#ig it got too damp under the water dish and by the time i saw it it was spreading too quickly to just spot clean

[hopefulqueer]

New patch for the pumpkin! I decided a little flowerpot was the perfect hide for a Sprout.

(Image description: a top-down photo of a plastic, cubic terrarium. There are a couple of tiny ceramic pumpkins, various pieces of moss and leaves, a water dish, and a small brown flowerpot turned on its side and half-buried in the soil. An orange and black spider is tucked up against the side of the flowerpot. End of image description.)

[gladiolus-mamacitia]

(FFXV) Creature of the Night; Chapter 7.

Gladiolus Amicitia x F!Reader x Ignis Scientia

| 2,316 Words |

This is the story of you on an unexpected journey. Are you deemed worthy to fight alongside your King? 

//wow, it only took me half a year to finally update LOL. So much has happened since I originally started writing this chapter, but I hope yall like it <3 

Tagging: @roses-and-oceans @atarostarling @sonsoflucis @demidemon09 @major-artery @mistressoli @mandakatt @hypaalicious @ladychocoberry

Music: FACE - Brockhampton

Gladiolus held you with his arms around your shoulders in a protective hold, his nose buried in your hair. He leaned back against the side of the Regalia with you resting against him with your back to his chest. Once your high had gone down and the pain subsided completely, he helped you back to your feet. You all stood outside the garage, waiting for Ignis to be finished speaking with whom you learned was Cindy, grand daughter of a close friend of the king.

“S-So,” Prompto hesitantly spoke, “How did you get out of there, Y/N?”

“Someone... helped me,” you quietly answered.

Noct’s brows furrowed, “They let you escape?”

“Yeah.... He must have been a Nif, I mean, the guy brought me over the wall in a freakin’ dropship.”

The prince paused for a moment, his gaze going towards the direction of the crown city and then down to his feet. “.... How bad was it? The city, I mean.”

You shook your head, remembering the pandemonium that came with the first tremor, followed by your work building crumbling down with you in it. You hadn’t witnessed it all with your own eyes, but the screams and the explosions... The memory made you huddle more into your boyfriend’s hold.

“I-I....”

Gladio finally interjected, “Let’s talk about that another time. She needs rest.”

Noctis gave him an irritated look, “Wha..? But-”

“Not now, Noct.”

It was at that moment that Ignis rejoined the four of you, suggesting to stay at the caravan in Galdin Quay. Gladio refused to release you from his hold anytime soon, which you had no objections towards and sat comfortably in his lap during the drive to the resort. You got to relax on the sandy beach and watch the sun dip below the ocean while Ignis prepped dinner. It was there, as you and the others unwound from the events of the day that you discovered that the attack had occurred four days ago. You were shocked to realize you had been trapped under the rubble for so long, it was no wonder you were so starved of blood.

After a delicious meal and a bit of chatting with the boys, you hopped into the tiny shower of the caravan to wash off all the dirt you were covered in. Vampire wounds healed a bit slower to that of a lycan, so yours had barely scarred over by the time you removed the bandages on your shoulder where the bullets had pierced you. As much as you would have preferred hot water to wash away the stress of the day, cold water would have to get the job done for now. Emerging from the tiny bathroom wrapped in a towel with your wet hair dripping onto your shoulders, the situation with your clothes arose.

With your belongings irretrievable and the clothes you had been wearing filthy and on the verge of tatters, the boys graciously decided to come together to compose some sort of outfit for you. You sat on the small couch of the caravan, your back to Ignis as he sewed at the straps of the oversized tank top you wore that Gladio had picked out for you. It would have been easier for Prompto or Noctis to lend you one of their shirts, but your ever stubborn and possessive boyfriend wasn’t having it. He sat in front of you, rubbing your aching feet while Ignis busied himself with the thread and needle. Although you were struggling a bit to stay awake, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up, you felt a sort of tension in the air. You glanced out towards the open door of the caravan, able to hear Noctis and Prompto laughing and conversing over a game of King’s Knight- they’d most likely be the last to go to bed.  

“So,” you spoke up, “ you guys have been hunting in the meantime?”

“That is correct,” Ignis said over your shoulder, snapping the thread before moving on to the next strap of your shirt.

“Good and easy way to make some Gil,” Gladio chipped in.

You smiled, mind wandering and imagining the four of them engaged in combat with the wildlife, and eventually picturing yourself fighting alongside them as well. But your smile faltered, reminding yourself that you had no formal training in combat. Sure, you could deck a guy if he tried to make an unwanted move, but never had you wielded a weapon nor knew how to block an incoming blow. And with that, you knew that sticking with them would just slow them down out in the field. Ignis noticed the slump of your shoulders, glancing up at Gladio who nodded in acknowledgement.

“Since it seems you shall be joining us for our journey, I think it would be best for you to take part in morning training.”

Glancing back at Ignis, you asked “Morning training?”

“You needn’t worry,” he chuckled, “we will start with the basics.”

As Ignis snipped at the thread after finishing the last stitch, you stretched out the kinks from your back. You thanked him and he nodded in acknowledgement as he clapped a hand on Gladio’s shoulder before he made is way to the small kitchenette and began cleaning. As you watched him, you couldn’t stop the yawn that escaped and Gladio chuckled, “C’mon princess, let’s get you to bed.”

You gave a sigh and paused; as tired as you were, you couldn’t shake off that little bit of anxiety that had wedged itself in your chest.

“Actually, Gladdy, I’m gonna stay up a bit and help Iggy. It’s the least I could do.”

Your boyfriend took your face in his hands and caressed your cheek.

He gave you a small smile, “Not too late. Remember, you start training in the morning. I want you up bright and early.”

“Yeah...”

Gladio went into the darkened bedroom where you heard him flop into the bed with a groan, causing the caravan to slightly shake. Ignis peered over his glasses as he watched you approach. You grabbed a dish towel and began drying off the pans he set to drip-dry.

“Gil for your thoughts?” His voice was quiet.

You shook your head, unsure where to start. When you had dried off a saucepan and opened your mouth to speak, he began, “Undoubtedly, you’re anxious about joining us in the fray.”

You huffed, “ You sure you’re not a mind reader, Ig?”

He gave a soft laugh, “I’m quite sure, simply observant.”

“You never cease to amaze me. I’m just... Not sure about this- about me. What if I can’t keep up? What if I’m not a fighter like the rest of you?.”

Ignis straightened his posture as he handed you a freshly cleaned bowl, “You seem to forget you’re not exactly ‘normal’.”

“Hard to forget but I do anyways.”

“And although I have taught you about vampyrism in a domestic setting, there is much to learn in terms of your full potential. You already have an advantage, a supernatural advantage.”

You shrugged, “I know, but you guys have had years of training. I can’t help but have my doubts.”

Ignis turned off the faucet, drying his hands before taking the damp towel from you and drawing your attention. You peered up at him, your troubled eyes meeting sea foam gems.

“I assure you, under my tutelage, you will not fail. Trust in my words, Y/N.” He smiled in amusement at the sight of your sleepy eyes struggling to stay open.

“Now, off to bed. I expect you to assist me with making breakfast in the morning.”

You couldn’t help but smile at his words. Perhaps you needed to put a bit more faith in yourself. You rubbed at the sleep in your eyes and nodded, “Goodnight, Iggy.”

You walked to the bedroom where Gladio was already snoring gently. As soon as your weight was on the bed, he wrapped his arms around you and pulled you back against his chest. It was so sweet, you missed this. You realized you left the bedroom door open and light poured in from the kitchen, giving you a view of Ignis as he finished up wiping down the counters. It put you at ease, knowing that he believed in you and was willing to go to great lengths for your benefit. Your eyes began to close, fatigue taking over, but there was no mistaking what you saw. He brought his hand to his mouth and spat out something shiny into his ungloved palm: two bullets, once drenched in your blood but now clean.

Gladiolus, being the early riser of the four, was sure to wake you and start the day with a jog along the beach. Although you were sore from the day before, you somehow managed to keep up with him. It was nice, the brisk morning air coupled with the gorgeous view of the sparkling sea along with the loving and excited smile your boyfriend had. Ignis was awake and laying out the ingredients for the meal that you would help him prep. It was a simple yet filling breakfast: omelettes with some fried potato wedges and sausage on the side. You and the others were halfway through your servings by the time Prompto and Noctis finally emerged from the camper.

Once everyone finished their meals, you aided in clean up before the four of you moved closer towards the edge of the water. You gave an extra tug at the laces of the boots Prompto had lent you before straightening out and stretching your arms above your head, swallowing the lump in your throat as your first opponent stood before you: Gladio.

“Our kind excels in speed,” Ignis said, standing a bit behind you and serving as your instructor, “and though tricky it may be to hone it at first, it is an invaluable skill that will turn the tides of battle, no matter what may come. This is what we shall begin with.”

You inhaled sharply as your boyfriend removed his open shirt and let it drop, rolling his shoulders back and grounding his feet. You pointed and shook your head, “That’s not fair, put your shirt back on.”

“Come on,” he laughed, “Gonna let a bit of muscle throw you off, babe?”

“You must be ready for anything,” Ignis interjected, “Even the unexpected.”

And with the snap of his fingers, you were suddenly tackled to the ground. Not by Gladio, but by Noctis. You hit the sand with a groan, Noctis standing above you. But there was something about him that felt off, probably because his eyes were flickering between his natural blue and a bright green. The prince shook his head as he stumbled back, putting a hand to his forehead and glaring at Ignis.

“I told you never to do that again,” he hissed, stomping back to his spot beside his best friend.

You looked up at the royal adviser, whose eyes were glowing before settling back to their original shade of sea foam.

He smirked and adjusted his glasses, “My apologies, Your Highness, but I needed to make a point. The first rule of battle is for one to never let their guard down.”

There was movement at the corner of your eyes, turning your head just in time to see Gladio taking advantage of the distraction and charging towards you. You grunted as you shoved yourself out of the Shield’s path at the last moment, feeling the buffet of sand as he passed you.

“That leads us to the next rule: never stay down and never stay still.”

Just as soon as you had evaded Gladio’s attack, he was turning around and barreling back towards you. You rolled out of the way once more and scrambled onto your feet, staring him down as he stalked around you in circles. Staying in motion, you told yourself. You took careful steps around him, eyes flickering between him and Ignis. The adviser showed no sign of dissatisfaction nor of praise, it was as if he was waiting for something.

This time you were ready for when your boyfriend ran at you at full force, spinning out of the way before his shoulder could collide with your own. You couldn’t help the grin that spread across your face with the rush of air that went by with him. The adrenaline was beginning to creep in, making your body tingle, as if a weight was lifted and a fog was clearing.

You continued this sequence until you dodged every attack with ease, as if you were dancing on air. You had gotten comfortable with the rhythm that had been set until there was a shift, a change that caught you off guard for a moment. Gladio gave a wolfish snarl before sticking his arm out to stop you, suddenly colliding with it and knocking some air out of you. He took the opportunity to wrap his arms around you and lift you into the air, making you squeal in his hold. He let out a laugh as he spun you around, looking over at Ignis who did his best to contain an amused smile.

“That’s enough, let her go,” the Strategist commanded.

Gladiolus carefully set you down, giving your cheek a teasing pinch to which you responded with jabbing your fist into his ribs. He didn’t even flinch.

“Speed alone won’t keep you from getting snatched up.”

You rolled your eyes, “Obviously, that’s why you guys have to teach me more.”

The others stepped forward, Noctis catching your attention with a proposition.

“What do you think, Y/N? You’re pretty fast, but do you think you can take on Ignis in a race?”

You and Ignis looked at one another, sharing an intense gaze filled with mischief. He smirked and adjusted his glasses, “I’ll bite, let’s have at it.”