the misunderstanding or the topic on the tip of his tongue. “I merely wish... to ask for your permission to initiate a formal courtship with Noctis.” “Oh.” Luna’s cheeks glowed hot not long after the request was spoken. “Oh,” she repeated, pressing her mouth against her palm. “Then why must you waffle on when you could speak plainly? I... I thought you asking for a dismissal.” “My apologies,” Ignis amended, offering the woman a handkerchief. “I underestimated how quick you are in jumping to conclusions, Highness.” Luna sent him an icy glare to which Ignis added, “But I cannot fathom how you would be without your Hand.” Luna dabbed at her eyes. She cannot imagine herself without Ignis either and can undoubtedly forgive him here. “Now, does Noctis know of this? Is that why you’ve come to me?” “I have not consulted him on this, no.” The advisor paused, knowing that he had to explain himself. “It is customary for subjects to the Crown to ask his liege before pursuing a romantic partner.” “From an antiquated tradition that has not been in practice for years? On Eos?” Despite being two years his senior, it still came as a shock to Luna that Ignis was terribly old-fashioned and a secret romantic, Noctis was fortunate indeed. In all the time they had together and cherished, Luna never thought she would see the day when Ignis would consider dating. Her advisor was quite popular among the young ladies at balls and such though he didn’t seem to notice or care of their affections. Luna decided that she will continue to support the two in any way she can. - Noctis took a step back, wiping at his brow as he did so to admire his work. He consulted the cookbook propped on a stand before glancing at the final results. “Not bad after a couple tries,” Noctis commended himself, putting his hands at his hips. “Chef Noct’s got a nice ring to it. If I wanna have a career change.” He may have gone overboard with the quantity of the ingredients and he’s surrounded by an abundance of tofu cartons and potatoes than he ever had in his life, but a pat on the back was in order. The Oracle of Futurity and Crown Prince of Lucis may have been renowned for performing miracles before the age of twenty and now, he can cross off making his boyfriend lunch on the list. Though debatable of how high of an accomplishment this was, it was major. He wouldn’t cook for just anyone. He wouldn’t have asked Gentiana to gather texts of cookbooks or dragged Prompto along to the grocery store for the ingredients for just anyone. Baked tofu skewers and potato salad on a bed of sprouts, a common comfort dish in Tenebrae though the sprouts there served for bedding and to secure the food together in the plastic lunch box. A-not-so novel pairing, but the Prince Oracle thought a meal would ease whatever homesickness the Tenebraean Crown Advisor may experience and it was simple to make. He had let the thoughts ruminate constantly through extravagant recipes far beyond his skill level and wanted to present a meal in good faith while not wanting to show that he didn’t spend more time than necessary to prepare. And from what he glossed over, he found that he was really good at slicing and dicing. The Oracle turned his attention rectangular tin box emblazoned with Lucis’ allied province’s emblem featured by the male King of Light and female Oracle from the Cosmology watercolor illustrations he read as a child. The current bearer of the title and childhood friend, the King of Light, gave it to him. ‘Not yet,” Luna chided with a airy giggle when she stopped Noctis from opening it. ‘When you see Ignis, share these with him.’ Though it was a gentle smile, there was an underlying threat that if she did find out that Noctis didn’t abide with the instruction, he wouldn’t keep his hand. His phone alarm erupted with the iconic King’s Knight victory fanfare. Time to see Ignis. “Unescorted?” Ignis inquired, raising an eyebrow in amusement when Noctis waiting in the reception room alone. “My apologies. Were we to meet today?” One of the guidelines of courtship dictated that the two people involved must always be escorted by designated officers on dates. At times, even Luna joined them and others, Prompto and Gladiolus or Gentiana. For all his life, Noctis had the world’s eyes on him and for once, he would just like just Ignis’ when it was just the two of them. Noctis didn’t have knowledge of Ignis’ intentions to court him until the advisor was granted a private audience with King Regis. Apparently, everyone knew but Noctis. And something in him sang for his own validation, emboldening him. ‘Ask me,’ the Oracle challenged breathlessly when he pulled the advisor to the side, away from prying eyes. Despite wanting the whole world to recognize their relationship, something must be made clear now. ‘Not Luna. Not Dad. Me.’ Ignis won’t be dating the Crown or the Prince Oracle, not even the playboy persona he built up in their first meeting, but Noctis, as he is, no gimmicks. Noctis only wanted Ignis. To his defense, at the time, Noctis thought he and Ignis were dating already, sharing an interest in each other’s hobbies, exchanging letters when they were apart, all but without putting a label on it. He wanted to make it official then and still do. Ignis did ask and Noctis accepted without a moment’s hesitation. “Nope, but you got me anyway. No objections allowed.” Noctis braced himself for Ignis to protest, had a counter in mind that he can’t send him back because an attendant wasn’t in their company. Thankfully, there was none. “Your spontaneity never ceases to amaze me. I find that very refreshing about you.” Surprising him was a good call after all. “But I got something for you,” Noctis announced, holding out the stacked lunch boxes wrapped in a plaid cloth. “Hope you brought your appetite.” The two retired to the courtyard with the lovely view of the garden and greenhouse across from them. “Baked tofu and potato salad,” Ignis studied the dish, approving the vibrant colors. “You made this for me?” “With a dash of sagefire,” Noctis took an imaginary pitch of spice and with a flick of his wrist whisked it into an imaginary dish. “Bam.” As he said it, he felt a case of embarrassment overwhelm him. “How thoughtful,” Ignis reached over to give Noctis’ hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll savor every bite.” Ignis eagerly bit into one of the skewers and thoughtfully chewed. Enthusiasm and curiosity then turned to a furrowed brow and a slight grimace. It was gone as instantly as it appeared, but Noctis was attentive enough to not let it pass. “Does it taste bad?” Ignis shook his head, taking another bite. “It’s delicious. The... condiment has a distinctive taste.” Noctis frowned. It was just barbecue sauce. Couldn’t he tell? He snatched a free skewer and dug in before spitting the tofu block right back out. Salt. He mistook for what he thought was sugar for salt and Ignis was still eating it. “Uh, Ignis, you really don’t...” “I’m a man of my word, Noct.” After some time of verbal gymnastics and Noctis trying to retrieve the lunch box only to be thwarted at every turn, Ignis closed the box and sighed happily, “That was delicious.” Noctis completely doubted that, but the potato salad was the only thing that wasn’t ruined. He handed a can of Ebony to him. “Yeah, sure.” “I meant what I said,” Ignis sipped the can. “Because you made it for me. I look forward to the next lunch you’ll bring me.” Well, at least that wasn’t a complete failure. “Hey, Luna gave me this,” Noctis presented the decorated tin box. “Wouldn’t let me open it until I see you. Pretty serious about it, too. Dunno what that’s about.” “Oh?” Ignis tilted his head, quizzically. “Lunafreya’s hardly grave about—“ Cookies, shaped like the rare minted Oracle Ascension Coins commemorating every anointed savior in office, greeted the two men. Instead of edible replicas of the currency, they were edible versions of Noctis and Ignis’ faces with... a distinguished choice of design. No doubt that Luna was going for cute and it took her a great amount of time to design. “Ah, this is certainly her doing. No question about it.” Ignis sighed, picking up a cookie with his face on it. “She knows that I don’t fancy sweets.” He said, putting it close to his parted lips. “Wait!” Ignis looked at him. “Isn’t it...” Noctis averted his gaze. “Isn’t it weird that you going to eat your face?” Ignis smirked. “Would you prefer that I eat yours?” “I...” How was the Oracle supposed to answer that seeing the mischievous gleam in the advisor’s eyes? - Lunch passed by quickly, and Ignis offered to take Noctis back to the Citadel to which the latter accepted wholeheartedly. “May I, Your Highness?” Ignis held out his hand, and Noctis knew what it meant. “You may...” Ignis lowered his head, intending to brush the knuckles with a chaste kiss, the only permitted contact in formal courtship, but Noctis dove in first and met his lips with his own, sealing a first kiss. If there were any doubts that this Prince Oracle wasn’t proactive, those doubts should be dispelled at this point. The advisor was beside himself, his cheeks tinted red and stuttering as he adjusted his glasses. “N-Noct...” “So...” Noctis was grinning until his cheeks hurt, so over the moon that his tongue boldly ran wild with revelation and a growing desire to kiss Ignis again. “Was that your first or...?” “It certainly was not!” It was.

[lhugbereth]

Peace in the Beyond

ArdyNoct Week Day 6 // Afterlife // @ardynoctweek

Though the past can never be altered, the 'beyond' offers both Noctis and Ardyn a chance to come to terms with the lives they've left behind.

Read on AO3

1731 words, Gen (fluff)

As he strode through the dusty halls of the Citadel, letting his fingers brush over the fading, peeling wallpaper, Noctis felt his heart grow heavy with memories. How many years had passed since he last stood here? Really stood here, not just in spirit but in body, as well. Already it seemed a lifetime ago - and perhaps it had been. He'd become a poor judge of mortal time as of late.

Still, when he looked down the hall stretched out before him, he could picture the scenes of his childhood as though they were actually playing out before his eyes.

"Prince Noctis!" A young boy with chestnut hair and glasses too large for his delicate face emerges from behind a tapestry. "Noct, please come out. I'll get in trouble again if we're late!" Fretting, nearly in tears, the boy searches behind curtain after curtain, to no avail. "Noct, where are you…?"

The boy sat down to cry, and Noct favored him with a sad smile. "Sorry, Specs. I was hiding under my bed the whole time. I didn't mean for you to get in trouble, but thanks for forgiving me."

The scene changes. The young vision of Ignis is gone, replaced by the taller figure of a regal man. He's facing away, but it's obvious that he's smiling, laughing even, as his shoulders tremble with mirth. For a time, he waits. Until at last a small child, barely able to walk upright, teeters out from between his feet. "Attaboy, Noct," Regis says, giggling while he watches his son take his first steps.

"Dad…." Another pang hit him and Noct at last turned away. Sometimes, this place was filled with too many memories to bear.

But as he whirled around, Noct found himself facing a different figure. He, too, was tall, but with deep red hair and a haunting smile. This one was not surrounded by the same sourceless light as the others - not a memory then, but the real Ardyn.

Noct’s heart quickened.

"Thought I might find you here," Ardyn sighed as he took a step forward. Then another. "They say the place where one died always calls to them. Draws them back."

It was Noctis’ turn to sigh. "Guess that’s part of it. But I think…when I come here, it's to forget death. I want to remember what it was like to be alive."

Suddenly, the walls seemed to shiver, shudder; dust and debris shook loose from the top down, gradually fading away and leaving pristine marble in it's place. Light from nowhere and everywhere at once illuminated the hall, and if Noct listened closely enough he could almost hear the bustle of activity from the days when the Citadel was filled with life.

"Thanks," he grinned over his shoulder, and Ardyn exaggerated a bow.

"The least I can do for you, King."

"You know, you don't have to call me that." Noct favored Ardyn with a smile as he closed the distance and wrapped him in his arms. "Neither of us is a king anymore."

"Mm, true. Funny, isn't it?" The stretch of a tired smile against his cheek. "What I always wanted, and what you spent all those years trying to be. In the end, what did it matter?"

"Beats the hell outta me. Come on, let’s see what else is on." Noct took Ardyn by the hand and together they descended the steps of the Citadel. Where they were going, he wasn't yet sure, but he had a feeling they would find it along the way.  

He was right. Just beyond the gates, the pair stepped out not into the heart of Insomnia, but into a place far older. Thatched roofs and dirt roads, children playing and laughing as they chased strange little winged creatures in the garden. Noct thought he recognized them, but it wasn't until Ardyn let out a chuckle at his side that his suspicions were confirmed.

"Moogles! Lovely little creatures. It really has been an age."

"Where are we?"

"It would appear," Ardyn smiled sidelong at him. "That we've found my hometown. No place you've ever heard of, and destroyed long before your precious city was ever built on it's bones. Ah, look there - !"

In the middle of the path, a tiny, pudgy black ball of feathers streaks toward them. Hot on it's tail is a young man, a teen from the looks of him, with lanky arms and hair like a wildfire. He looks frantic, cursing under his breath as the chocobo eludes his grasp again and again. "Get back here, bird brain! I swear I'll make you into a pie when I catch you!!"

Noctis looked insulted. Ardyn grinned. "Oh, come now, I didn't really cook him. He was my favorite companion, after all."

"Hard to tell with you."

"Ouch."

But he merely smiled and squeezed Noct’s hand tighter. "I suppose I'd like to show you one more place, if you'd be so kind as to humor me?"

"Sure. Not like I’ve got anywhere else to be.”

Noctis took in the view as he strode alongside Ardyn through the quaint village. None of the people who passed turned to look at them - they were merely memories after all - but it felt...lonely. Perhaps there was a sadness that lingered over the place in death. Or perhaps the heaviness that hung in the air came from Ardyn himself, from the pain he had carried with him all those two thousand years and projected onto even his fondest memories. Either way, it filled Noct with a nameless longing, and he found himself drawn closer to the taller man’s side.

“Almost there, Highness,” came the familiar voice next to his ear. Noct glanced up, but Ardyn’s gaze was fixed ahead of them, a mysterious light playing in the golden orbs of his eyes.

The houses gradually fell away. A forest began to grow up around them, the trunks of the trees stretching and twisting as with the passage of a hundred years. Beneath their feet, the ground grew soft; grass, flowers, a dark green moss that seemed to grab at the soles of Noct’s shoes and make his steps slow, heavy. The air grew thick with the scent of the ancient woods.

“Ardyn,” he began, but the touch of a single finger to his lips silenced him. Ardyn smiled and pointed into the clearing.

There was a stone. No, not just a stone, something carved out of the stone - like a small statue or, Noct realized, a shrine. Crudely cut, chipped and worn with time, yet at the top he could make out the shape of two feathered wings spread out around a sun-like disc. Noctis recognized it as the ancient symbol of the Hexatheon.

No doubt about it. This was an altar to the Six.

“What are we…?”

“ Shh. ” As he squeezed his hand, Ardyn’s eyes fell closed. A rustle, movement on the far side of the clearing, and Noct’s attention was drawn away once more.

From out of the trees stumbles a figure. He’s young, perhaps thirty, his red-brown hair long and disheveled around his hollow face, matted in parts with dirt or dried blood. Around his shoulders he clutches a tattered shawl, and his haunted, yellow eyes dart in every direction as he moves quickly into the clearing.

At last, he appears certain he’s alone. Turning his gaze on the stone altar, he approaches, kneels down, bows his head. Speaks in a voice far more tired than one befitting his age. “You must be laughing to see me here. Perhaps…. Perhaps You don’t even notice my presence anymore.” His shoulders tremble as if he’s fighting back tears. “There was a time I came to You with anything. When You cared for me as one of Your own…. But now. Now look at me.”

He drops his head into his hands as his body is overcome. Shadows flicker beneath his pale skin, twitch and bulge under the surface, out of control. The man sobs as he attempts to once again lift his head. “Help me! Please! Why won’t You help me? Why are You punishing me!!”

Noct couldn’t stand to watch any longer. His own eyes stinging, he turned from the scene as the sound of Ardyn’s strained voice echoed around the clearing. It felt cruel, standing helplessly by as the man he once knew as his mortal enemy begged for mercy, his words falling on the deaf ears of the very gods who had betrayed him.

“Is this what you brought me here to see?” Deep blue eyes were pained, questioning as they searched yellow-gold. “Why…?”

“I wasn’t always a monster.” Ardyn had drawn back from him, was looking down at his hands. Between them he held a scarf - the same fabric as the shawl that had been wrapped around the vision of himself. “For many long years, I tried to repent for whatever the gods had found lacking within me. Surely I was to blame. Surely they could undo the curse.” When he looked up at Noctis, his smile was sad, and for the first time there seemed to be tears forming in the corners of his eyes. “But they never answered me again, not until it was far too late to beg for forgiveness.” 

Quiet settled around them, a delicate calm in the wake of Ardyn’s confession. It made sense now, why he’d led Noct here, and why he’d chosen to wait until this moment. It had been Noct’s own words that had opened the door for him - forgetting death, remembering life. For Ardyn, who had long been consumed by the demons of revenge, there was little left to celebrate about his mortality. Only this, the vision of the human being he had once been, was worth redeeming.

With a heavy smile, Noctis spread his arms. An invitation, one which Ardyn accepted after only a moment’s hesitation. He stepped into the embrace, sighed as gentle warmth embraced him, let his head come to rest on Noct’s shoulder.

“You’ve already paid for your mistakes,” that familiar voice whispered into his ear. Tears began to well behind the surface and spilled forth freely. Ardyn clung to Noct’s frame as the centuries of pain drained away from him, the burden eased by the light of compassion, of love. “And you are forgiven. If not by the gods, then by your King.”

[alicemoonwonderland]

A Shared Drink

A little drabble for @highspecsweek for Day One Prompt: Drinking Together. Not really happy with the story, but I wanted to get something out so apologies for spelling/grammar/OOCs. Here is an accompanying aesthetic board.

Summary: Aranea had a bad hunt and needs a drink, the years of darkness getting to her. Ignis runs into her and offers to keep her company. She accepts.

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV

Pairing: Ignis Scientia x Aranea Highwind

Rating: T+ 

Tags: Blood, hurt hunter, alcohol consumption, kissing, taking care of someone, lowering walls

Tagging some peeps: @stunninglyignis @@thefriendlytonberry  @hypaalicious @louisvuittontrashbags @ffxvhoe @angelic-guardienne @fieryfantasy @sweetchocobae @toranyx @chocobropuffs @chocobruh-art @indigochocobo @asendion-art @sonsoflucis

She stared at the shelf and debated how wasted she wanted to get tonight. A girl deserved a drink after she had watched a sabertusk impale a hunter she had been working with and then had to drag his dying body back to Lestallum. With some miracle, she had found a Hi-Potion on her way to the car and managed to save him, but her armour was still covered with blood. Why bother going back to her little hole in the wall to clean up, and then have to leave again to find some liquor? No, better to just get it right now instead of making extra unnecessary trips.

"Fuck, why are there so many choices," she grumbled under her breathe before her ears twitched as she heard the soft ticking of a stick on the floor in a rhythmic way. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes widened when she saw a face she hadn't expected to see. Ignis Scientia. Her eyes flickered over his face. He had matured, sharper, rougher. The scar didn't look fresh anymore, having become a dark scarred brown colour. He had changed his glasses to dark specs. His hair had changed, having become darker, and he had dropped the cockatoo hair cut - thank the Astrals.

"Because one drink goes well with one dish, while another would be disastrous," he drawled amused as he stopped a few feet away from her. Still blind. It saddened her a bit, feeling kind of guilty that she had not been there to lend a hand. Even though, what could she have done against the Councillor? It didn’t lessen her guilt.

"All I am worried about is forgetting. Not worried about food." His nostrils flared, browns knitting together.

"Are you alright? I can smell blood on you." When was the last time someone had worried about her? Mentally shaking her head, she focused again on Ignis.

"I'm fine. It's not mine. Hunter who I teamed up with got badly hurt...well, you know how it goes," she explained calmly, and he nodded understanding. Stepping forward, he started taking measured steps along the shelf. His cologne tickled her senses, pine and something musky. Not a bad scent at all. It made something warm fill her stomach for a moment, cursing herself. Yeah, it had been a while since she had the chance to relax and find some companionship for the night.

"Rough trip," Ignis rumbled as he plucked a bottle with a clear fluid from the shelf, turning towards her. His milky eyes almost looking right at her. Why did it made her feel some odd things. Shaking her head, she made her way towards him and took the bottle he offered her. "This should help you achieve some relaxation and erase the memories for the evening."

"Having tried it yourself?" she asked him curiously, easily able to imagine he had some experiences he rather wanted to forget. Although he did not seem like the type to lose himself in a drink. Still looking as impeccable as he had the first time she met him. Wow...had it been four years already? A little smile appeared on his face as his hand held his cane easily.

"Gladio and I have tried it once or twice. It drinks easier when one has company." Aranea chuckled softly under her breathe as the indirect request to keep her company. She could appreciate it.

"Then I guess you are going to share a drink with me," she declared amused as she made her way to the counter, paid for it and returned to his side. The walk back to her apartment was nice, for some reason they fell into easy conversation. Inquiring how either of them had been. She learned that he had been relearning how to fight again, with the help of the Immortal and the Shield. But also, tried to make something of his life now that they had to wait for Noctis' return. Apparently having taken upon himself to cook in a soup kitchen two days a week. From what she could remember from his cooking, the people at the soup kitchen were more than lucky to have him on their staff.

She told him what she had been doing. Mostly hunting, but at times she moonlighted in bars as well for some extra gil and not having to kill something. Yes, she was a mercenary. Had been for years, but even she didn't like to always kill. Even she grew tired of it. It surprised her in a way that she enjoyed his company, truly. Thinking back to happier time. Remembering eating with the four of them, camping at some haven in the middle of nowhere. She had felt like this as well, as if she had found kindred spirits. It made her quiet for a long moment.

"Aranea, are you well?" Ignis asked her in that posh voice of his as he gently grabbed her arm. Even through his gloves, she felt tingles go through her body and warming her up in a way she had not expected. She stared at him, his unseeing eyes looking in her direct. Her hand gently covered his.

"Yes, Specs. It had just been a long day." His full lips quirked up, making her eyes drift to them. There was a little scar on them, but they still looked full and rather lovely. Mentally giving herself a slap. "Come inside." They arrived at her little apartment, and she let him in quickly. Turning on the lights. "Need me to help you navigate my house?"

He shook his head with a soft smile on his face. "Do not worry, Aranea. I will manage. Please, shower and relax." She wavered for a moment but didn't linger as she didn't wish to insult him by hovering too much. She would resent that herself if she had been in his position.

"Make yourself at home!" She called quickly to him as she made to her bathroom - placing, swiftly stripping off her armour and starting to get herself clean. Even washing her hair. After she had made herself squeaky clean, she cursed herself as she realised she hadn't grabbed any fresh clothes. Wrapping a towel around her body, she left the bathroom and crossed the living room. But what she saw, made her stop in her tracks. Ignis had put all kinds of snacks on her coffee table. Two glasses poured.

"Had a good shower?" Ignis asked friendly as he turned his head in her direction, for a moment Aranea pitied that he was blind. He wouldn't know she was naked. And oh she did love teasing men at times.

"Yes, I did. You did not have to do this, Ignis."

"I know, but you mentioned make myself at home..." He smirked a little bit, which made her laugh. He did have a point. She shook her head amused as she moved into her bedroom and pulled on a tank top with some boxers. Joining him a few moments later. "I raided your fridge...you do need to go shopping more....and tried my best."

She nudged him amused and smiled. "Best is more than enough. Thank you." She felt almost pampered. Picking up both of the glasses, she handed him one of them. "To not drinking alone."

He nodded as he clinked his glass carefully against hers. And that's how they started drinking the bottle empty. Somehow ending up feeding each other bites of food. Aranea started to relax, laughing softly and getting more and more comfortable around him. And getting more tipsy with each drink she consumed.

Placing down her glass, she turned towards Ignis. Her hand resting softly on his cheek. He didn't say anything, just turning into her direction. Handsome. Even with his scars, his green eyes having turned milky. He still looked dashing. With her tipsy mind, her walls had lowered, and her inhibitions gone. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his. She could feel him freeze for a moment before he relaxed, his hand moving to her waist. Somehow, at some point, he had taken off his gloves. His bare skin, calloused and rough, touching her own bare skin - her tank top having ride up her body a little bit.

Her hand moved up his thigh, feeling the strength in his muscles and body. Her hand moving to his throat, resting there and stroking over his Adam's apple. She could taste the liquor on his tongue. A hint of ebony, mixed with the little tuna salad he had made. An odd mix, but it was delicious. Losing herself into the kiss, she pulled him closer as his hand moved to her behind. His long digits squeezing and shaping her firm flesh.

But when her hand moved to his crotch, he stopped her and pulled away slowly. "You're a lovely woman, Aranea. And I must admit, I have been thinking about this for a while...but we have had a lot to drink. And you had a rough night. I don't want you to regret this in the morning."

She looked kind of stunned at him. Not used to people really caring about things like that, but she should not be surprise. It was Ignis Scientia. Pressing a soft kiss against his forehead, her heart swelling. "Then I guess I am just going to do this." She rested her head on his lap, smiling as he laughed softly - his hand messing with her hair.

"Seems like an excellent idea, Miss Highwind," he drawled amused, and she nuzzled his thigh. Her eyes becoming heavy.

"Ignis?"

"Yes?"

"Can you stay...?" For a moment feeling vulnerable, but something, her instincts that had kept her alive for so long, trusted him. He was the most honourable man she had ever met.

"Gladly." His voice so soft and warm, his touch so gentle, that moments later, she lowered her guards fully and fell into a soft blissful sleep.

[lucianhuntress]

Crown of Roses - Prologue

Okay, I know today’s not the 28th, but it’s fine. I wanted to start posting this new multi-chapter fic I’ve been working on for a while. Because I love it damn much! >_<’’ So my OC in this will be Selene Lucis Caelum, the twin sister of Noctis and another OC (Eve Leonis) will make an appearance too, as the princess’ shield!

This is a story about an arranged marriage, not going as it should... heh.

I’m still going to post my other fics too, this was just a special treat for me. =n_n=

Tagging @glaive-eve, she likes being ordered around by the Lucis Caelums >;)

Word count: 2292 Warnings: None

A shadowy meeting room was filled with characters of different ranks and statuses, eagerly waiting for a new grand plan to be composed. In the middle of the room was a table — a long table crafted from the finest trees in Gralea — surrounded by chairs, currently reserved for those with higher ranks. Those, whose ranks did not allow for a seat around the table, stood in the background and observed.

“We need a plan,” stated the Emperor, His Radiance, as the most called. His blue eyes circled around the room, in search for someone with an idea that would throw Insomnia out of balance for good. Ideloas Aldercapt was an impatient man, waiting anxiously for someone to speak up, throw a suggestion.

“How about an arranged marriage?” suggested man with a fedora resting on top of his head. Ardyn Izunia, the chancellor of the Niflheim Empire, sat at the tabler leaning his back against the back rest of the chair. His eyes glinted under the shade of his hat and his mouth had curled into a sly smile.

“We could work on that,” the Emperor nodded with his eyes moving onto the next speaker: a man in shining armour and stern look decorating his face.

“We could use Lady Lunafreya,” Caligo Ulldor nodded, “make her marry the crown prince of Lucis.” The Emperor leaned back slightly, holding his hands on the table. He let the thought mould in his mind, when he heard someone shifting nervously on his right.

“I’d rather leave my sister out of this,” noted the man in long white coat and silvery hair. The Emperor glared at him under his half-hooded eyelids, as he had interrupted the brainstorm thundering Aldercapt’s thoughts.

“You got anyone better to offer in her place?” Ardyn snorted standing up, chuckling amusedly at the deputy high commander of Niflheim army. “Sounds almost like you’re volunteering,” he studied the commander’s face unable to hide the amusement splaying across his face. The color had drained from the commander’s face and his lips were pursed tightly. “So you’re definitely volunteering,” Ardyn laughed.

“Silence!” Emperor Aldercapt shouted slamming his hand, curled into a fist, against the table. He made the documents laid on the table scatter everywhere. Ardyn and the silver haired commander froze in their places and shifted their eyes back on the Emperor. “So are you volunteering? Instead of your sister?” he fixated his eyes on Ravus.

The atmosphere tensed, as the deputy high commander pondered his next movement carefully.

“If you keep my sister out of this, then yes. I’ll do whatever is needed,” Ravus sighed raking his fingers through his silvery hair. His voice was already coated with mild regret.

“Ah, but do not worry— Ravus! We’ll make sure there is no actual wedding to be held...” Ardyn chuckled and winked at him, piquing the interest of the Emperor himself. “Unless you really want to, that is...” Ravus shot an angered glare at him and Ardyn touched gently the brim of his fedora with his fingertips, a wide grin spreading across his face.

“Are you sure it’ll work?” Caligo questioned with furrowed brows as his mind processed the idea. It would be risky in every way, but it would be hard to turn down. And well processed, Lucis would suffer greatly.

“We’ll make it work,” Ravus grunted lowly, “we have to make it work.” His heterochromatic eyes were glued on a document, while he flipped the pages of it in front of him, trying to avoid the thought of marrying the princess.

The king of Lucis sat on his throne, staring into the void and leaning his elbow on the armrest. He was completely unaware of the worried looks his shield threw at him, as he stood just a few meters away from him.

“Clarus,” the king suddenly sighed, still staring into the distance. He hadn’t looked so tired in a while. The shield worried greatly for the king’s health. If it only had been the wall that was consuming him at the moment.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” the shield shifted and turned to face him.

“Do you ever… Have a hard time with Iris?” Regis asked with a tired voice. The prince was surely easy to teach and handle, but having a pampered daughter...

“She can be difficult at times, yes,” Clarus humphed, worry melting away from his eyes to be replaced with amusement. He hadn’t been that much at home lately, but every time he saw his daughter —  well — he was glad that Gladiolus handled things back home. “And she can be very demanding from time to time, Your Majesty.”

It wasn’t the first time to have that conversation either.

“Then you must know how I feel!” Regis nearly shouted, waving his hand around as if to shoo away a fly. He had tried to understand his daughter’s whims, but he had a whole kingdom to rule and he simply didn’t even have the energy or time to argue about anything with the princess. “Noctis can be so modest but Selene is the complete opposite.”

Clarus stood quietly, looking at his king. “Your Majesty, is it the party that causes this?” he knew the answer already: every year the King held a gathering for his twins, to celebrate. Obviously it was the daughter that demanded the weirdest programs for the evening.

Regis nodded slightly, lifting his head from the slump he had fallen into. “Yes, this year she wants a damn nightclub in the Citadel.”

A young woman stormed into the massive ballroom of the Citadel, her heart was pounding madly in her chest from the panic that was about to burst in her. She had dark blonde hair braided into a tidy bun behind the back of her head and her blue eyes scouted the busy ballroom for signs of someone she needed desperately to find. She wore a dark long coat and a top, only showing off her stomach and shoulders and a hint of eagle wing tattoos peeking under the garment, gracing her ribs over her skin.

Eve Leonis was a proud member of the crownsguard and her job was to be the bodyguard of princess Selene Lucis Caelum. And she wasn’t really doing a good job at the moment.

“Has anyone seen the Princess?” Eve shouted at the people assembling the club, that had been specifically ordered to be built inside the Citadel. Everyone was too busy to notice the young shield looking the one she was supposed to be protecting. Eve cursed quietly and rushed towards the stairs, leading to the training room. ‘No way she’d gone training.’

The Princess hated training and Eve knew that all too well. Every time she had proposed to actually learn to protect herself in combat, she had just madly torched all the dummies and left the room, leaving her dumbfounded bodyguard behind.

Most of the time she just declined and moved onto more amusing matters, such as shopping and having fun.

Eve entered the training room and, the smell of sweat filled her nostrils instantly. Her eyes searched the room to only notice the other shield, Gladiolus Amicitia, sitting next to a wall and stretching his muscles after the workout. He lifted his gaze and noticed Eve standing in the doorway looking helpless as ever.

“Lost something?” he asked slightly amused. It wasn’t the first time Eve had come running to the training room in search for the princess and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

“Have you seen her?” she hurried to ask, the panic obvious in her voice now. She started pacing around the room, studying the curtains covering the wall-sized windows. Gladio chuckled and stood up, stretching out his muscular arms as he walked over to Eve. His body was still sweaty and his tank top was glued against his skin. Eve had seen the same view many times, but he had lost his effect on making the shield flinch with his sweaty presence.

“No, but we could always ask Noct,” he sighed and nodded his head towards the showers. She hadn’t noticed it before, but a gentle smell of soap floated near the doorway to the dressing room. Eve bit her lip and resolutely decided that it was better to wait than charge in. “The party is tonight, right?” he asked while they waited for the prince to finish showering.

“Yeah, the princess has a lot on her to-do-list before the celebration. Ignis gave me this list when I first walked into Citadel this morning,” Eve sighed and handed Gladiolus the schedule. She wondered whose idea was to put the training in her schedule at the day of the party. She would need help from Astrals themselves to drag the princess into the gym.

Ignis surely knew how to make Eve’s day even more stressful.

“Damn, this looks hardcore,” Gladiolus chuckled. Only Ignis could pull such schedules for the princess. No wonder she had gone missing.

“She could be in the kitchen, you know,” husked a male voice behind Eve. She turned around in surprise — only to see the shower fresh prince Noctis standing at the dressing room doorway, leaning on the doorframe.

“Y-your Highness!” Eve stuttered, bowing at him with flushed cheeks. She had had no idea how good he looked right after the shower, his hair still wet, beads of water running down his jaw and neck and disappearing underneath the neckline of his black shirt.

Eve had to shake the improper thoughts from her head, that had suddenly wakened in his presence. At least he had his clothes on.

“You know she likes to torture that chef-in-training? The guy has a terrible crush on her and she is just using him to get special treatment,” Noctis sighed as he dropped his sports bag on the hardwood floor.

“Ouch,” Gladiolus grinned.

“How I’m not surprised?” Eve groaned, snatching the schedule back from Gladio’s hands. Noctis scratched his neck, letting out a quiet chuckle. “Well, I need to go raid the kitchen then, see you guys at the party!” Eve said, trying to sound cheerful as she walked out of the gym.

“Aaand there she goes,” Gladio said to Noctis, nudging him with his elbow. Noctis scoffed and threw an angry glare at him.

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Noctis mumbled, picking up his bag from the floor. He resolutely decided to leave the Citadel to get ready for the evening.

“Here you are!” Eve shouted as she finally found the princess sitting on a barstool in front of a kitchen counter. She was destroying a panna cotta that she had ordered from the lovesick chef. Eve took an empty seat next to her, emitting a furious aura around her.

Selene had long, silky hair, coloured the same as Noctis’s raven black hair and she often kept it on loose. The princess looked like Noctis and they had the same alabaster skin. Both favored black clothes and Selene was always seen wearing a black dress. The only thing in Selene that didn’t remind of Noctis, was her emerald green eyes.

“Good morning to you too,” Selene sighed, narrowing her eyes as she ate the last spoonful of the dessert. “I think Ignis makes it better, but he is off somewhere. Probably picking a suit for Noct.”

“You’re behind your schedule, Your Highness,” Eve huffed, breathing heavily from the rage. It was her job to kick Selene’s ass and she would do everything to keep up to her promise.

“Ah, fuck the schedule,” Selene sighed, placing the empty cup delicately on the polished steel counter. The lovesick chef eagerly picked it up and took it to the dishwasher. His glances towards the princess told everything and Eve felt sorry for him. He thought he was making an impression on her, but the truth was something complete opposite.

“Your Highness, you can’t ignore your duties,” Eve said calmly, placing the schedule on the counter in front of Selene. She blinked a few times as she read the text, written beautifully on Ignis’s handwriting. Eve also wanted to nag about her improper language but it would be like talking to a wall.

“Eve, chill. My name is Selene,” she rolled her eyes, with her shoulders slumping from the disappointment. She had known Eve for years and it was still weird if she suddenly started calling her ‘Highness’ or ‘Princess’ in front of her. After all, they did spend their time together almost every day. Mostly doing things that Selene wanted to do and Eve just followed her around, trying to keep her out of mishaps and protecting her from possible threats.

“But seriously? Do I need a foot massage in 30 minutes?” Selene questioned, rolling her eyes, drumming the counter with her fingernails, “this is insane!”

“I’m sure Ignis knows what he’s doing, Your—, I mean—, Selene,” Eve informed. Selene gave her a sour look. “Look, I’m sorry Sel,” Eve sighed, leaning at the counter with her forearm. “This is as stressful to me as it is to — uh, to everyone else except you.”

Selene was always so laid back on the political parties and gatherings that Eve wondered if she actually cared about them at all. The only thing she did enjoy, was to dress into fancier clothes than usual and to wear her sparkling tiara.

“Hey, Noct is pretty chill about this too!” Selene pouted making Eve smile slightly.

“Fine, you can skip the massage but I’ll drag your ass to the gym if I have to,” Eve warned.

“Seriously? Do I have to?” Selene cried, but her mouth slowly curled into a gentle smile. At least Eve was going to get some work done that day.

[insomniasix]

Chapter III –The Open World - Part II

Feedback is always appreciated! 

 After about an hour of sleeping in Gladio’s arms, Six woke up.

Refreshed wasn’t the word she would use, but after the potion she had consumed and the ‘power nap’, as Noctis used to call them, she felt no pain on her ribs. Gladio’s breath on her hair made her realize he was still there, holding her.

She shifted slowly, turning so she could face his sleepy features, admiring every single detail of his face. His eyes were closed and his lips were parted, a soft snore coming out. She smiled to herself, knowing he didn’t only help her get to the RV but stayed with her, made sure she was as alright as she claimed to be.

She run her fingers along his face lovingly, as softly as she could, barely even touching his skin with hers. She didn’t want to wake him, watching how calm he was, how peaceful.

“When he wakes up, you’ll talk to him.” she thought, eyes traveling along his face “What am I supposed to say? Hey, Gladdy, I love you! I have for a very long time.” She hadn’t realized, but she was making faces as she heard her own voice in her head “No, no, no, that’s just plain stupid. How do I say it without scaring him away? By Titan’s great abs, I can’t lose him. Gladio, we need to talk. That will just terrify him, no. Gladiolus, I-”

“What are you doing?” Gladio’s voice was rough from sleep. He had been awake for only a few seconds but he’d managed to see her expression change a couple of times as she couldn’t decide how to even begin her sentence.

“What? Nothing!” she answered almost immediately, cheeks flushed red.

Gladio laughed at her reaction “Do you feel any better?” he asked, moving some of her hair behind her ear.

“Yeah.” She smiled, thankful he didn’t press on the matter further.

“Good.” he stared into her eyes, moving to place his hand under his head, looking down on her.

“We should am…” she bit her lower lip, imagining how it would be like if they were together, waking up like that every morning; not having to count her words before they left her mouth.

“Stop biting that damn lip!” he moved his eyes from staring at her lips back to her eyes ‘What? Why would you say that to her?’ he thought, quickly moving back and away from her ‘It’s the sexiest thing she –no stop! You idiot!’

“Sorry...” Six moved to get up, thinking he was annoyed as he stayed at the bed rolling his eyes at himself for being conflicted.

“You were saying?” he said, sounding embarrassed.

“Right…” she said while pulling her hair back into a ponytail “We should let the boys know we’re ready for the road.”

“Right.” he groaned and stood up.

Six hadn’t moved from the place she was standing and the spacing inside the vehicle was narrow; as a result, by getting up as quickly as he did, Gladio fell right on her, pressing her back against the counter, both their breaths held at the perfect opportunity. His face was so close to hers she could feel his breath on her lips and his arms were placed between her own and her sides, grabbing on the counter behind her for dear life.

Six was frozen in place, staring up at him, swallowing the knot in her throat as her feelings were battling to come out.

‘This is your chance! Do it Amicitia, or you’ll regret it.’ Gladio thought as he stared at her lips for a brief moment ‘Why in the name of the Gods did I hear that in Iggy’s voice? Leviathan protect me, what am I doing?’ “Sorry.” he said as he moved away from her, leaving her to stand there, eyes closed while trying to steady her heartbeat.

“Don’t worry about it.” she answered, clearing her throat and opening her eyes again “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, my leg got tangled in the blanket.” he forced a laugh while she did the same.

…

Ignis waved at them, sitting in one of the chairs outside the caravan, watching Noctis and Prompto feed the chocobos.

Gladio waved back and quickly turned to go buy himself a coffee while Six sat on the chair next to Ignis’, eyes never leaving Gladio as he moved further away, not turning to look back.

“How are you feeling?” Ignis asked concerned.

“Good, good, thanks.” She turned her gaze towards him and back at Gladio’s direction “Do you know what’s up with him?”

“What do you mean?” Ignis frowned his eyebrows, following her gaze.

“I don’t know.” Six sighed “He was so gentle before, helping me and all; but a few minutes ago he-” She made a small pause, mind running back to the way he talked to her “I bit my lip...” she started to explain and Ignis cut her off, teasing her intentions.

“Kitten...” he smirked at her and she laughed at him “Shut up,” she said quickly “so I bit my lip, didn’t mean to do it either, and he answered with ‘Stop biting that damn lip!’.” she mimicked Gladio’s voice.

“Is this bad?” Ignis asked innocently.

“It wasn’t his words.” she answered after giving it some thought “It was the way he said it. He sounded frustrated. Like he really didn’t want me to doing that. I swear this guy’s making me crazy!”

“Do you need me to talk to him?” Ignis raised an eyebrow at her.

“What are you gonna say?” Six laughed “Hey, Gladio. Six is madly in love with you but you are obviously playing hard to get.” she mimicked Ignis’ voice better than she had Gladiolus’.

“Alright, apparently that was a bad idea.” Ignis huffed a laugh “And that thing you just did. Never do it again. It is quite unnerving.”

Gladio came back after a few more seconds of them laughing, followed by Noctis and Prompto, who obviously had enough of the chocobos and were tired enough to want to sleep.

“Sleepy.” Noctis yawned, rubbing his eyes.

“It is about that time.” Ignis agreed.

“So I’ll take that.” Six grabbed the still closed ebony can from Gladio’s hand and he pouted “Hey.”

“Don’t worry.” She laughed. “I’ll give it back to you in the morning.”

“But we just woke up.” Gladio whined.

“Wait, you slept?” Prompto smirked playfully “Together?”

“Prompto.” Six warned “Not the time, honey.”

Prompto held his tongue while Six told the company of the perfect spot for a good camping night. She told them about her favorite spot, which was close enough to Wiz’s Post. Overlooking the lake in Alstor Slough.

Six drove them there and everyone enjoyed the view before getting to work on setting up camp.

“Sleeping out under the stars tonight.” Noctis said, not as excited as everyone else was.

“You can remain awake long enough to eat.” Ignis insisted, mixing his rice with some veggies.

“I agree.” Six said, eyes turning towards Gladio’s position near the cliff “We all had a full day. You should eat and go to sleep.”

“Hugs for everyone this time guys!” Prompto laughed as he hit Noctis on the shoulder lightly, the dark haired Price laughing along with him, despite of how tired he was.

“Prom...” Six dragged his name for a brief second as she was starting to get weary of his teasing.

“Alright. I’ll bite.” Gladio smirked as he got closer to the rest of the group, moving dangerously close to the blond “Question for your chocobo butt.” he said and Prompto froze for a few seconds, not sure what to expect.

“Shoot?” the word got out of Prompto’s lips more like a question than an answer.

“I know you’re afraid of her might.” Gladio said pointing at Six, while she raised an eyebrow at him, waiting to see where he was getting at “I also know you’re afraid of mine.” He smirked, proud of himself “So why, in Titan’s name, are you still teasing us?”

Prompto frowned his brows, looking at the fire and searching his mind for the truth “I just don’t get it.” He smiled innocently “I get you protecting Noct, that’s your job,” Six knew where this was going and she didn’t like it, a terrible headache suddenly pounding in her head as her heart was ready to burst out of her chest ‘What are you doing Prompto?’ she asked herself, unable to speak, to make him stop before he reached the point he was trying to make.

She turned to look at Ignis, who had stopped cooking, realizing Prompto’s point as well as Gladio’s intended question. Ignis looked at Six and back at Prompto, frowning his brows as he was unable to help in the matter; not with the way this was going.

“Prompto.” she tried to calmly stop him while rubbing her temples.

“I just don’t get why she keeps on protecting you the way she does, while it’s clear you’re doing a fine job at that. It’s not like she’s in love with you.” Prompto laughed while everyone just stood there, taken aback, looking at the boy like he’d said the Kingdom’s most valuable secret to the enemy.

“Prompto!” Six raised her voice a little bit, just enough to get his attention so she could nod him to stop.

But he didn’t; and he spoke again, completely ignoring her “OMG! She is!” he turned to stare at her, wide eyed “You’re in love with Gladio!”

“Prompto that’s enough!” she stood up, now yelling at the blond.

“But-” he started to explain himself as he took a step back, moving slightly behind Gladiolus as he stared up at her, realizing he had gone too far. The look in Six’s eyes broke his heart. She was disappointed in him, he could see it in her eyes. In the way she looked at him. She had never looked at him like that before.

“No buts, Prompto,” her voice was darker as she was letting her anger get the better of her “that was outta line! You’re not allowed to step into my business, no matter who it involves. Have I made myself clear?”

Prompto could swear there was a spark of red in her eyes as she stared him down. The boy was petrified beyond belief “Yes ma’am.” he stuttered while Gladio moved in front of him protectively.

Six realized what she had done immediately, guilt and pain hitting her body like lightning when she realized she’d just yelled at her friend with no real reason. Everything she had gone through, everything that was causing her pain and exhaustion hitting Prompto like a bullet; all by her own hand as she let pressure get to her; all because of a simple tease. One she knew Prompto didn’t do on bad intentions.

The terrified look on Prompto’s face as well as the surprise in everyone else’s made her heart drop to the floor. All she wanted to do was hug him and tell him how sorry she was, that she had no intention of hurting him. For Six, Prompto didn’t deserve to get hurt. Not any more than he already had. He deserved the world! And she was willing to do anything to give it to him.

But that wasn’t the case. Not now. Not after all that. She needed time to clear her head, to blow off some steam. So she left, turning around and making a straight line to the rocks overlooking the lake just a few feet away but not visible from the camp.

“Are you alright?” Gladio asked Prompto as the boy sniffed twice.

“I didn’t mean…” Prompto wiped the tears off his face as his voice broke.

“Gladiolus, go talk to her. I will calm Prompto.” Ignis suggested.

“I think you should be the one talking to her Iggy.” Gladio dropped his head.

“You are the only one she will wish to speak with, at this time.” Ignis reasoned while letting his hand rest on Prompto’s shoulder as Noctis got closer to his friend, ready to console him.

Gladio did as Ignis asked and left to go looking for Six.

‘What a mess.’ he thought to himself as her figure appeared just a few feet away. Gladio took a deep breath as he ruffled his hair and walked closer to her. She was just standing there, near the cliff, arms hugging her upper body. She seemed so vulnerable.

Six heard his heavy footsteps and a knot held her heart. She felt his warm hand on her shoulder and she knew, that was it. No more ‘what if’s and screaming ‘no’ in destiny’s face. It was time to face the music.

“Are you alright?” he asked as he made her turn to look at him, tears clearly building in her eyes.

“I’m fine.” She spat out, pissed at herself, for being seen in that state.

“We were worried.” he said calmly, trying to figure her out.

“Despite what you may think, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” Gladio thought she sounded so tired, of everything. And that’s when it hit him. The realization of why she acted like that. Why she yelled at Prompto when everyone knew she cared for him like a son.

“Stop pretending you’re ok when you’re clearly not!” Gladio raised his voice to capture her attention “Talk to me, damn it!”

“Fine!” she yelled back. It was time “You want me to talk to you? Gladio, I hate how much I love you!” Gladio’s eyes went wide at her confession as he stood there staring up at her, unable to return her words, no matter how much he wanted to “I hate that despite losing everything I ever cared about, the idea of losing you kills me on the inside. I’m falling for you little by little, every day, for the last ten years and that scares the crap out of me. Because I know my duty, as I know yours! But I can’t see myself being able to let you fall. I can’t imagine my life without you as I can’t, sometimes, remember life before you. Soulmates or not, I don’t seem to care anymore. I love you, Gladiolus, and I-”

She stopped for a second to catch her breath as the tears had fallen from her eyes. She blinked a few times, looking anywhere but his expression. She didn’t have to, he didn’t say a word. Processing, thinking of all the possibilities. Every good idea he had, every scenario where he confessed his feeling towards her, every road he could take where he could say he feels the same; they all turned black as Ignis appeared in every single one of them. Gladio was a good friend, he was a great person. So when it came to happiness, he’d rather put Ignis’ before his own. Even if that meant he’d have to hurt his soulmate’s feelings.

“Well,” she looked up at his stunned eyes “say something. Yell at me, scream. Just, just talk to me, Gladio.” She whispered, eyes falling on the ground once more “If I’m alone in this just say it, and I won’t bother you again.”

“Six, I’m…” he stopped to move closer to her, but she moved back like a broken puppy, realizing where he was getting at just by the sound of his voice.

“It’s ok. Don’t worry about it.” Her voice broke as did her heart “I don’t know why Iggy convinced me to do this.” she laughed and Gladio froze in confusion.

“Iggy told you to-”

“Forget about it, Gladiolus.” The sound of his full name falling from her lips always had an effect on him, now it was breaking his heart, had he destroyed a chance with her for no reason? Why would Ignis tell her to confess her feelings if he cared for her? The thoughts bombarding his mind as she spoke “Just please be my friend right now, not the guy I just blasted with my selfish feelings.” She said as she moved back to the base while Gladio followed in silence.

Upon returning to base Six saw Ignis sitting in one of the lawn chairs around the fire, alone, as the younger boys were in the tent, sleeping by the looks of it.

“Does he hate me?” she asked silently when she got close enough to him while Gladio grabbed a beer and moved to the cliff he was standing on before, trying to understand the events of the night.

“He is unable to hate you.” Ignis answered sincerely “Is everything alright?”

Six sighed as she let her eyes travel to the camp fire “He doesn’t share the same feelings, Iggy.” She answered simply as he turned his whole body to look at her “Just do me a favor, if you see me act childish, by any way, just, slap me in the face!”

“Why would-”

“I know me, I might be old but when it comes to matters of the heart, I screw up.” She said not changing her sight “And I screwed up; hard.”

“I’m sorry I pushed on the matter.” He said after a few comforting seconds of silence “I thought-”

“We all did, Ignis.” she sighed once more, getting up from her seat to go further away and stay with herself for a while, knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep “I don’t really want to talk about my feeling, so I’ll be over there.”

“There’s food on the counter.” Ignis pointed without looking.

“Thanks.”

“Shall we start for Lestallum then?”

“First thing in the morning.”

Ignis knew it wasn’t the right time for him to push her, not to talk to him, not to eat, not to do anything really. He knew that despite her being as old as it was, she was just a human being. And humans have feelings, humans are fragile; and his friend was broken. He was there if she needed him to be and she knew it. So he let her on her own, he let her decide when she was ready.

It only took Six a few minutes to fall asleep, using the small log she was sitting on as a pillow, so Ignis found the perfect opportunity to speak with Gladio. He moved closer to where Gladio had just covered Six’s body with a light blanket, her being tired enough not to even twitch when the fabric warmed her body.

“Shall we speak for a moment?” Ignis asked, quietly enough only for Gladio to listen.

Gladio agreed and they moved further away from her sleeping figure.

“What’s up?” the Shield asked, and the advisor just looked at him, raising his eyebrows at him.

“I would have asked the same.” Ignis pressed.

“She talked to you about it?” Gladio asked, turning to look at Six’s direction, eyes getting soft at her figure.

“I would go as far as saying I forced her to talk to you, along with the Marshal. We can’t both be wrong at what we see, Gladio. So, please explain to me, why the negative outcome?”

Gladio gave it a thought for a while as he swallowed the lump in his throat, choosing the right words.

“I saw you caressing her cheek, outside the caravan at the Hunters’ Outpost, and I thought-”

“You thought she and I were intimate?” Ignis asked calmly as the thought had actually cross his mind when Six told him about the outcome of her confession.

Gladio nodded as Ignis continued “That was idiotic!” he thought out loud.

“I got jealous.” He spoke sincerely to his friend “Which was, as you said, idiotic. That’s never happened before, especially with my friends.”

Ignis saw the guilt in Gladio’s eyes and his voice got softer, he didn’t mean to take place in the matter, he didn’t want to choose a side “You did not tell her that, did you?” he asked.

“She won’t talk to me.” Gladio sighed, running a hand through his messy hair “She won’t even look at me.”

“That is incorrect.” Ignis interfered with his self-loathing chain of thought “She loves you. I know that much.”

“And my idiot self, went on and broke her heart. How very noble of me.”

“There is still time to fix it.” Ignis said matter of factly “Though I wouldn’t suggest trying until we get to Lestallum. She seems to be mad.”

“I’m scared of her when she’s mad.” Gladio frowned, looking at her direction.

“As you should be.” Ignis laughed at his friend, patting him on the back while leaving his company. Ignis grabbed one of the lawn chairs and placed it close to Six’s sleeping body as he moved to sleep in it.

Gladio gave him a smiling nod and moved to get inside the tent and get some rest of his own before starting for Lestallum the next morning, conflicted as to what he was going to do to fix the mess his jealousy had created.

Previous  Next

[xmydaysinmilanx]

What would the the chocobros romantic ideal date be with their s/o. (I would love to read some sweet fluffy stuff :'))

Headcanon/scenario’s revolving each of the guy’s individual preferencesfor a rare day/night off to spend with their partners.Noctis: Noctis is a lethargic type of person. He has his reasons – the guy is draininga lot of energy to fulfil his Royal duties so he wants a whole day to relax. Hewill invite you to stay over at his private chambers in the Citadel, CrownCity. Following a much needed sleep-in, he will make the effort to get out of bed andmake you a hot drink before proceeding to shower – he wants a fresh scent andis paranoid about his appearance around you. Whilst you’re sipping yourbeverage in bed he will quickly grab some of his hair products from his drawsand rush in the bathroom, frantically looking in one mirror to the next toensure his hair is styled adequately. Post hair woes, Noctis informs you thebathroom is free provided you want to use it so you quickly wash and put casualclothes on – you know you’re not going to be taken anywhere fancy but that’swhat he adores about you. You love him for who he is and not because of hisRoyalty.Noctis decides to surprise you to visit an old play area him and the bros wouldhang out in during their school years. The place holds a lot of sentimentalvalue to him and you’re touched he opened up to you. Noctis takes your hand andleads you to sit on top of a long slide – it’s a little claustrophobic becauseof the lack of room, yet you both feel so cosy and snuggle up to each other. Heplaces his arm around the back of your neck, ensuring his hand is respectfullyaway from your chest area and place on your forearm. Noctis strokes your forearm now and then between sentences to ensure you feelloved and acknowledged. His other arm is awkwardly wrapped around the ladderconnected to the slide. Noctis: ‘Look, I know I’m not the sort ofguy to say everything and anything about how I’m feeling but….I…’ He sighs and continues.‘Those guys are my life and my family and….andI want you to be part of it. You’re my world Y/N – my one constant and damn it,I know, look, I know I don’t show my gratitude enough….’Y/N: ‘It’s okay Noct, please continue.’ –You want to cherish this moment he pours his heart out to you.Noctis: ‘Just promise me one thing. Iswear, I hope it’s not too much. Stay with me, always Y/N.’You simply nodded your head before proceeding to rest it on his shoulder. Hesmiles and you both enjoy absorbing your surroundings.The old run down play area held a greater significance than ever……Gladio: One of the reasons Gladio fell for you is because you’re not afraid to getyour hands dirty for a prize! You worked a busy shift at the power plant andwere surprised to see Gladio sitting outside your car.Y/N: ‘Er Gladi, aren’t you supposed to beescorting Noctis to Altissia’s Fishing Tournament tonight? The paparazzi aregoing to be in full force, he needs you right?’Gladio: ‘Not tonight Princess but don’tworry, I got it covered. Tonight, it’s about me and you.’You kinda despised being called Princess for a nickname but hey, the guytook a night off for you. Since you were off this weekend, you didn’t have toworry about an early start to sleep for so you were motivated to make the mostof your night! Gladio suggested you went on a little hunt, to which youresponded.Y/N: ‘Behemoth time, right Gladio? Whatsay we get some proper meat, OUR way?’Gladio: ‘Oh, I’m on it!’Gladio high fives you and insists on driving your car due to your tiring day atwork. You both arrive in run down deserted plains situated between Goldin Quayand Hammerhead. You both swing out your weapons and temporarily separate toincrease the chances of what becomes a successful pre-emptive strike on a huge20 foot Behemoth with claws so sharp and strong they could break a human’sbones in seconds.You both perform one last strike together, Gladio grabs your hand and swingsyou to the opposite side of the creature, delivering a devastating blow to itsback leg whilst Gladio pierces its chest. You both gather your prize and goback to your apartment, in which he carefully stirs your hard earned meat intoyours and his favourite limited edition sweet and sour chilli Cup Of Noodles you managed to acquirefor free as a thank you for your efforts at work.You both sat on your sofa, watching horror movies accompanied with yourdelicious noodles before he grabs your hips gently, placing you on his lap,massaging your back whilst enjoying your favourite horror movies.Prompto:Prompto’s purchased you both some tickets to the Moogle Chocobo carnival – an annual event you’ve sadly neverattended due to your work commitments as a full time environmentalist,educating citizens across the globe. He’s already liaised with your management,practically begging them to let you have a weekend off to unwind and whatbetter way to let loose than find yourself surrounding by mascots, fun and gameswhilst being surprised to a free fireworks display as a thank you for yourservices to the people of Eos.Prompto has you blindfolded whilst he drives you to your special getaway. Heasked you to pack beforehand so everything was organised and going smoothly!Whilst you wondered what was occurring, you heard unfamiliar noises and thesounds of huge gatherings and popping balloons.Prompto escorted you out of his auto mobile with your luggage, leading you towhat sounded and felt like a hotel suite. He then led you back outdoors againbefore ripping off your blindfold.Prompto: ‘Ta da sweet cheeks! This is foryou. Take a break, relax and enjoy!’Y/N: ‘Oh my, wow this is the……THIS IS THEFREAKING MOOGLE CHOCOBO CARNIVAL ARE YOU SHITTING ME RIGHT NOW?’ You immediately ran over to the coins counter, learning what prizes are to bewon before Prompto grabs your arm, leading you to the chocobo races to whichyou gladly volunteered to participate.Talk about an amazing day. You were both on a sugar high from the MoogleEdition candy floss and choco-banana ice cream consumed. You’d participated in variousactivities, including the findings of moogle models, shooting cactuars,photograph competitions. Prompto had never seen you so happy, even though youbeat him at chocobo racing which would normally frustrate him. You even won aplush chocobo for him at the stall as a way to say thank you which gets him emotional.As the evening would draw closer, he decided to take you out for a meal atAltissia’s finest establishment before inviting you to the special fireworksevent. You both refreshed yourselves at your hotel room before Prompto escortedyou to a small boat, controlled by a member of staff for tour guides and justgenerally enjoy the scenery and see all the sights whilst admiring thebeautiful fireworks!As the sparks would fly, you closed your eyes, taking in the sounds beforegrabbing Prompto’s camera and getting plenty of landscape shots of multi-colouredfireworks – the colours perfectly contrasted the dark night sky.Prompto: ‘That’s my girl.’He watched you with utmost pride and smirked. How did he ever get this lucky?Seeing you smile made him feel warm and fuzzy inside and you’d never forgetthis thoughtful gesture.Ignis: Ignis is the only bro who evidences balance and structure in the event of planning adate. For Ignis, he would need to outline the pros and cons of a particular locationand recipe before inviting his loved one into what could be a night of turmoiland trouble. He hides it well normally but the guy was rather anxious when itcame to pleasing his partner. They’re the sort of couple of love each otherdearly but enjoy pursuing their own interests and investing in their ownindividual time – the pair’s schedules are packed to the brim with Royalduties; Ignis serving Prince Noctis and Y/N attending to the cleanliness of theCitadel quarters. So a date night was a pretty big deal as far as Iggy was concerned.He gave notice to Noctis concerning his ‘night off’ and ensured Y/N followedsuit. So it’s now a Saturday night and Y/N has spent the day sleeping andcatching up on her historical readings leant to her by Ignis himself. Ignis hasbeen preparing the setting for Y/N, hoping the date would prove she is hisnumber one priority, despite his commitments to the Prince. He requested shedresses in ‘comfortable’ and ‘warm’ attire and meet him outside the Citadel.She proceeds and he takes her arm, escorting her to his car, driving with theroof lowered. He then leads her to a quiet area full of grasslands situated onthe outskirts of Insomnia. You’d read about this little known location in oneof your books Iggy leant you. You were most impressed.Ignis: ‘Follow me and please, remainseated. You need not lift a finger for tonight’s activities.’You followed him to a beautiful campsite, clearly set up during the day (goodjob it didn’t rain), the tent was pretty huge and you took a sneak peak – he’dfilled the tent with your favourite blanket you keep in his accommodation topreserve his scent, all accompanied with a thick duvet and cushions. You smeltthe scent of your favourite dish, Spaghetti Bolognese complete with Sea saltbread with a large bottle of balsamic vinegar – your favoured flavour of dip. Y/N: ‘How long have you been out heretoday, cooking this?’Ignis: ‘Ah, the best part of the wholeday, crack of dawn to set up camp, followed by food preparation back home, notto forget the……’Ignis was interrupted by you dramatically running over to him standing at thestove. He paused whilst you hugged him tightly, almost trapping his oxygensupply, thanking him repeatedly.As you eventually dined outside the huge camp/kitchen set up he suggested aspot of stargazing before wrapping up the date. You assisted him in tidying thecrockery and sat a few meters away from the tent on the grassy floor. You feltIgnis wrap his hands around your waist as he placed himself on the floor,carefully seating you on his thighs whilst he stretched out his legs. No words were needed, the ambience of the night and the most wondrous view didall the talking for the pair of you. Eventually you fell asleep, so peacefuland content whilst stargazing. He lifted you in his arms and placed you in thetent, wrapping the blankets around you both.Ignis: ‘Sleep well my beloved Y/N. Sleepwell.’Thank you for your request! I hope this was okay! :DXMyDaysInMilanX