I imagine they're warm, fuzzy, and cuddly when they're small. Behemothlets.
[Ignis adds a little scalp scritching into the mix. Both hands going to 'tame' the beast at once. He isn't afraid of a little teeth-- even if he can't see them to avoid them, he can hear the clicks, and know Gladio wouldn't actually bite him.
Not hard, anyway.]
We've only ever seen them at their most terrifying. Behind closed doors... or wherever it is they live, I'm sure they must relax and play.
[ How to Factory Reset Your Shield in Two Easy Steps, a guide written by Ignis Scientia.
As soon as those fingers dig into his hair and make a go at his scalp, Gladio slumps back with a low sound in his throat, like he were simply stretching. That... That's good. Real, real good. ]
Mmh... Small, mouths full of needle-sharp teeth and still bigger than the Regalia standing up on its bumper.
[ It really is a wonder that they never saw any females with their pups - or cubs, whatever people called them. It was only ever the males that they encountered out there. Deadeye, the rogue one out by Leide, the one that had taken over Deadeye's territory after they'd killed him... Part of him can't help but wonder if they ever sired their own offspring, or if they were roaming and searching that whole time. ]
...What would you do if you ever ran into one that wasn't trying to eat you?
After Leviathan, that doesn't seem so bad. She could have snapped up Deadeye in one bite.
[Even the most fearsome of monsters and daemons have nothing on the Astrals themselves.
Ignis keeps scritching, using the blunt of his nails to really get a good scrape at the base of his roots. Given that Ignis hasn't gotten him a present, or planned much of anything other than dinner for his big day, it's the least he can do.]
If it wasn't trying to eat me, and our stomachs and gas tank weren't depending on it? Well... I suppose I might try to take a closer look, and see if it wouldn't let me pet it.
Figuratively. Given we are no longer home, and I am no longer capable of taking a closer look.
She would've eaten the entire planet if she had her way, Igs. I don't speak Astral, but she sounded pissed when she was summoned.
[ Ah- Ah- A little more to the left, which Gladio coaxes by turning his head just so. His nails hit the spot, and another all-too-pleased sound escapes his lips along with a very, very content sigh. Gladio may be a gentle playboy and something of a casanova, but for all his flirting and escapades back home on Eos he was always missing the one thing that his flings could never provide.
The subtle touch of intimacy.
There were very few people who Gladio could roll over and show his belly to, and Ignis was one of them. ]
I wouldn't be so sure about that, Iggy. For one, you're taking a closer look at me right now. Maybe not with your eyes, but you've got hands. Second of all... Remember when Law came by to pick Prompto up and I freaked out? S'cause he was riding a Spiracorn.
[ A beat, and Gladio shifts so he can turn over against his lap, one arm loosely slinging around a thin waist. ]
Th' ornery bastards that we kept getting hunt bills for.
Maybe we caught her at a bad time. Perhaps she's not a morning Astral.
[A low chuckle. Dark, yes, but they had to start laughing about it at some point. It would be too easy to allow one day to overshadow the rest of his life, and in some ways... Ignis has already allowed it to.
His fingers follow the movement of Gladio's head as he rolls over, stroking his hair back from his face. A moment of hesitation before he takes his index finger and trails it from the edge of Gladio's hairline, down over his forehead, nose, lips, and chin, to the scruffy expanse of his throat. 'Seeing' him.]
Aside from the scruff, you 'look' more or less the same from what I can tell. Haven't broken your nose again, thank the Six.
[ For a time he falls quiet, taking in the sensation of soft hands and soft fingers mapping out his face. When he nears the scar over his eye, Gladio shuts them and just... exists like that for a little bit. His hands feel nice, but he isn't sure if he wants to vocalize that lest it make Ignis stop, so at best a small, content hum slips out every now and then.
When they reach his throat, he finally speaks up. Partially so Ignis can feel the soft vibration and so he doesn't interrupt the journey. ]
M'just sayin', if Spiracorns are thriving here it wouldn't surprise me if other animals from home were here too. When I was in Coba for that statue me 'n this other guy even saw a Malboro, only... Iggy, it was flying.
[Ignis doesn't stop, because he doesn't want to stop. The touch is good for both of them. It's been a rough few months, with far too much distance between them.
Sometimes, not being able to see Gladio, Ignis imagines on a concept of the man more than the real thing, and for a little while that concept was intimidating. Someone Ignis had to impress, and harden himself against. Prove his worth to.
Now... he's beginning to believe Gladio when he says that this is enough, and that he is enough. Trips, tumbles, and all.]
A flying malboro? Now that's truly terrifying. We had enough issues with that particular nasty on land.
[ A soft laugh and he cracks an eye open to steal a quick look, then it closes again. If he's not careful he could very easily fall asleep just like this, but then where would that leave Ignis? Trapped. ...Okay, not really trapped since he only has his head in his lap, but still. ]
Mmhm. I wasn't gonna mess with it though. I'm smart enough to know how to choose my battles, and that wasn't one of 'em.
Any other day, and Noct may have tried to catch her. Hook, line, and sinker.
[A low chuckle at his own terrible joke. If anyone could truly appreciate a bad fishing pun that pokes gentle fun at their beloved king, it's Gladio.]
Thank goodness. I have no interest in becoming a 'single parent', and I know Noct and Prompto would find it painfully boring if I were. In many ways, you're the life of our party.
[Another awful pun. He's on a roll! Ignis moves his scratching a little to the left, free hand settling comfortably upon Gladio's shoulder. Enjoying the presence and solidity of him.]
[ Is it poor taste to be joking about eating one of their gods? Probably, but hey! Leviathan isn't here to threaten them right back, and honestly after Altissia they deserve to let off a little steam. ]
When you put it like that, it almost sounds like we're married or somethin'.
[ Another laugh, and before Gladio knows it he's reaching up to gently cover Ignis's hand on his shoulder. He doesn't push it away, but he doesn't pull him closer either. Like everything else it's the physical contact he seeks, and the warmth radiating from his fingers seeps through his skin and the dark feathers that curl around his arm into the core of his body. If the gods grant him one thing? Let it be this.
Let him have this simple comfort. ]
I doubt they'd think it was that bad. If I'd be worried about anyone, it'd be you. I bet they drove you crazy while I was gone, huh?
Could you blame me? Imagine the health benefits of eating a god. That might be the first steak you'd ever struggle to finish.
[Realistically, it would be roughly the size of the Regalia. Ignis would have to cook it over the Rock of Rovatogh. The easiest would be sashimi style-- he really is thinking too long and hard about this, and Gladio can see the beginnings of a new recipeh written in the slight upturn of his mouth and furrow between his brows.
Genius/insanity at work.
Talk of marriage, however, snaps him out of his celestial cooking fantasy.]
Oh my. I suppose it does. I wasn't trying to insinuate such a thing, simply that we both have our roles in this little family--
[He is not helping his case. Especially with the Shield's head in his lap, Ignis's hand in his hair. Like an old married couple.]
Absolutely mad. Without you there to play drill sergeant they sleep half the day and stay up all night playing videogames. Not to mention the constant complaining when setting up and breaking down camp. Prompto will offer to do the dishes, but Noct? He'll leave half a dish on his plate, so we wake up to hungry monsters looking for breakfast.
Of course, I exhaust them with my ceaseless nagging, so they simply stop listening to me until I lose my temper, which... isn't so difficult to do, when it's just the three of us.
You'd think so but that's my greatest secret, Iggy. I'm always hungry.
[ That much was clear with how often he could and would taste-test for Ignis and his cooking, not to mention how much he could pack away back in Insomnia when he was feeling particularly voracious. ]
You're right about it, though. That, and dad used to rib me sometimes and ask me when the wedding was... Y'know, usually when he'd catch us bothering the hell outta Noct or when we'd pick him up from school together. He always did it to get a rise outta me.
[ But it wasn't a bad thought by any means. He could think of worse people to be married to, and if Gladio were honest with himself? Ignis was damn near perfect. Anyone who winds up with Ignis would be a very, very lucky man or woman. ]
You don't get as loud as I do when you lose yours, so I dunno what they've got to be afraid of.
I remember that. Jared would say I was preparing you to handle your future wife. Was I really that demanding?
[He was. Especially below the age of 13, both incredibly protective of Noct and determined to fulfil his promise to King Regis. If anyone even looked at Noct funny Ignis would get his back up, or demand Gladio get his back up and step in for them as Noct's chosen protector.
Of course, as he matured and the etiquette and attitude of a retainer had been fully trained into him, he became more composed and genteel. Less likely to make demands of Gladio, and more inclined to politely ask.
Most of the time. Ignis has always held both Gladio and himself to an impossibly high standard... and the Shield has never let him down.
Ignis coils a strand of dark hair around his finger, curling and releasing with a gentle tug.]
Likely because I'm softer spoken. When I do take a tone with them, they notice.
Your bark has always been just as loud as your bite. It's possible they've gotten used to it on some level.
[ Gladio makes a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat all while Ignis toys with his hair. Back then... Yeah, Ignis was pretty demanding. There were a few times where the future Shield had grown frustrated with his demands and snapped back with orders of his own before storming off somewhere to vent said frustrations out on a training dummy. ]
You were the bossiest kid I ever knew. Back when I was a kid I was already mad about having to protect Noct - back when I thought different of him - but having you barking orders and breathing down my neck with his training on top of that? Man, I thought you were the most demanding person in the Citadel.
[ And of course puberty no doubt had a hand in their frustrations too. It left Gladio feeling moodier than normal, and unfortunately he often took it out on those closest to him . ]
Super demanding. But I know I was more stubborn back then than I am now too, so I guess it kinda evens out. Bark or no bark.
Super demanding? You make it sound like I was a little behemoth myself.
[Hands on his hips, glasses catching light, stomping his little feet when Gladio was anything less than loving towards his charge. Demands both high-pitched and relentless.
A far cry from the calm, graceful man who was seemingly built to serve who is holding him now. Teenage Ignis existed at both ends of the spectrum. Ultra stoic with intense bouts of emotion (mood-swings) that could almost rival Gladio's temper. They've both mellowed with age, though their personalities were encouraged in opposite directions.
Gladio to be the penultimate Shield. Confident, fearless, and dominant.
Ignis to be the penultimate Advisor. Calm, conservative, and yielding.
Did Regis and Clarus know what they were doing when they chose Noct's companions, developing Shield and Advisor to compliment one another in such a way as to perfectly protect and guide the future King? 'Looking' at Gladio now, fingers running through the thick of his dark hair, and feeling strangely at peace, Ignis can't help but wonder. ]
You were more than stubborn. You were a veritable wall when you dug your heels in. Nobody could move you. Even before it was a physical impossibility to do so.
Between you and Noct, it's a wonder I didn't lose my mind completely.
I suppose that's why my training was so harsh. To be in personal service of royalty requires a certain amount of... tolerance, to better meet the needs of personalities both larger and more exacting than your own.
A behemoth? Nah, I'd say... Hmm. A coeurl. You had the whole babyface thing going on when you were a kid so that made it pretty easy to assume you were relatively harmless like a coeurl kitten, but then you started growing up. You grew claws, started to learn how to control 'em, and figured out how to deliver one hell of a shock to hammer your points home.
[ One hand reaches up and though Gladio hesitates for a fraction of a moment, he lightly prods his index finger against the side of his upper lip. Unlike an actual coeurl, Ignis lacks the whiskers that made the animal so recognizable. But on the other hand he does wear coeurl-print, so maybe that makes up for it.
His hand drops back down to thump against his own chest, and Gladio settles back in to make himself comfortable. There might be an easier way to do it, but you know what? He's content like this. ]
I wouldn't say your training was that harsh, though. I mean...
[ There's a smile both on his face and in his voice as he peers up at Ignis. ]
You did decide you wanted to jump into training with the Crownsguard when you were... what, fifteen? It was rough on me at thirteen, and I had both my old man and the Marshall handling me for the most part. You? You had the Marshall and you had magic involved. Not to mention all the one-on-one stuff we had together over the years.
[ After all, who better to work with training the future king's hand than the future king's shield? ]
A coeurl? I like the sound of that, though I do try to keep my nails short and well maintained at all times.
[Not that it makes a swipe from him any less painful. Men, monsters, and daemons have learned to fear his wrath. Especially when Noct is involved.
At the prodding, Ignis will raise the corner of his mouth in a slight show of tiny canine. The smallest, most polite of snarls. Still, he is playing along, and after weeks of somber quiet with his nose constantly to the grindstone, it's an improvement.
There's even a little laugh when Gladio says his training wasn't that harsh.]
Oh, it wasn't the Crownsguard training that was harsh. Difficult? Incredibly, but not harsh. When one gets injured sparring there's space to lick your wounds, and an understanding that failure is but a stepping stone to becoming stronger.
Retainers aren't allowed to make mistakes. One can ruin their entire reputation, and the reputation of their family, by setting a table for foreign dignitaries with the wrong utensils, for you risk embarrassing the King himself. Failure is simply not an option.
No matter how rudely you're treated, you must remain polite, composed, and continue to render service to whomever you're assigned. You must see everything, forget nothing, and remain loyal and steadfast in spite of any personal objections you may have.
The most brutal punishment I ever received from my uncle was for crying in front of the King. I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I recall being unable to sit for over a week. And the entirety of his tongue-lashing. Word for word.
Ah-- actually, I do remember how old I was. Nine. Noct had broken my glasses and was being an utter terror knowing I couldn't see him well enough at any real distance to stop him, so I lost my composure and tattled to King Regis.
The punishment did work, though. For I never made the same mistake again.
[He returns to stroking Gladio's hair, even more gently, somehow.]
That said, given the choice, I wouldn't have it any other way. Not if it meant losing this.
[ Now Gladio moves. It's not enough to dislodge his hands from his hair, but it's enough so he can roll over and if he so chose, could bury his face in the other man's stomach from this angle. And you know what? Maybe he does. Maybe, just maybe, Gladio takes the opportunity to sling both arms around Ignis's waist and pulls his face in, pulling himself upright just enough so his forehead rests against his torso and his voice winds up muffled by his shirt. ]
There's no reason to hit a kid for crying, Iggy. 'Specially if it's so hard you can't sit for a week. I cried in front of plenty of people β the King included β and my dad never chewed me out for it. I cried a ton when I was nine, and no one ever gave me shit. I yelled at people who worked for dad and everything.
[ Only he hadn't broken a pair of glasses. His reason for those outbursts had been different. Even so, it doesn't change Gladio's feelings on the whole situation. ]
Just because you're sworn to do something doesn't mean you've gotta put on a smile and pretend to like it. You know just as well as I do that I couldn't stand Noct when I first started working with him. I thought he was a spoiled brat, but that... changed when he put his neck out for Iris. He didn't have any reason to do so, but he did it anyway. He didn't even know her.
Yes, but you were the future Shield. I'm a retainer. I was trained to care for children of your class. It's... very different. When Noct got into trouble, I was the one who allowed it to happen, and thus it was my failure. Not his.
Putting on a smile and doing whatever I had to do in order to keep my charge safe, happy, and successful is exactly what was expected of me. That's why I said it was harsher.
In Crownsguard training... I was only responsible for myself and my own progress. In a way it was freeing. An outlet for my emotions where I was encouraged to go all-out, instead of always holding back. Some days, training with you was all that kept me sane.
[And look at him now. The perfectly composed retainer who is an absolute beast in battle-- though always with one eye on his King, and managing the field.
More accurately, look at him a few months ago. Before Altissia. Back when he could cook, clean, and kick-ass whilst hardly breaking a sweat. Now its a struggle to accomplish any one of those tasks perfectly, never mind all of them, but there is one thing he can still do almost better than anyone else. And that's wrap both arms around Gladio and hold him close, one hand rubbing between his shoulder blades.
Ignis was never coddled, and in a way that makes him especially good at coddling others. All he really knows is how to give love. Receiving it is another story.
Thankfully, with a friend like Gladio, it doesn't really matter. The behemoth man has a behemoth heart and smothers him with it anyway.]
I don't hate who or what I am, it was simply a difficult road to get here. There's nothing I enjoy more than spoiling you all. My favourite part of cooking is seeing the happiness it brings... I miss that terribly.
Watching everyone eat and smile could turn a bad day into a good one. Now I have to listen for sounds of pleasure or approval, and sometimes it's difficult to tell.
On that note, what do you want for your birthday dinner? You have yet to tell me.
[ As if to hammer the point home, Gladio tightens his arms around him for a moment in an almost-painful hug. Maybe it's the fact that this is the first time in months that he's gotten to sit down and let everything sink in, or maybe it's the whole 'turning twenty-four an entire world away from home without one to return to' thing that's making him feel especially sentimental. Either way, Ignis is getting one and there's nothing the universe can do to stop it.
Except Ignis shifting the subject, of course.
But that doesn't mean he's pulling his head from his shirt anytime soon. No, he wants to cling to this moment for a little longer while he can. They both need it. ]
...Y'know, for the first time in my life I don't actually know? If we were back home-home, I'd probably wanna hit up that club that opened up a couple years back. Or... the Passiflora-Incarnara. That diner in midtown. I know you swiped the recipe for some of their soups 'cause you said they were too salty and said you could do it better, but the rest of it was always pretty good.
[ Finally, he turns his head a bit to the side so he can breathe in something that wasn't Ignis. A little fresh air to go with his advisor smell. ]
My uncle never wanted children. I suppose that may have had something to do with it. Our relationship greatly improved once I was no longer his responsibility.
Still, I do hope he made it out.
[Gladio isn't letting go, and neither is he. If anything, Ignis relaxes back against the wall. Pulling Gladio closer to him with a sigh. Rocking side to side ever so gently. Is he attempting to comfort the Shield, or himself? The correct answer is both.]
Why did you always want to go out, rather than stay in for a home-cooked meal?
[Not that Ignis ever took quiet offense to it (he did).]
I can do that. There's already one item on the menu I know without a doubt you'll go head over heels for. As for the rest... I'll see what else inspires me.
[Of course this will be a multi-course affair. Gladio will never turn twenty-four again.]
[ He makes a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat, but he doesn't argue it. He doesn't even fuss when he starts to feel Ignis move side to side. Instead, Gladio does the one thing he ought to have done months ago and lowers his guard. It's safe here. Perhaps not across Copalli in its entirety, but here in Ignis's arms. Here in this little house the four of them have landed. Here with his best friends and brothers.
It's fine to be vulnerable for a little bit. ]
Y'mean beyond the times dad would take us out somewhere? I dunno. I liked the energy. The people. And if I ever wasn't feeling it that night, I know I always had somewhere to go home to.
[ Either the family home, his own apartment, or Noct's. Usually where Noct was, Ignis and Prompto were too. Usually after texting Ignis, of course. ]
That makes sense. I suppose 'home with family' was always my ideal, as I had little opportunity to do so. I've spent more time with your family than my own... and it was a wonderful experience.
[The Amicitias are as loving as they are intimidating. Strong hearts make strong Shields. Seeing Gladio so relaxed, eyes closed, breathing soft-- being soft, only makes Ignis want to hold him closer for longer.]
All I will say is it's something you've had before, and that I've never made it for you. You said you wanted a surprise, and a surprise you shall receive.
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no subject
Date: 2022-04-09 02:39 am (UTC)G-Given that you guys're always comparing me to a Behemoth, I gotta wonder if you've actually touched oneh!
[ Another word ruined by yet another garbled noise, yet he still makes no move to stop or push him away. Let him indulge in this a little longer. ]
T-They're not exactly warm, fuzzy or cuddly!
[ At least the full-grown adults. Younger ones? Oh, they've got that baby fluff for days. ]
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Date: 2022-04-09 03:17 am (UTC)[Ignis adds a little scalp scritching into the mix. Both hands going to 'tame' the beast at once. He isn't afraid of a little teeth-- even if he can't see them to avoid them, he can hear the clicks, and know Gladio wouldn't actually bite him.
Not hard, anyway.]
We've only ever seen them at their most terrifying. Behind closed doors... or wherever it is they live, I'm sure they must relax and play.
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Date: 2022-04-09 03:41 am (UTC)As soon as those fingers dig into his hair and make a go at his scalp, Gladio slumps back with a low sound in his throat, like he were simply stretching. That... That's good. Real, real good. ]
Mmh... Small, mouths full of needle-sharp teeth and still bigger than the Regalia standing up on its bumper.
[ It really is a wonder that they never saw any females with their pups - or cubs, whatever people called them. It was only ever the males that they encountered out there. Deadeye, the rogue one out by Leide, the one that had taken over Deadeye's territory after they'd killed him... Part of him can't help but wonder if they ever sired their own offspring, or if they were roaming and searching that whole time. ]
...What would you do if you ever ran into one that wasn't trying to eat you?
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Date: 2022-04-09 04:13 am (UTC)[Even the most fearsome of monsters and daemons have nothing on the Astrals themselves.
Ignis keeps scritching, using the blunt of his nails to really get a good scrape at the base of his roots. Given that Ignis hasn't gotten him a present, or planned much of anything other than dinner for his big day, it's the least he can do.]
If it wasn't trying to eat me, and our stomachs and gas tank weren't depending on it? Well... I suppose I might try to take a closer look, and see if it wouldn't let me pet it.
Figuratively. Given we are no longer home, and I am no longer capable of taking a closer look.
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Date: 2022-04-09 04:27 am (UTC)[ Ah- Ah- A little more to the left, which Gladio coaxes by turning his head just so. His nails hit the spot, and another all-too-pleased sound escapes his lips along with a very, very content sigh. Gladio may be a gentle playboy and something of a casanova, but for all his flirting and escapades back home on Eos he was always missing the one thing that his flings could never provide.
The subtle touch of intimacy.
There were very few people who Gladio could roll over and show his belly to, and Ignis was one of them. ]
I wouldn't be so sure about that, Iggy. For one, you're taking a closer look at me right now. Maybe not with your eyes, but you've got hands. Second of all... Remember when Law came by to pick Prompto up and I freaked out? S'cause he was riding a Spiracorn.
[ A beat, and Gladio shifts so he can turn over against his lap, one arm loosely slinging around a thin waist. ]
Th' ornery bastards that we kept getting hunt bills for.
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Date: 2022-04-09 09:47 pm (UTC)[A low chuckle. Dark, yes, but they had to start laughing about it at some point. It would be too easy to allow one day to overshadow the rest of his life, and in some ways... Ignis has already allowed it to.
His fingers follow the movement of Gladio's head as he rolls over, stroking his hair back from his face. A moment of hesitation before he takes his index finger and trails it from the edge of Gladio's hairline, down over his forehead, nose, lips, and chin, to the scruffy expanse of his throat. 'Seeing' him.]
Aside from the scruff, you 'look' more or less the same from what I can tell. Haven't broken your nose again, thank the Six.
And yes, I remember. What of it?
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Date: 2022-04-09 09:56 pm (UTC)[ For a time he falls quiet, taking in the sensation of soft hands and soft fingers mapping out his face. When he nears the scar over his eye, Gladio shuts them and just... exists like that for a little bit. His hands feel nice, but he isn't sure if he wants to vocalize that lest it make Ignis stop, so at best a small, content hum slips out every now and then.
When they reach his throat, he finally speaks up. Partially so Ignis can feel the soft vibration and so he doesn't interrupt the journey. ]
M'just sayin', if Spiracorns are thriving here it wouldn't surprise me if other animals from home were here too. When I was in Coba for that statue me 'n this other guy even saw a Malboro, only... Iggy, it was flying.
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Date: 2022-04-10 12:31 am (UTC)[Ignis doesn't stop, because he doesn't want to stop. The touch is good for both of them. It's been a rough few months, with far too much distance between them.
Sometimes, not being able to see Gladio, Ignis imagines on a concept of the man more than the real thing, and for a little while that concept was intimidating. Someone Ignis had to impress, and harden himself against. Prove his worth to.
Now... he's beginning to believe Gladio when he says that this is enough, and that he is enough. Trips, tumbles, and all.]
A flying malboro? Now that's truly terrifying. We had enough issues with that particular nasty on land.
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Date: 2022-04-10 01:07 am (UTC)[ A soft laugh and he cracks an eye open to steal a quick look, then it closes again. If he's not careful he could very easily fall asleep just like this, but then where would that leave Ignis? Trapped. ...Okay, not really trapped since he only has his head in his lap, but still. ]
Mmhm. I wasn't gonna mess with it though. I'm smart enough to know how to choose my battles, and that wasn't one of 'em.
[A beat, and softly- ]
Little more to the left?
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Date: 2022-04-10 01:21 am (UTC)[A low chuckle at his own terrible joke. If anyone could truly appreciate a bad fishing pun that pokes gentle fun at their beloved king, it's Gladio.]
Thank goodness. I have no interest in becoming a 'single parent', and I know Noct and Prompto would find it painfully boring if I were. In many ways, you're the life of our party.
[Another awful pun. He's on a roll! Ignis moves his scratching a little to the left, free hand settling comfortably upon Gladio's shoulder. Enjoying the presence and solidity of him.]
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Date: 2022-04-10 01:34 am (UTC)[ Is it poor taste to be joking about eating one of their gods? Probably, but hey! Leviathan isn't here to threaten them right back, and honestly after Altissia they deserve to let off a little steam. ]
When you put it like that, it almost sounds like we're married or somethin'.
[ Another laugh, and before Gladio knows it he's reaching up to gently cover Ignis's hand on his shoulder. He doesn't push it away, but he doesn't pull him closer either. Like everything else it's the physical contact he seeks, and the warmth radiating from his fingers seeps through his skin and the dark feathers that curl around his arm into the core of his body. If the gods grant him one thing? Let it be this.
Let him have this simple comfort. ]
I doubt they'd think it was that bad. If I'd be worried about anyone, it'd be you. I bet they drove you crazy while I was gone, huh?
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Date: 2022-04-10 02:26 am (UTC)[Realistically, it would be roughly the size of the Regalia. Ignis would have to cook it over the Rock of Rovatogh. The easiest would be sashimi style-- he really is thinking too long and hard about this, and Gladio can see the beginnings of a new recipeh written in the slight upturn of his mouth and furrow between his brows.
Genius/insanity at work.
Talk of marriage, however, snaps him out of his celestial cooking fantasy.]
Oh my. I suppose it does. I wasn't trying to insinuate such a thing, simply that we both have our roles in this little family--
[He is not helping his case. Especially with the Shield's head in his lap, Ignis's hand in his hair. Like an old married couple.]
Absolutely mad. Without you there to play drill sergeant they sleep half the day and stay up all night playing videogames. Not to mention the constant complaining when setting up and breaking down camp. Prompto will offer to do the dishes, but Noct? He'll leave half a dish on his plate, so we wake up to hungry monsters looking for breakfast.
Of course, I exhaust them with my ceaseless nagging, so they simply stop listening to me until I lose my temper, which... isn't so difficult to do, when it's just the three of us.
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Date: 2022-04-10 03:23 am (UTC)[ That much was clear with how often he could and would taste-test for Ignis and his cooking, not to mention how much he could pack away back in Insomnia when he was feeling particularly voracious. ]
You're right about it, though. That, and dad used to rib me sometimes and ask me when the wedding was... Y'know, usually when he'd catch us bothering the hell outta Noct or when we'd pick him up from school together. He always did it to get a rise outta me.
[ But it wasn't a bad thought by any means. He could think of worse people to be married to, and if Gladio were honest with himself? Ignis was damn near perfect. Anyone who winds up with Ignis would be a very, very lucky man or woman. ]
You don't get as loud as I do when you lose yours, so I dunno what they've got to be afraid of.
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Date: 2022-04-10 04:04 am (UTC)[He was. Especially below the age of 13, both incredibly protective of Noct and determined to fulfil his promise to King Regis. If anyone even looked at Noct funny Ignis would get his back up, or demand Gladio get his back up and step in for them as Noct's chosen protector.
Of course, as he matured and the etiquette and attitude of a retainer had been fully trained into him, he became more composed and genteel. Less likely to make demands of Gladio, and more inclined to politely ask.
Most of the time. Ignis has always held both Gladio and himself to an impossibly high standard... and the Shield has never let him down.
Ignis coils a strand of dark hair around his finger, curling and releasing with a gentle tug.]
Likely because I'm softer spoken. When I do take a tone with them, they notice.
Your bark has always been just as loud as your bite. It's possible they've gotten used to it on some level.
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Date: 2022-04-10 05:00 am (UTC)[ Gladio makes a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat all while Ignis toys with his hair. Back then... Yeah, Ignis was pretty demanding. There were a few times where the future Shield had grown frustrated with his demands and snapped back with orders of his own before storming off somewhere to vent said frustrations out on a training dummy. ]
You were the bossiest kid I ever knew. Back when I was a kid I was already mad about having to protect Noct - back when I thought different of him - but having you barking orders and breathing down my neck with his training on top of that? Man, I thought you were the most demanding person in the Citadel.
[ And of course puberty no doubt had a hand in their frustrations too. It left Gladio feeling moodier than normal, and unfortunately he often took it out on those closest to him . ]
Super demanding. But I know I was more stubborn back then than I am now too, so I guess it kinda evens out. Bark or no bark.
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Date: 2022-04-10 06:11 am (UTC)[Hands on his hips, glasses catching light, stomping his little feet when Gladio was anything less than loving towards his charge. Demands both high-pitched and relentless.
A far cry from the calm, graceful man who was seemingly built to serve who is holding him now. Teenage Ignis existed at both ends of the spectrum. Ultra stoic with intense bouts of emotion (mood-swings) that could almost rival Gladio's temper. They've both mellowed with age, though their personalities were encouraged in opposite directions.
Gladio to be the penultimate Shield. Confident, fearless, and dominant.
Ignis to be the penultimate Advisor. Calm, conservative, and yielding.
Did Regis and Clarus know what they were doing when they chose Noct's companions, developing Shield and Advisor to compliment one another in such a way as to perfectly protect and guide the future King? 'Looking' at Gladio now, fingers running through the thick of his dark hair, and feeling strangely at peace, Ignis can't help but wonder. ]
You were more than stubborn. You were a veritable wall when you dug your heels in. Nobody could move you. Even before it was a physical impossibility to do so.
Between you and Noct, it's a wonder I didn't lose my mind completely.
I suppose that's why my training was so harsh. To be in personal service of royalty requires a certain amount of... tolerance, to better meet the needs of personalities both larger and more exacting than your own.
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Date: 2022-04-10 04:14 pm (UTC)[ One hand reaches up and though Gladio hesitates for a fraction of a moment, he lightly prods his index finger against the side of his upper lip. Unlike an actual coeurl, Ignis lacks the whiskers that made the animal so recognizable. But on the other hand he does wear coeurl-print, so maybe that makes up for it.
His hand drops back down to thump against his own chest, and Gladio settles back in to make himself comfortable. There might be an easier way to do it, but you know what? He's content like this. ]
I wouldn't say your training was that harsh, though. I mean...
[ There's a smile both on his face and in his voice as he peers up at Ignis. ]
You did decide you wanted to jump into training with the Crownsguard when you were... what, fifteen? It was rough on me at thirteen, and I had both my old man and the Marshall handling me for the most part. You? You had the Marshall and you had magic involved. Not to mention all the one-on-one stuff we had together over the years.
[ After all, who better to work with training the future king's hand than the future king's shield? ]
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Date: 2022-04-10 07:38 pm (UTC)[Not that it makes a swipe from him any less painful. Men, monsters, and daemons have learned to fear his wrath. Especially when Noct is involved.
At the prodding, Ignis will raise the corner of his mouth in a slight show of tiny canine. The smallest, most polite of snarls. Still, he is playing along, and after weeks of somber quiet with his nose constantly to the grindstone, it's an improvement.
There's even a little laugh when Gladio says his training wasn't that harsh.]
Oh, it wasn't the Crownsguard training that was harsh. Difficult? Incredibly, but not harsh. When one gets injured sparring there's space to lick your wounds, and an understanding that failure is but a stepping stone to becoming stronger.
Retainers aren't allowed to make mistakes. One can ruin their entire reputation, and the reputation of their family, by setting a table for foreign dignitaries with the wrong utensils, for you risk embarrassing the King himself. Failure is simply not an option.
No matter how rudely you're treated, you must remain polite, composed, and continue to render service to whomever you're assigned. You must see everything, forget nothing, and remain loyal and steadfast in spite of any personal objections you may have.
The most brutal punishment I ever received from my uncle was for crying in front of the King. I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I recall being unable to sit for over a week. And the entirety of his tongue-lashing. Word for word.
Ah-- actually, I do remember how old I was. Nine. Noct had broken my glasses and was being an utter terror knowing I couldn't see him well enough at any real distance to stop him, so I lost my composure and tattled to King Regis.
The punishment did work, though. For I never made the same mistake again.
[He returns to stroking Gladio's hair, even more gently, somehow.]
That said, given the choice, I wouldn't have it any other way. Not if it meant losing this.
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Date: 2022-04-10 08:48 pm (UTC)[ Now Gladio moves. It's not enough to dislodge his hands from his hair, but it's enough so he can roll over and if he so chose, could bury his face in the other man's stomach from this angle. And you know what? Maybe he does. Maybe, just maybe, Gladio takes the opportunity to sling both arms around Ignis's waist and pulls his face in, pulling himself upright just enough so his forehead rests against his torso and his voice winds up muffled by his shirt. ]
There's no reason to hit a kid for crying, Iggy. 'Specially if it's so hard you can't sit for a week. I cried in front of plenty of people β the King included β and my dad never chewed me out for it. I cried a ton when I was nine, and no one ever gave me shit. I yelled at people who worked for dad and everything.
[ Only he hadn't broken a pair of glasses. His reason for those outbursts had been different. Even so, it doesn't change Gladio's feelings on the whole situation. ]
Just because you're sworn to do something doesn't mean you've gotta put on a smile and pretend to like it. You know just as well as I do that I couldn't stand Noct when I first started working with him. I thought he was a spoiled brat, but that... changed when he put his neck out for Iris. He didn't have any reason to do so, but he did it anyway. He didn't even know her.
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Date: 2022-04-10 09:26 pm (UTC)Putting on a smile and doing whatever I had to do in order to keep my charge safe, happy, and successful is exactly what was expected of me. That's why I said it was harsher.
In Crownsguard training... I was only responsible for myself and my own progress. In a way it was freeing. An outlet for my emotions where I was encouraged to go all-out, instead of always holding back. Some days, training with you was all that kept me sane.
[And look at him now. The perfectly composed retainer who is an absolute beast in battle-- though always with one eye on his King, and managing the field.
More accurately, look at him a few months ago. Before Altissia. Back when he could cook, clean, and kick-ass whilst hardly breaking a sweat. Now its a struggle to accomplish any one of those tasks perfectly, never mind all of them, but there is one thing he can still do almost better than anyone else. And that's wrap both arms around Gladio and hold him close, one hand rubbing between his shoulder blades.
Ignis was never coddled, and in a way that makes him especially good at coddling others. All he really knows is how to give love. Receiving it is another story.
Thankfully, with a friend like Gladio, it doesn't really matter. The behemoth man has a behemoth heart and smothers him with it anyway.]
I don't hate who or what I am, it was simply a difficult road to get here. There's nothing I enjoy more than spoiling you all. My favourite part of cooking is seeing the happiness it brings... I miss that terribly.
Watching everyone eat and smile could turn a bad day into a good one. Now I have to listen for sounds of pleasure or approval, and sometimes it's difficult to tell.
On that note, what do you want for your birthday dinner? You have yet to tell me.
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Date: 2022-04-10 09:51 pm (UTC)[ As if to hammer the point home, Gladio tightens his arms around him for a moment in an almost-painful hug. Maybe it's the fact that this is the first time in months that he's gotten to sit down and let everything sink in, or maybe it's the whole 'turning twenty-four an entire world away from home without one to return to' thing that's making him feel especially sentimental. Either way, Ignis is getting one and there's nothing the universe can do to stop it.
Except Ignis shifting the subject, of course.
But that doesn't mean he's pulling his head from his shirt anytime soon. No, he wants to cling to this moment for a little longer while he can. They both need it. ]
...Y'know, for the first time in my life I don't actually know? If we were back home-home, I'd probably wanna hit up that club that opened up a couple years back. Or... the Passiflora-Incarnara. That diner in midtown. I know you swiped the recipe for some of their soups 'cause you said they were too salty and said you could do it better, but the rest of it was always pretty good.
[ Finally, he turns his head a bit to the side so he can breathe in something that wasn't Ignis. A little fresh air to go with his advisor smell. ]
Surprise me?
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Date: 2022-04-11 12:47 am (UTC)Still, I do hope he made it out.
[Gladio isn't letting go, and neither is he. If anything, Ignis relaxes back against the wall. Pulling Gladio closer to him with a sigh. Rocking side to side ever so gently. Is he attempting to comfort the Shield, or himself? The correct answer is both.]
Why did you always want to go out, rather than stay in for a home-cooked meal?
[Not that Ignis ever took quiet offense to it (he did).]
I can do that. There's already one item on the menu I know without a doubt you'll go head over heels for. As for the rest... I'll see what else inspires me.
[Of course this will be a multi-course affair. Gladio will never turn twenty-four again.]
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Date: 2022-04-11 01:00 am (UTC)It's fine to be vulnerable for a little bit. ]
Y'mean beyond the times dad would take us out somewhere? I dunno. I liked the energy. The people. And if I ever wasn't feeling it that night, I know I always had somewhere to go home to.
[ Either the family home, his own apartment, or Noct's. Usually where Noct was, Ignis and Prompto were too. Usually after texting Ignis, of course. ]
Gimme a hint?
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Date: 2022-04-11 01:25 am (UTC)[The Amicitias are as loving as they are intimidating. Strong hearts make strong Shields. Seeing Gladio so relaxed, eyes closed, breathing soft-- being soft, only makes Ignis want to hold him closer for longer.]
All I will say is it's something you've had before, and that I've never made it for you. You said you wanted a surprise, and a surprise you shall receive.
[A slightly daemonic smirk.]
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Date: 2022-04-11 01:41 am (UTC)[ After all, with Regis around to actually spend time with Noct meant that they all had a bit of a vacation! ]
Something I've had before, but you've never made it... Huh. I gotta think about that one.
[ Sure, there was plenty of things that fit the bill but here? Those options were pretty limited. ]
What about dessert?
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