#v; for hearth and home ( xv ; kingsglaive / hunter )

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

          ❝ If you don’t think the prince, his retainers and the entirety of the Kingsglaive are all devastatingly beautiful, you’re wrong. ❞ She was, of course, not including herself in this assessment. 

[ofgunblades]

@ofargentum

ϟ          ❝ I’m fine, ❞ she snapped, yanking her arm free of Prompto’s grasp ( concealing the tightness in her jaw that sparked from moving too quickly and causing wounds to flare ). With her coat discarded, the blonde could see the extent of the damage: gashes decorated exposed limbs ---- a few smaller cuts here and there interspersed with larger ones, where she’d failed to dodge an incoming blow in time. Beneath her shirt, it was worse, and though he couldn’t see the wound that tore the flesh of her abdomen, the slight grimace that crossed paled features whenever she moved just so spoke of the pain she would not voice.

          Few had survived Insomnia’s fall, and Lightning would not have joined their ranks had it not been for a fellow Glaive. Too injured to refuse assistance, the rosette had allowed her comrade to drag her from the battlefield; the days that followed had been a blur ---- nameless faces fussing over her injuries until she’d managed the strength to shoo them off. 

          Though she had half a mind to tell Prompto to buzz off, a mere glance into bright blues had Light softening ( much to her own dismay ). ❝ Really, I’m fine, ❞ she tried again, without the bite in her tone.

          But she was not fine. External damage would heal, in time, but the knowledge that she should have died would linger. 

          It was her job to die, to sacrifice for her King, and she had failed in her duty.

[ofgunblades]

@shotcloned liked for a short starter!

ϟ          ❝ Look, if you want someone to train you, you’re gonna have to cut the antics. I’m not wasting my time if all you plan to do is screw around with that camera. ❞

[ofgunblades]

important change to my kingsglaive verse !

tl;dr light’s parents were double agents for lucis and disappeared. they were tortured, experimented on and killed for treason, though the only people who would know this are imperials ( eg. ardyn ) and, later, aranea and prompto, after finding documents in the mt facility. lightning has no idea ... so cue the angst.

also, i changed her birthplace. she was born in insomnia ( young!light + insomnian threads are a go! ), but moved to caem with her parents at the age of 13. she moved back to insomnia to join the glaive at 21.

Childhood had been relatively normal for Claire; growing up in Insomnia, her parents ensured that she and her sister, Serah, would want for nothing. The move to Caem when Claire was 13 was sudden, but the sisters acclimated to the seaside town and its more rural attributes.

Two years passed without incident, until one day, her parents merely vanished. No word, no note. Nothing - just gone.

Unbeknownst to Claire, her parents had been captured by the Empire under suspicion of treason for feeding sensitive information to Lucis, the pair having worked as double agents under the Empire's nose. They were tortured, infected with the Scourge in the Empire's pursuit for more enhanced units, and eventually killed when the experiments proved unsuccessful.**

Forced to grow up before her time and take on the role of guardian, Claire cared of her sister to the best of her ability. Forsaking weakness and the innocence of her younger years, she became known simply as Lightning, and when she turned 21, she moved back to Insomnia to join the Kingslaive. ( Against her better judgement, she allowed her sister to move to Lestallum with her boyfriend, Snow, where she had a better chance of being safe. )

The night Insomnia fell, Lightning fought bravely – nearly to the death – in an effort to save what remained of the Crown City and its citizens, even when King Regis’ power had snuffed out her and her comrades’ magic. It was only when a fellow surviving Glaive pulled her from battle, her injuries requiring immediate medical attention, that she abandoned her post.

After – still donning her Glaive uniform, as a form of rebellion and a symbol of her shame – she became a part-time hunter and daemon slayer, vowing still to protect Eos from the harsh rule of the Imperials.

** The only ones who would be privy to this information would be anyone associated with the Imperials, and Aranea and Prompto, through documents found in MT facility.

[ofgunblades]

tag dump: verses

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

"Strike a pose!" He points the camera at her, a smile showing below the device.

@guncobo

          An almost ( almost ) annoyed sigh left her lips as an azure gaze shifted over to the gunslinger. Much as she loathed having her photo taken, the Glaive let Prompto enjoy his hobby, though she just barely entertained it ( in battle, it outright infuriated her watching the blonde lose his focus to take a damned picture ).

          The pose she struck was merely a fist finding purchase on her hip, head tilted slightly.

            The smile on her lips was so slight that it could have been a figment of his imagination entirely.

          It was only when she heard the sound of the shutter clicking that she dropped her stance and the neutrality slipped back into her features. ❝Happy?❞

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

@totalxclarity liked for a starter!

          When Lightning received the call from Gladio, informing her of what had occurred in Altissia, the rosette made it to their hotel in record time, storming up the stairs with a sense of purpose, planning to give Ignis a piece of her mind.

          But when she crossed the threshold of his room and caught sight of him ---- scars, barely covered by the visor he now sported, decorating his face and confirming Gladio’s tale ( one she’d hoped was a gross exaggeration of Ignis’ true state ) ---- she could, momentarily, do little more than stand there.

          A flood of emotions welled up inside her ---- evidenced by the tears that prickled her eyes ( she was, selfishly, thankful the adviser couldn’t see ) ---- but Lightning grasped at the one she understood best: anger.

          ❝ You idiot! ❞ she seethed, the slight waver in her tone betraying the pain and worry she was so desperately trying to conceal. ❝ What did you do? What were you thinking?! ❞  

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

" How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh? ... Ten-tickles." Fingerguns @ and chuckles. He finds his own jokes funny.

@guncobo

          Lifting a hand, slender digits pinched the bridge of her nose, palm concealing the slightest hint of a smile that caused the corner of her lips to twitch upward. No, she would absolutely not encourage bad puns. Or ruin her reputation by showing even the tiniest expression of amusement.

          ❝ Don’t. Just … don’t.❞

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

“Anyone catch your eye tonight?”

at the royal ball | ACCEPTING

@crownblackbird

          Aside from the prince himself? Hardly. Then again, she was meant to be keeping watch over the festivities, not partaking in them or rubbing elbows with the upper echelons of Lucian society.

          ❝They’re either old enough to be my father, or snooty enough where I need to resist the urge to punch them.❞ As if they’d even entertain the thought of conversing with someone who appeared very much out of her element; Lightning stood out, and not simply because of her dusty rose locks. ❝Besides, I’m not interested. Even if I was, they wouldn’t be. Not exactly the dancing or ass kissing type. ❞

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

“You are the most ravishing lady in the room.”

at the royal ball | ACCEPTING

@nightcrowned

          ❝I sincerely doubt that,❞ came the reply. Much as she tried to appear ladylike and look like she belonged at a royal event, she was falling remarkably short ( in her own opinion, at least; in truth, she wore the dress well, and managed to look poised, albeit slightly uncomfortable ). ❝They,❞ she said, gesturing out to the ballroom, ❝look like they belong here. I look ridiculous.❞ They had also been raised in a similar environment, whereas Lightning was a commoner, a Glaive. The rosette was much better suited to the battlefield, in a uniform, than she was at a ball, in a dress.

[ofgunblades]

@lunarbranded gets a starter!

ϟ          It had been two months since she’d returned to the Crown City and joined the Kingsglaive ---- two long months of training and near seclusion in the hopes that she might avoid the one person who’d, unknowingly, inspired her to return.

          Much had changed ---- Claire had changed. Now donning the moniker ‘Lightning,’ she’d spent the years since leaving Insomnia growing up after her parents’ disappearance, building walls around her heart ---- making herself ( she believed ) strong so she might care for her sister and be the guardian she needed. But Serah was an adult now ( and, against Lightning’s wishes, had moved in with her insufferable boyfriend in Lestallum ), and Lightning sought purpose. Though she’d considered joining the hunters, the decision to return to the place that she’d once called home boiled down to him.

          Noctis.

          They’d once been thick as thieves, little troublemakers who wreaked havoc within the citadel walls. It seemed so long ago, that carefree life, before loss had woven its tendrils around her heart and forced it to harden in a last ditch effort for protection. Part of her longed for that bygone camaraderie, but she was no longer full of laughter and immaturity. She was stoic, brash ---- impenetrable, as destructive as the force for which she’d named herself.

          There was no going back to who she’d been. 

          In her heart of hearts, there was a desire to rekindle their friendship, but the rosette had become incapable to letting her guard down long enough to allow anyone in ---- even someone who had once occupied a sizable place in her life. 

          The Kingsglaive, at least, allowed her to put her mind to something: training to protect the home she’d once so loved, the birthplace of those memories. For some reason, she desired nothing more than to keep them close, though she had no plans to seek out the prince.

          Unfortunately, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t find her, however unintentionally.

          Within the training grounds, Lightning was hard at work, perfecting her form and technique. She’d always been spry and decent enough with a weapon ---- something she’d picked up on a whim after her parents went missing ---- but there had been considerable improvement since. Now, the Glaive was a force to be reckoned with.

          Mid-swing, she heard her name. No, not the one everyone now knew her by ---- her real name. Muscles tensed, and before she might react, the distinct woosh of a warp met her ears. Arms had encircled her shoulders, drawing her into a hug.

          Her body grew stiff, knowing there was only one person who’d greet her in such a way. Arms lifted, hovering for only a moment ( as though heart and mind were battling over whether to return the embrace or shove him away ) before reaching for his shoulders and pushing. 

          There was joy on his features, though the gesture caused it to falter, brows knitted in his confusion. Her chest ached, heart calling out to him, but she would only muffle its pleas.

          ❝ It’s Lightning now, ❞ she replied curtly. ❝ Now if you don’t mind, I’m busy. ❞

          It hurt. It hurt so damn much to be so cold, but she couldn’t afford to lose focus, or appear vulnerable. Nor could she endure another heartbreak. Caring too much always ended in heartbreak and loss ---- a lesson she’d learned too young.

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

"Is that my shirt? I mean. Don't get me wrong, it looks good on you. But I've never seen your guns before, when you're wearing a shirt I mean." He only has tank tops, Lightning.

SEND “IS THAT MY SHIRT?” FOR YOUR MUSE FINDING MINE IN YOUR MUSE’S SHIRT | ACCEPTING

@luciantechnophile

          Breaks were a rarity, as were hotels, and Lightning had packed exceedingly light for the journey ( what was meant to be only one hunt had become a relatively common occurrence, the Glaive helping to pick up the slack among the otherwise exhausted and downtrodden group; she didn’t mind though, and while she wouldn’t admit it, she rather enjoyed the company ). There were only a few pairs of clothes she’d managed to pick up since Insomnia —- her uniform among them, the rest mostly heavy leathers and inappropriate for lounging or sleep.

          She hadn’t exactly … asked permission to borrow Prompto’s shirt, but she hadn’t really anticipated he’d discover her thievery either ( how exactly had she planned to hide it? ). She looked almost meek when he pointed it out, unconsciously pulling the shirt’s hem down a touch in a futile attempt to cover her bare legs ( he wasn’t much bigger than she was, in size or height, and the shirt just hit the tops of her thighs ).

          Casting a cursory glance at her biceps —- fair skin littered with faint, mostly healed scars —- she lifted her shoulders in a shrug. ❝Welcome to the gun show, I guess.❞ Was that a hint of playfulness in her tone? And was it accompanied by a flex of muscles? Yes. Yes it was.

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

@totalxclarity ( continued from here )

Ignis chuckled at Lightning’s comment and then gently stroked her hair. It was the first time he woke up by her side, and he would gladly do this again. When he was alone and didn’t see a thing, he felt uncomfortable because he had no way to understand where he was, excepted his bed. Right now, he felt relaxing, and was once again GRATEFUL to have such an amazing woman in his life.

“It’s unfair. I wish I could see yours.” He teased with a smirk on his lips.

          ❝ Between last night and sleep, I’m sure it’s a mess. ❞ In her periphery, a strand of dusty rose locks stuck out at an odd angle, surely a result of his fingers tangling through her hair while he moved within her the previous evening. Though she still ached, it was dull and pleasant ---- and she was hardly upset about the reminder of their encounter.

          Reaching between them, she hummed lowly as a fingertip traced the outline of his abs ---- those had been a rather lovely surprise. Ignis was slender, bordering on lanky, but Lightning would have never guessed that concealed beneath those button-downs were defined muscles. Given his grace and acrobatics on the battlefield, she should have guessed his body would most closely resemble a gymnast’s. 

          ❝ It’s almost a shame you keep all this covered up, ❞ she teased, fingers splaying out across his stomach.

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

*Finger guns*

silent / action starters | ACCEPTING

@crystal-approved-king

          Had the crown prince of Lucis really just finger gunned her? It would appear so. For several long, quiet moments, Lightning could do nothing but stare at the raven, slightly baffled, but mostly unsure how to respond.

          ❝Right back at you?❞ was all she could offer, because she sure as hell wasn’t going to risk looking ridiculous by mirroring the gesture. The Glaive had a reputation to uphold, after all.

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

@totalxclarity ( continued from here )

Ignis chuckled nervously. He had started to realize before he left Insomnia with Noctis and the others he was interested in Lightning a bit more than he should. He had always thought he wouldn’t enter a relationship to not disturb his duties as the king’s advisor, but the more time he spent with her, the more he was starting to think otherwise. He was a rational person, but Lightning was, too. There was something going on between them, but it wouldn’t push them away from their duties.

When Lightning had offered him to help him with his training, Ignis had been relieved but on the other hand, he felt like a burden. He knew how strong she was, and he felt like, now that he was blind, he was out of her league. He couldn’t believe she was still interested in him after everything that had happened.

He took a deep breath and raised a hand so he could gently stroke her cheek. “I just wish it could have happened before I was blind. It’s… a waste.” He admitted before he put a soft kiss on her lips.

          They’d been training fairly intensely, Lightning easily barking orders ( ‘coming in on your left!’, ‘pay attention to my footfalls when I come at you!’ ), teaching him to listen for the subtleties in her advances ---- the slash of her blade or the sound it made during the transition between forms, the crunch and audible shift of the ground beneath her feet when she surged forward, anything that would give him an advantage and alert him to an oncoming approach. It was slow going, but he was progressing, his determination ( or perhaps it was stubbornness, though the two weren’t so different ) not allowing him to fail.

          It was when she’d blindsided him, the flat of her blade merely resting against his neck to signify he’d been bested, that she paused. Out of breath from running circles around Ignis, azure hues scanned their surroundings; they were alone, the others having, perhaps, grown bored of watching and cheering Ignis on ( or, conversely, sensing the tension between them and electing to leave the two in each other’s company ).

          She lowered her blade, studied his features for perhaps a few moments too long, before the words fell from her lips ---- bold, brazen despite her uncertainty. There had always been an inkling that the attraction hadn’t been one-sided, but the rosette had never entertained the possibility ---- not until Ignis has lost his sight. Not until she’d realized she may have lost him.

          And, oh Six, he was kissing her, the weapon in her hand falling to the floor with a dull clatter. It was brief, a ghosting of lips across her own, but it wasn’t enough.

          ❝ Never a waste, ❞ she murmured before lifting a hand to cradle his cheek, closing the distance between them once more, kissing him with all the repressed feelings she’d locked away. 

[ofgunblades-archived-blog]

@scientiadelicacy

          Downtime was a rarity ---- a luxury the prince and his retainers could hardly afford. Unless, of course, said prince deemed it so, and elected to squeeze some hard-earned fishing time into their busy schedule. While endearing to see Noctis so carefree and in his element, watching someone fish wasn’t high on Lightning’s to-do list. Having grown up in Caem, she’d seen her fair share of it, and if she was to be near the water ( the familiarity of the ocean breeze and the smell of salt visibly soothed her, easing the tension out of her shoulders ), there were better things for her to do.

          Indulging in the ( excessively overpriced ) Galdin cuisine, for one.

          The small shack set up on the edge of the beach looked unassuming enough, but with Ignis in tow, Lightning approached and place two orders of conch fritters ( the chef had no say in whether or not he wished to try the fried sea creature ). She couldn’t help the slightest hint of a smile from curling at her lips when she was handed the order, sliding some gil ( and a tip ) onto the counter before looking at Ignis and jerking her head towards the beach.

          When she went to hand his order to him, he seemed to hesitate, unsure of that kind of animal conch was ( and truly, if he knew before he ate it, he might not want to try it; their shells were beautiful, but the animals within were slimy and unappealing. Frying it simultaneously brought out its flavors and eliminated the gross texture ). ❝ Nope, that’s not allowed, ❞ she scolded, shifting both containers into one hand and grabbing a fritter between her fingers, holding it up to his lips. ❝ Tch. Where’s your sense of adventure? Who knows, you could come up with a recipe. And if you do, we can go diving for ‘em.  ❞ Though she found the very idea of Ignis Scientia diving to be far too amusing.