#the day Axis realizes he can use *Sola’s* magic despite having the Shield bond with Nox is a Trip

[a-world-in-grey]

@raven-6-10 @secret-engima

Sola dearly wants Nox to come back to the Citadel. He’s her brother and wherever he is now he clearly isn’t taking care of himself properly and Sola worries.

But Nox is more than a little reluctant, magic skittering with wariness-fear-grief, tangled like thorns around love-longing-want. So she doesn’t push after she makes her initial offer for Nox to come to Insomnia, resolves to put her foot down and ensure Papa and Uncle Clarus and Uncle Cor don’t force Nox to the Citadel either.

Instead she leaves Dissidia with a handful of new numbers in her phone, so she can call and make sure Nox is alright even if her brother forgets to charge his phone.

Regis, Clarus, and Cor immediately want to bring Nox into the safety of the Citadel of course, Nox is Sola’s age, only fourteen, that’s far too young to be running around without support. Sola stands up to her family and tells them to leave Nox be. He’s more than capable of defending himself, and he has support, support he actually knows and trusts. She points out that Cor was part of the Crownsguard at thirteen - Nox as a Hunter at fourteen is not that different. Arguably, Nox is safer than Cor was, because Nox isn’t part of the military during an active war and is a far better fighter than Cor was at that age.

She already let Nox know that he’s welcome at the Citadel. So let Nox be. If he wants to come, that’s his decision to make.

Besides, if they start trying to chase him down, they’ll risk alerting Niflheim to Nox’s existence. Is that a risk they want to take?

Sola tells Noctis about Nox. Noctis is excited to have an older brother, even if he doesn’t really understand why Nox won’t visit. Sola tries to explain that Nox is afraid of what people will think of him, because Papa wasn’t married to Nox’s mom and some people think that makes someone less than others whose parents are married. Noctis is promptly outraged on Nox’s behalf.

Nox does not expect, when Axis next tracks him down to force him to eat and sleep, for his Shield to shove his phone into Nox’s hand - Nox’s phone lays dead in his armiger - with an exasperated reminder to call his sister. Nox sheepishly does, because apparently it’s been almost three weeks since Sola called him to warn him that she did her best to keep Papa and Uncle Cor and Uncle Clarus off his back but she’s not sure how long her efforts will last, and she’ll try to warn him if Cor ever leaves Insomnia.

Only, instead of hanging up after updating him on the latest goings on at the Citadel, Sola says there’s someone who wants to talk to Nox. Before Nox can fully process that, a young voice comes through his phone, excitedly saying hello and telling Nox that he doesn’t care that Nox’s parents weren’t married and he still wants to meet Nox and he hopes Nox will visit soon.

Which is how Nox is first introduced to his younger counterpart.

Nox isn’t quite sure what he says to Noctis, but he must not screw it up because Noctis is happy enough when he hands the phone back to Sola. Nox, trying to breathe past the tight anxiety in his chest, asks if Noctis knows Nox is related to… Nox trails off meaningfully. Sola says Noctis doesn’t, but then bluntly asks if it matters.

That catches Nox off guard. Sure, Sola hadn’t reacted beyond a single surprised blink at hearing his surname, but her lack of questions meant that Nox hadn’t known if Sola knew how closely related he was to one of Niflheim’s highest ranking political figures.

When Nox fails to answer, Sola huffs on the other end of the line. She tells him that she’s not Uncle Cor, and Nox isn’t his relative either. Nox is Nox. And Nox is their brother. That’s all they care about.

Nox swallows past the lump in his throat and thanks Sola.

Sola tells Nox to thank Axis again for her, and to tell him that she’ll pay the long distance charge, before she ends the call.

Alas, the Marilith attack is not derailed, because the two people who know about the attack beforehand both have no sense of time and therefore forget until it’s nearly too late.

And since both Ardyn and Nox are terrible at remembering to charge their phones, neither of them get the notification from Axis, passing on Sola’s warning that if Nox wants to keep avoiding Regis to avoid Galdin Quay for Noctis’ birthday (the text Sola sends Axis is vague enough that anyone who doesn’t know who ‘Sunny’ is and that she’s Nox’s sister wouldn’t realize that the royal family will be out beyond the Wall on a day trip).

Due to security reasons, Sola and Noctis are in separate cars in the convoy. Which is why Sola isn’t able to protect Noctis from the Marilith when it attacks. But she recognizes the magic that whisks Noctis away from the wreck, and she trusts that Nox will be able to help their younger brother.

Sola joins Regis, Clarus, and Cor when they get the call from Cid. Oh, they want to leave her in the safety of the Citadel, but Sola adamantly refuses to be left behind and none of them are willing to spend the time to force her to stay.

When Nox instinctively reacts to Regis, Clarus, and Cor’s intrusion, Sola is there to wrap her magic around his in safety-reassurance-family. She’s also there when they meet Ardyn, and she goes still when she sees the scars and brand inflicted by Papa’s predecessor. She proceeds to shock everyone still awake when she not only calls Ardyn ‘Uncle’, but asks if she can hug him.

Regis is somewhat pained when he tries to tell Sola that Ardyn isn’t really her Uncle, but Sola cuts him off with a glare and a fierce remark that her brother’s uncle is her uncle. Then she turns back to Ardyn, waiting for an answer, ignoring Cid’s muffled snickers in the corner.

Ardyn… is honestly baffled by the request. He’d heard of Sola’s quick acceptance of Nox, but he’d never imagined such acceptance would extend to him.

Perhaps he takes too long to respond, or perhaps Sola can sense his bafflement, because she quietly says that he deserves kind touch too. Ardyn can’t speak through the tightness in his chest (it’s been millennia since he received such immediate compassion from family) but he manages a nod. Sola’s hug is gentle, he could step out of it easily, and yet warm in a way he can’t describe. It’s not her magic - his niece has kept it tucked beneath her skin while in his vicinity. After a moment, Ardyn hugs her back. From his sternum he hears a muffled ‘thank you’, so quiet he has to strain his ears to catch it. Ardyn says nothing in return, only briefly tightening his hold on his new niece before ending the hug, all too aware of Regis and his Sword and Shield watching with sharp eyes and tense shoulders.

Regis is unable to pry Sola away from Nox those four days he’s unconscious. Nox wakes in the Citadel with Sola curled up next to him, clinging to him like a limpet with fingers and magic both, Axis sitting in a chair on the opposite side.

Axis quietly explains, smirking as Nox tries and fails to extract himself from his sister’s grip, plopping a tray of food in Nox’s lap after Sola clings harder and Nox gives up. Apparently, Sola had sent Axis a message about Nox rescuing Noctis in Leide, and Axis immediately booked it to his location, changing destination after Sola updated him later that night about taking Nox to the Citadel to recover. Axis only just arrived a few hours ago - Sola’s been keeping everyone other than Ardyn out of his room in the meantime, since Sola knows Nox doesn’t really trust anyone else. She passed out once Axis arrived. (Axis doesn’t mention how Sola had taken one look at him and had known he was an Amicitia, merely thanking him for looking after Nox and telling him to call her Sola instead of Princess.)

Axis also informs Nox of Sola’s insistence on referring to Ardyn as her Uncle, on the basis of him being her brother’s uncle. Noctis, more than a little irritated at Regis not allowing him to see Nox despite Sola being allowed (rather, Sola wouldn’t take no for an answer) enlisted Ignis and Sola’s aid - Sola’s aid coming in the form of her giant cat Abyssus - and met Ardyn under everyone’s noses, promptly following Sola’s example and dubbing him Uncle as well.

Aka, Sola and Noctis have been cheerfully giving Regis, Clarus, and Cor grey hairs by completely disregarding any concerns of Ardyn being Niflheim’s High Chancellor.

Sola’s also promised to help Nox get out of Insomnia if he doesn’t want to stay, though she did ask that Nox stay long enough to meet Noctis properly.

Nox concedes to that, and Noctis ends up convincing Nox to stay.

Gonna make a separate post for the Little Nox Dissidia verse, once I get that fleshed out.

Well, since you said it's okay :)

Nox verse crossover! Specifically, Sola and Nox being summoned to Dissidia sometime before the entire Marilith incident.

Sola was not happy to be dragged into some weird fighting tournament, so she is more than happy to derail the entire thing to talk to her New Brother. Now if only he would stay still! Please stop running away, Brother, she has Questions!

Sola also has Questions for her Papa, once she gets back to Insomnia. Starting with how many ooops babies did you have, Papa? She wants to know if there are More Siblings out there.

(Yes, Regis, how many kids do you have running around? says Clarus while Glaring at his King. They saw the entire thing through Crystal-vision.)

Absolutely okay to keep sending in asks! Can't promise I'll get to them right away given it's finals season atm, but the asks are fun!

Putting this under a cut because I got clocked in the head with a bat by the damn plot bunnies while writing this and it got stupidly long.

Not gonna lie, this is great - Sola would lose her entire mind because brother? New brother?

New brother who has definitely not been taking care of himself properly, sit down so Sola can feed you, Pyre damn it all.

Meanwhile Nox is more than a little surprised to come face to face with a girl who looks so much like mom but with Ardyn's hair and magic and Cor's scowl. His new sister - who claims him as a brother despite giving his surname as Izunia, only blinking once at the name of Niflheim's Chancellor before she promptly calls him her little brother - fights a lot like Cor as well, which is how Nox learns that Sola's been apprenticed to Cor since she was ten, after she foiled an assassination attempt on their younger brother, Noctis.

(Nox has to swallow around a lump in his throat at how easily Sola accepts him as family, calling Noctis their little brother instead of just hers.)

Actually though, Sola has a blast while she's in Dissidia. How could she not? She got a new brother - who is definitely a Little Brother, she doesn't care that he can kick her ass with both hands behind his back, his personal care habits are atrocious and she will do her duty as Older Sister and remind him to eat Pyre damn it - got to cut loose and fight a bunch of people and creatures, and didn't have to deal with the snobs on Papa's Council.

Best vacation ever.

Sola comes back from Dissidia grinning ear to ear - she convinced Nox to exchange numbers, and even if he's bad at remembering to text or call her, Sola will remember if it means badgering her newest brother into taking care of himself better - and cheerfully asks Papa if she's got any other siblings hanging about. Regis chokes on his spit, Clarus looks like he'd also like to know the answer to that question, while Cor looks like he can't decide if his birthday's come early or he wants to preemptively break out the alcohol.

So yeah, this is great. Maybe even better than original Sola and Nox and Noctis get pulled into Dissidia while Sola is pregnant, because teenaged Sola is having so much fun.

But.

Consider.

Little!Nox 'verse.

Specifically the version where @secret-engima dropped Nox and Noctis on Materia's side and Ardyn on Spiritus' side, with Sola joining Ardyn in this case. Post-Marilith because otherwise Nox would be like, three and Noctis eight and even I'm not that mean.

So instead Noctis is ten (Materia did try to call for champions that weren't literal children and had at least some combat experience. Normally Noctis wouldn't count, but he's since got the same soul as Nox, things got kinda mixed up. Not that that excuse will save Materia from Sola and Ardyn's wrath). Nox is five, and Sola is seventeen and newly outed as a Kingsglaive to the media, and newly realized by the Galahdians as being a half-feral Sky-born instead of just a short-tempered magical teenager.

Sola arrives at the tower before Ardyn and learns from one of the less-asshole villains who may have done this whole dog-and-chocobo show before that she’s to fight her counterpart. Which makes her immediately suspicious because she doesn’t have a mortal enemy like these people. Well, most of these people. Apparently one of them is fighting his sister-in-law and former comrade while another is fighting his own son, and if Sola goes off that pattern that means her counterpart is-

Oh Pyre no.

At which point Ardyn arrives in all of his furious-terrified-where-the-fuck-is-my-nephew Scourge-magic-faced glory. Which neatly derails Sola’s impending Rage as she stares at the man that looks (and feels, and Sola never realized how lonely she was until she met another with her magic) more like her than her own father and brother and it feels like she’s been sucker punched. Because that’s the missing Chancellor of Niflheim putting the fear of him into the other champions through the sheer strength of his magic that Sola’s doesn’t have a snowball’s chance on Ifrit’s Pyre of matching.

And yet-

“Uncle?” Ardyn’s not sure how he hears it past the sheer terror and rage pounding in his ears, past the red and gold shards of magic swirling about him in a physical manifestation of come-near-me-and-die, but somehow the soft word gets his attention from where he’s seething at Spiritus. Or maybe it’s just the barest brush of hesitant-surprise-hope that has him turning to the young woman looking at him with wide blue eyes framed by achingly familiar red hair.

He remembers hearing about the Regis of this alternate world (and hadn’t that been a shock on top of everything else) having a daughter older than Noctis. He’d simply been too busy caring for Nox to look more into it. Now he wishes he had.

Noctis may look almost exactly like Somnus, but clearly his older sister takes after Ardyn.

“Niece.” He greets. He cannot muster up the effort for even his most insincere smile right now, not when he doesn’t know where Nox is.

Sola steps fearlessly into the magic swirling around him like a storm, shards of red and gold shattering harmlessly against her skin-

Is she, is she hugging him?

She is. Even though she’s old enough to know who he is, her arms are circling his torso in an encompassing hold that is nonetheless so gentle that he could break out of it with a single step.

Ardyn… doesn’t. It… feels nice. His niece is warm, her magic (so like his, he never thought anyone would ever inherit his magic) contained such that only hints of it brush up against his, and yet Ardyn can feel clearly how his niece has no fear or disdain of him.

Ardyn isn’t sure what to make of that. He awkwardly pats her shoulder.

“Who did they take?” His niece asks. “Your counterpart.”

Ardyn’s hand involuntarily tightens on Sola’s shoulder. She doesn’t flinch. Ardyn wavers on whether to tell her, because he’s been trying to keep Nox secret and he can’t do that if anyone from the royal family knows.

But this is Sola, whose reputation for being so fiercely protective of her younger brother managed to reach even the furthest reaches of the Lucian outlands. And Sola’s magic is radiating her honest desire to help him, simply because he’s family.

Ardyn prays he’s making the right choice. “My nephew.”

From where she’s clutching him like Nox does with his stuffed chocobo, Sola stills, before looking up at him with shocked blue eyes. Underneath the worry and fear for the others taken with them, hope and affection blooms. “I have another brother?”

“Nox.” Ardyn hesitates, then adds. “He’s five.”

It’s like flipping a switch. Sola’s delight is buried under a wave of protective fury that doesn’t touch him, and she bares her teeth in a snarl. “They summoned. My five year old brother?”

Ardyn hasn’t seen this kind of fury since the mother coeurl chased off a voretooth pack that had gotten too close to Nox and her other cubs. He’s darkly eager to see how much violence his niece will dish out. If he deigns to leave her anything to kill, that is. “Most likely.”

Sola whirls on Spiritus, seething. “Where are my brothers?”

.

Meanwhile, Noctis is Absolutely Not Panicking.

He’s ten now, and if Sola was able to protect him from assassins without panicking at ten then Noctis can protect his baby brother without panicking, especially because he’s got so many people looking out for him. He’s a big kid now after all.

(Noctis doesn't know that Sola very much did panic when she saved him from that assassin seven years back. That the whole incident was one blur of Kill The Threat By Any Means Possible of panicked Sky-born instincts.)

Noctis is trying so very hard to be brave for Nox, but then they’re attacked and Noctis sees the attack coming for them and he knows he can’t get his sword up in time and he wants his sister-

And then there’s magic ripping through the air, familiar-but-not even as Sola appears out of nowhere to scoop the both of them up in her arms and raise the strongest barrier she can around them, her magic quivering in relief and protective fury, reassuring them that she’s got them, they’re safe and Uncle is just outside taking care of everything, they’re safe.

Noctis bursts into tears. Nox follows in short order. Sola holds them both, rumbling low in her throat like how she used to soothe Noctis after a nightmare, and keeping her shield as opaque as she can because like Pyre she’s letting either of the kids see the absolute carnage happening on the other side. Bad enough they can hear it. Sola would rather be tearing someone apart, but someone needs to protect her brothers and Uncle is so much stronger than her. So she sits on her cranky Sword instincts and goes about comforting her brothers.

When Ardyn finally knocks on her shield, the screaming has finally stopped, and both her brothers have cried themselves to sleep. Sola’s still making that rumbling sound in her chest, a self-soothing technique she hasn't used in longer than she can remember.

In a mirror of last time, Ardyn fearlessly steps past Sola’s bristling magic and hugs her, long arms wrapping around her and the boys with ease. He doesn’t say anything - he’s never gotten the hang of comforting words, even after two years of caring for Nox - but cautiously wrapping his magic around Sola and the boys has all three of them relaxing in his arms. At which point Sola dissolves into tears, silently sobbing into Ardyn’s shoulder in an effort not to wake Nox or Noctis, but Astrals, she was so scared and they nearly didn’t make it in time and Sola doesn’t want to have to contemplate living without her brothers. And Ardyn doesn’t know how to comfort, but he can just sit there and hold his niblings while his niece cries.

.

Sola and Ardyn only met hours before, but looking at how they act with each other no one is able to tell. Because those two get along like a house on fire.

(What is this overkill you speak of? We only know keeping nephews/little brothers safe. With extreme prejudice.)

Sola is monstrously protective of her newest brother and uncle. Nox’s Sick Day has Sola and the rest of the mages capable of healing and Ice Elemancy tending to Nox around the clock, struggling to keep his temperature down, Sola once more making her rumbling approximation of a purr to try and comfort both her family and herself. Which prompts Y’shtola to actually purr whenever it’s her turn to watch over Nox because the rumbling/purring helps Nox sleep through it all.

The reveal of Ardyn’s scars sends Sola into a towering fury that she makes sure to keep away from Uncle and her brothers, and Mors is lucky he’s already dead because Sola would gut him and leave him to bleed out on the floor.

(Ardyn is surprised by Sola’s fury and grief on his behalf. He’s not surprised by the love she has for Nox, but for him? It’s been millennia since he’s received that kind of immediate and unconditional care from anyone, much less family.)

So when Sola later sits by him that night after Nox and Noctis are fast asleep, burrowing under his arm for a half-hug Ardyn can easily escape from, Ardyn doesn’t expect the soft, “You’re safe? Wherever you are?”

Ardyn looks down at his niece’s red hair in surprise, wondering what’s prompted this inquiry. But it’s easy enough to answer. “Yes.” As safe as one can be living in the outlands, which is safe enough with Axis and his family helping and Ardyn being the most powerful being on the planet short of an Astral.

Fingers tighten their grip on his coat. “…will you call?”

“Call?”

“After we go home.” Sola clarifies. “I want to know you’re both okay.”

Ardyn stills. Because she can’t mean what he thinks she means. “You won’t try to take Nox?” Not that Ardyn would let anyone take his nephew.

“You don’t trust Papa.” Sola says. Which, yes, but Ardyn didn’t expect Sola to pick up on that when he’s been keeping a lid on the vitriol he feels for most of his family, for Nox and Noctis’ sakes. “Nox is my baby brother, but he’s your nephew too, and he loves you.” A quiet sniffle. “I’ll miss you.”

“I will call.” Ardyn promises, resting a hand on Sola’s hair. “Both of us will.” He’s gotten a lot better at managing time, he can absolutely make a reminder on his phone to call his favorite niece once a week. If not, Titus can remind him.