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thisfairytalegonebad · 8 days

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Muscle Memory - Final Fantasy XV

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Relationship: Prompto Argentum & Ignis Scientia Word count: 5k Summary:

"So I was thinking, we could try cooking something together? Just something easy, I promise. I’m honestly sick of Monica’s cooking.” The last part is said in a conspiratorial whisper like it’s a secret that Monica’s kind of a terrible cook. Ignis doesn’t quite laugh, but he exhales a little bit more forcefully in a way that could maybe be counted as a laugh if you squint, so Prompto counts it as a win. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he says softly. It’s not a no, though, so Prompto pushes on.

Read the first ~1.7k below the cut or the whole thing on AO3 here.

Get to Altissia, find Luna. Then, to Gralea. Those were the goals – even at their worst, they always had a goal to work towards, some sort of guideline to follow.

Now, for the first time since Insomnia fell, they’re well and truly lost.

Stationed at Cape Caem for the lack of any better location to be in, things are tense to put it mildly. They’re waiting for Cor, who promised to be there as soon as possible but got held back by the increased demon activity, now that the night isn’t ending anymore.

Gladio is angry, an awful, simmering sort of anger. Prompto hasn’t actually dared to talk to him since they landed, but he’s noticed he’s not the only one avoiding him. Iris is just about the only one who is brave enough to approach him – and probably the only one who is allowed to approach him. Most of the time, he’s off doing gods know what and Prompto only catches glimpses of him for the most part.

He supposes he can’t really blame the guy. Over the years, Prompto has gotten a pretty good idea of the things Gladio got hammered into his head regarding his job. Losing your king inside a godsdamned rock of all things is probably the worst possible outcome right after letting him get killed.

Then, there’s Ignis, haunting the house like a polite ghost. Prompto worries about him, but he’s trying hard not to hover. Since Altissia, he likes to think he’s gotten kind of good at knowing when to help and when to leave Ignis to fend for himself, and in the safety of Caem, Prompto can tell that his help is less and less welcome.

Still, Ignis isn’t doing much at all – not that there is much for him to do. He spends a lot of his time sleeping, and Prompto’s not sure if he’s still not entirely healed from his injuries the curatives didn’t touch, if he’s just trying to kill time somehow, or if it’s the beginning of a depressive episode. The thought of it being the latter scares him, though in reality, it’s probably a little bit of everything.

As for Prompto himself… well. He’s kind of a nervous wreck, but the good thing about everyone dealing with their own shit is that he’s kind of flying under the radar. Much easier to plaster on a smile and pretend nothing’s wrong if no one asks.

He tries to keep busy – helping Dustin and Monica around the house, playing with Talcott, working on the ship with Cid. Filling his days with as much productivity as he can proves pretty effective in trying to ignore his feelings, even though he knows he’ll have to deal with them in all their ugliness sooner rather than later.

Just. Not yet. Not until Cor arrives, at least – he’s no use to anyone if he’s falling apart.

There’s not much Prompto can do for Gladio, so he just has to trust Iris to have that part covered. But surely, there’s gotta be something he can do for Ignis.

He mulls over it for a few days but comes up empty until an opportunity practically presents itself on a figurative silver platter.

In his excitement, it’s hard not to run up the stairs and barge into their room when he goes to fetch Ignis. There’s not even a guarantee that it’s a good idea, it could just as well go badly, but he has to try at least.

He does open the door with enough enthusiasm to make Ignis flinch, but he’s long learnt not to apologise for that kind of thing – Ignis much prefers if it’s not acknowledged at all, and Prompto is happy to play along if it makes him feel better.

“Prompto? Is something wrong?” Ignis asks, stepping out of the bathroom where he’s been attempting to style his hair. He’s limping a little, the unfortunate result of tripping over the uneven terrain of Caem and twisting his ankle yesterday.

It’s not a bad injury, but it serves as a reminder that even something as simple as walking is a challenge now, and it’s enough that Ignis has been in a bad mood ever since. They all can make curatives to a degree like everyone who’s connected to the crystal, but they’re nowhere near as effective as Noct’s, so they’ve agreed to save them for severe injuries for now. That means that Ignis is forced to leave his ankle to heal on its own and therefore continues to be affected by it, which just pisses him off even more.

“How’s your ankle?” Prompto asks, ignoring the question.

“It’s fine,” Ignis says immediately, not that Prompto expected a different answer.

“Fine enough to be standing on it for a while?”

Ignis frowns. “I suppose so. Prompto, what is this about?”

He sounds impatient, which maybe isn’t the best premise for Prompto’s plan, but he tries anyway.

“While we were gone, Monica planted some more veggies in the garden. Y’know, other than those carrots. They were ready for harvest, but Tony will only buy the carrots, so we kinda have a metric ton of veggies we have to use,” Prompto starts to explain.

Ignis looks like he has an idea of where this is going and isn’t looking thrilled about it, but Prompto doesn’t give him the chance to interrupt.

“So I was thinking, we could try cooking something together? Just something easy, I promise. I’m honestly sick of Monica’s cooking.”

The last part is said in a conspiratorial whisper like it’s a secret that Monica’s kind of a terrible cook.

Ignis doesn’t quite laugh, but he exhales a little bit more forcefully in a way that could maybe be counted as a laugh if you squint, so Prompto counts it as a win.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he says softly.

It’s not a no, though, so Prompto pushes on.

“C’mon, dude, you can make me do all the dirty work, I don’t mind!”

“Prompto…”

“Do you have anything better to do?” Prompto challenges. It’s a bit of a low blow, but it’s worth a shot.

With a sigh that sounds bone-weary, Ignis finally admits, “No. I don’t.”

Prompto cheers and grabs Ignis’ hand, impatiently tugging until he follows down the stairs.

“Okay, so, I was thinking maybe we could do a stir fry? Gladio went to collect mussels and stuff this morning, so we could make it with seafood.”

“There’s a lot of chopping to be done for a stir fry,” Ignis points out.

Prompto shrugs, then remembers that Ignis can’t see that. “That’s fine, I can do it if you want. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

For a second, Ignis looks like he’s going to take the easy route and agree to Prompto’s suggestion, but then he shakes his head.

“No, I– if I am to cook again, I’ll have to learn to do all of it eventually. I might as well get started right away.”

There’s a hint of his usual fire in his voice – just a spark compared to the bright flame Prompto has gotten used to, before Ignis’ injury, but it’s there and that’s more than enough for now.

“Awesome! Sooo, what’s first?”

Ignis says they're going to do something called a mise en place which Prompto vaguely recognises from some cooking show he used to watch. He gets Prompto to fetch him the tools and ingredients he'll need for the recipe he has in mind but asks for them to be handed to him instead of being placed by Prompto.

“I’ll need to know where everything is, anyway,” he explains when his fingers brush against Prompto’s to grab a knife from him. “If I do it myself, I’ll already be familiar with the layout.”

Then, everything looks ready to Prompto’s untrained eye, but Ignis hesitates over the chopping board.

“Prompto,” he starts, then falls silent as he mulls over his next words. “Are you certain about this?”

The question comes as such a surprise that it has Prompto reeling for a moment. It sounds so much like Ignis is seeking reassurance from him, like he's insecure, and that's just wrong on so many levels.

“Of course I’m sure! Dude, if anyone can do this it’s you!”

Ignis’ shoulders relax somewhat, but he still looks uncomfortable and a little lost in the kitchen that once was his natural habitat.

“I’ll get frustrated,” he warns, one last attempt to get Prompto to back out. “If I cannot manage it right away. I might snap at you. You think me patient, but I have to be honest – this has eaten up just about all of the patience I had left.”

This refers to the loss of his vision, of course. Ignis seems to think it’s shameful somehow, that he’s struggling, and Prompto thinks that’s a load of bullshit.

He doesn’t tell Ignis that, at least not in those words. Instead, he steps closer into Ignis’ space, with enough noise that he doesn’t startle him. Bumping their shoulders together in a silent display of support, he says, “That’s fine. Most people would probably get frustrated, it’s normal. I won’t take it personally.”

A few months ago, hell, a few weeks ago, that would’ve been a lie. The Prompto from a few weeks ago, with his self-worth issues the size of Titan, would have taken anything thrown at him to heart, beaten himself up over it and agonised over it for days after. Especially if it came from Ignis, whose approval has always been so embarrassingly important to him.

It’s different now. It’s different because he has fought his way through Niflheim’s icy hellscape fueled only by Aranea’s promise that his friends were trying to find him. Because they did come to find him. Because Noct told him that they were worried about him. And because they kept loving him even after learning what he really is.

He still doubts many aspects of himself, but the love his friends have for him, at least, is no longer one of them.

Ignis is smiling a little now, leaning into the touch of their shoulders. He’s always given physical affection freely, but he used to rarely accept it for himself. Now, though, he’s more reliant on touch than ever before and even though he never said anything, Prompto can tell he’s grateful for his easy, casual touching.

“Very well. Then… I suppose I should give this a try. If I cut myself, it’ll be your fault,” he threatens, but the last part is teasing enough that Prompto just snorts.

----

Read the rest on AO3

#final fantasy xv #ffxv #prompto argentum #ignis scientia #promnis #(if you want it to be)#thisfairytalegonebad's writing

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missregality · 1 year

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Ignis did this animation at Cape Caem that I haven’t seen him do since.

It was like he saw something suspicious and was watching it from afar. Very interesting.

#ffxv #final fantasy xv #ignis scientia #anyone else seen him do this???

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who-knew-a-sheep-can-write · 1 month

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Grievances: Gladiolus Amicitia x Reader

You woke to the feeling of a cold and empty bedside. You sat fully up in the bed, the thin cotton sheets falling into your lap as you did your best to look around the small bedroom for your boyfriend, but you couldn’t find him. In fact, the sheets beside you were even made despite him getting under the covers with you just a few hours ago. Looking to the small end table, you saw the time on the little alarm clock - 3:46 in the morning.

You swung your legs over the side of the bed and got up onto the creaky old floorboards, wincing at how loud they were just from your slight movement. You did your best to creep out of the room without making too much noise to wake the others (although you’re sure Ignis had already woke from you getting up). You toed on your shoes and grabbed your jacket before making your way down the aging steps.

You all had just arrived at Cape Caem yesterday afternoon, rolling up to the old farmhouse by the sea to set off for the prince’s wedding soon. It had been a trip and a half so far, with Galdin being out of the picture and Lestallum being a pitstop and a half with all of the little side things you had accidentally picked up as a party, it was nice to get a whole evening to yourselves and rest. You and Gladio had been given one of the solo bedrooms, a queen-sized bed fitted with crisp white sheets and a baby blue comforter with distressed white wooden furniture. It would be a lovely bedroom to take home.

But Gladio wasn’t around.

You looked around in the kitchen and on the porch but didn’t see him, afraid of opening other doors that could lead into bedrooms full of sleeping people. You split open the vintage curtains in the front window to look outside, squinting into the darkness as you looked around in the near-darkness for any signs of him. It wasn’t like Gladio to just disappear, hell, he’s a mountain of a man! How could you miss him? How could you not wake up to him getting out of the bed?

You nearly closed the curtains to look somewhere else when you caught a glimpse of someone in the darkness over by the cliff’s edge. You opened the door and quickly stepped outside, the cool sea air blowing past you, nipping at your skin and leaving goosebumps down your body. The air was cool and crisp, it smelled of the salty sea and of the churned earth behind you full of fields of crops. Crickets were chirping in the grass, you heard the rustling of small animals in the bushes, in the distance you heard wild animals howling in the night to the moon. You slowly walked towards the figure, already able to make out his broad shoulders covered in a jacket and the fluffy hair that needed a good trim before the wedding. You’re not sure if he heard you coming, but if he did, then he didn’t say anything to you. He was sitting on one of his camping chairs, back to the farmhouse as he looked over the sea and the moon. There was a book on the ground, one of his favorites, it looked like it had been tossed without a care in the world down.

It was when you were standing right next to him did he acknowledge your presence, only giving you a slight glance before turning back to look at ocean. He was kind of hunched over in his seat, almost as if he was trying to make himself look smaller. It was almost like he felt vulnerable, especially before you.

You gave him a few moments, hoping that with you being next to him that he would open up to you, maybe give you a glimpse as to what was going on, but he didn’t. His lips were sealed.

“Are you alright?” you finally asked quietly, breaking the tense silence between you two.

Your words hung in the air around him like anvils, they swaddled him up in a suffocating grip and refused to let go. Your words, those three little words, make the king’s shield start to tremble.

Gladio’s breath was shaking, hitching in his throat as he tried his hardest not to start breaking down in front of you.

You placed your hands on his shoulders and rounded out in front of him, crouching to meet his eyes. His face was already wet, tear tracks slightly dry and they looked sticky, he must have been crying earlier. His eyes, bright and full of life like a roaring fire, were dull and diminished. He looked exhausted, he looked miserable.

“Gladio…” you murmured.

Suddenly the shield pulled you in close, forcing you to stand or else you would have head-butted right into him. His big and burly arms wrapped tightly around your waist as he yanked you in close, burying his head into your stomach. You felt a warm wetness start to form against your shirt. His grip was crushing against your back and hips, but all you could do was try to comfort him.

He didn’t sob, he didn’t moan or heave or scream. He sat in the chair and trembled, crying softly into your stomach.

You didn’t rush him, you didn’t say anything to break the silence, you simply placed one hand on his brawny shoulder and the other became carded into his soft hair. You had to admit, it was a shock to see your partner cry. He was always one for being stoic and in control of himself - except for anger sometimes - to the point that you wondered when the last time he had cried was. Even now, he was still controlling himself, pulling back on showing how truly upset he was as he clung and shook under your hands.

“I miss him.”

Those words hit you deep in the gut as he whimpered them out into your shirt.

His father.

His father had passed in the fall with the king. He and Iris were on their own now, their mother having passed about a year after Iris was born from what Gladio had told you. It was just him and his little sister against the world now.

All of his life was spent to be like his father, maybe even better while still holding his father is high regard. He was going to be like his father, be a shield and protect the king with his life. Gladio loved his father, and now he’s finally allowed himself time to grieve for his loss. What hurts even more is that there probably isn’t a body to bury back in Insomnia either, only twisting the knife in his chest.

“Oh Gladio,” you murmured. You rubbed both of your hands along his shoulders, rubbing soothing circles into his back as you pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “Everything will be alright.”

#final fantasy xv #ffxv #gladiolus amicitia #gladio x reader #gladiolus x reader

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chippersweetbaby · 9 months

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um... we sure about this?

#prompto argentum #gladiolus amicitia #ffxv #final fantasy xv #cape caem #stars #promptio #omg #what are they doing?#gladio put that thing back where it came from or so help me!#large and smol #doing naughty things #looks like one of those censored mangas if you know the ones you know the ones if you don't know please don't look for them stay innocent

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hiddeneosbymrsflowerpot · 2 years

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It seems like playing darts is a popular pastime in Lucis. Noctis can play darts at Prairie Outpost and Meldacio Hunter HQ. There are also non-playable dart boards at Cape Caem (bedroom) and Kingsglaive Base Camp. Although the game is usually played with three darts there is only one dart on the shelf below the dart board. It remains on the shelf when Noct plays as another dart magically appears in his hand. If he scores a bullseye Prompto takes his picture to celebrate. All images copyright Square Enix Co Ltd.

#ffxv #ff15 #final fantasy xv #FFXV windows edition #darts #bullseye #Prairie Outpost #Meldacio Hunter HQ #Cape Caem #Kingsglaive base camp

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tsu-yume · 1 year

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Kiss Prompto week - day 2 Kiss on the Forehead A trip to Cape Caem resulted in confessions and a swim in the sea at sunset.

The story that I wrote for this can be found here Little Moments in Time

#kiss Prompto week #prompto argentum #noctis lucis caelum #Prompto #noctis #Promptis #final fantasy xv #ffxv #ff 15

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lunarlegend · 1 year

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one additional good photo from Prompto...

...aaand we are back in Past Lucis pretending the plot of the game never happened :'D

#Chapter 15 my beloved #also i was today years old when i realized Talcott just walks around outside at Cape Caem #i tried to get some photos with him but he kept walking away from us 🙃🙃#shunned by a 7 year old

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lem-argentum · 1 year

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i like the combat in vii-r a lot <3 it’s more challenging to me.. i always wished xv had a hard mode.!!

#lem liveblogs #i got a game over very early on. in xv ALL of my main-game game overs were from flying the REGALIA TYPE-F #it’s fun i like how it feels <33 i still try to warp strike on instinct sometimes but YEAH <3 #and i’m LOVING all the extra story stuff with the avalanche gang :’) i loooove jessie <3 #the next time i play i’m gonna have to meet 🔌 (crush f/o i GUESS) aren’t i…. never picking it up again /j #oh i so DEMOLISHED the dartboard minigame by the way prom would be so proud of me <33 #i didn’t even realize you had to click on it to progress i just saw it n went LIKE CAPE CAEM? LIKE PROM.PTO?? <-guy who only thinks about pr

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itsgeecheebitch · 6 months

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Until Darkness Descends

Chapter: 42/?

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV

Rating: Explicit

Series: The Fall Part 1 of 4

Main Pair: Ardyn Izunia x Reader

Sec Pair: Gladiolus Amicitia x Reader

A few days passed when the team finally located the regalia. Turns out the empire had it all along just as Gladiolus had suspected. With the car back in your possession, and your plans for Cape Caem falling into place, you and the boys made your way to Lestallum. None of you had any intention of leaving Iris and the others in the city while you sailed east to Altissia.

Cid had informed you of a safe house he built near the lighthouse in Caem. Quiet, spacious, remote, a perfect hiding place from the empire. Iris, Talcott, and Jared would be safe there unlike in Lestallum. While Iris and the others were currently living amongst refugees from the capital, strength in numbers didn't mean much when they had a close connection to the five most wanted ‘fugitives’ Nilfheim was after.

Leaning your head back, the sun beamed down on your face, turning the inside of your eyelids red as you closed them. You hoped they would agree to go. While Cape Caem wasn't as exciting as a bustling city, it was safer and they would be surrounded by guards who would protect them. The deep rumbling of an engine disturbed your musings, alerting you to something huge flying overhead.

Opening your eyes, you saw a massive platform soar through the sky. The insignia for the empire stared back at you from the platform’s edge. A dizzying bout of unease rushed through your system. It was flying in the direction of the city. Lestallum had remained a free city state for so long, but something told you it would be the empire’s next destination…and soon. So soon it made the back of your neck prickle with raised hair. You needed to get the three of them out of the city before that could happen.

The sounds and smells of the city greeted the five of you as you arrived. The fetid stench of sulfur from the factories curled around your nose, nearly burying the savory scent from the food stalls that dotted the industrial landscape. Parking the car, you and the boys made your way to the Leville.

The sun was on your back, heating your skin till it glistened with sweat. Once you arrived at the hotel, you found Iris standing in the lobby alone. Her cheeks puffy and her eyes rimmed red. Dread froze your stomach solid. You knew something terrible had happened even before she said it.

“Oh Gladdy…”, she whimpered.

Muscles tensed, Noctis approached her. “What's wrong?”

“It's Jared…something happened!” Iris cried. Without another word, the boys escorted her to one of the rooms you had pre-booked, your gut in knots as she revealed everything that had happened. A few days ago Niflheim soldiers had stormed the Leville, looking for you and the boys after you had regained the regalia. Enraged that you weren’t there, they slaughtered Jared in your stead.

Ice spread over your chest like a tumor till all you could feel was guilt. You knew Jared for as long as you knew your boyfriend and his sister. Although he had alway maintained a certain level of decorum, as dictated by his profession, he was always warm. Kind. He didn't deserve to die when he did nothing wrong. A tear slid down your face before you realized it had fallen.

You wondered who it was that ordered the manhunt. Was it Ardyn? Was that why he allowed you and your friends to drive off with the regalia? A shudder rushed across your body. You knew they would retaliate for what you did to their base, but you didn’t think it would result in one of your own paying the price for it.

The door hinges keened as it was forced open. Your heart broke in two when you saw it was Talcott standing in the doorway. Rising from his chair, Noctis knelt in front of him, opening and closing his mouth while he tried to find the words to say. “It's not right, we should've been here.” He said.

“I…I couldn't stop them!” Talcott cried.

A part of you wanted to comfort the boy too. Pull him into your arms and promise that everything would be okay, but you knew it wouldn't be. At the end of the day he would still be left without his grandfather, the only family he had left. It was probably Ardyn's fault that he was orphaned a second time.

You missed the rest of the exchange and watched as the little boy walked away. The ghost of his tears haunted you and made your chest swell with unshed tears.

“I'm taking Talcott and we're going somewhere else.” Iris said, wiping her eyes with the backside of her hand. “Lestallum isn't safe anymore. We can't just stay here and wait for them to come back!”

Gladiolus knelt down beside her and placed his hand over hers. “We actually came here to make arrangements for you and Talcott to go to Caem. We'll make sure you guys get there safely so you don't have to worry.”

“Who's taking us?” She asked.

“Monica more than likely. she seemed on board when we last called.”

“Okay...are we leaving together?”

“Unfortunately, no.” You whipped your head around to Ignis who was leaning against the wall. A frown was on his face as he delivered his next words. “It'll take Monica a little over two days to reach here from where she is currently stationed. We cannot risk delaying our arrival.”

A shadow of disappointment darkened her crestfallen face. It didn't seem fair to leave Iris and Talcott all alone after what happened. They already spent so many days alone with their grief only to be told they had to do it a second time. But it couldn't be helped. Noctis needed to get to Altissia as soon as possible. During their encounter with Gentiana, the group found out Lunafreya planned to awaken the water goddess.

You guys had no way of knowing when she planned to do it, which was why you had to get there as soon as possible. But still, this situation didn't feel right.

Your boyfriend seemed to agree since he said, “don't worry I'm not going anywhere.” Then he turned to address the rest of you. “I'll hitch a ride with Monica and keep Iris company.”

“No, I'll stay back.” You said before you could stop yourself. “Noctis needs his shield, he can't risk losing you while the empire is on our trail. In fact, if any of us is going to stay back then Iris may as well ride with you guys. there'll be room in the back and I'll just hitch a ride with Monica and Talcott.”

Gladiolus stood up from his position on the floor and folded his arms over his chest. “Nah, it'll be too dangerous.”

“So is leaving her with Monica as her only defense.” You reasoned. “The empire knows our faces, they may even know that Iris is an Amicitia. if the empire wants to strike someone close to the crown, then they would do it whether or not she is with you. Iris would be more protected riding with the four of you than with Monica.”

The room fell silent with everyone contemplating your words. Ignis was the first to break the ice, rubbing his chin in that way of his that let you know he was thinking. “You make a rather compelling argument.”

“I say we take her with us, it might be fun.” Prompto said.

Noctis turned to you. “You sure you're okay with staying behind?”

“Yeah.” You replied. “It's the least I could do.” It took some convincing but Gladiolus agreed eventually. When that was settled, Iris went back to her room, leaving the boys to discuss their frustrations over Jared. Prompto proposed getting revenge on the empire and Noctis remembered the flying Niflheim base they rode passed on the way here.

It was a unanimous decision once the suggestion was made and the boys took off in search of the base, leaving you to watch over a heartbroken Iris and tearful Talcott. You tried to cheer them up as best as you could for the rest of the day, rented movies from the hotel’s cinema library, played cards, and strolled through the building.

But at night with the kids tucked in bed, it was you who was swamped with thoughts. The room was dark with only a thin stream of silver light to illuminate the four walls of the room. Noctis and the others weren't back yet and would more than likely not return till tomorrow. It was in that moment that your mind began to play, haunting you like a tune echoing through an abandoned opera house.

Memories you hadn't thought about in a while floated into your head like notes of sweet perfume, making your chest twinge with bittersweet nostalgia. You remembered the first time you met Jared. It was on a cool evening. The desert wind was cruel as it whipped your face and brushed the ring of inflamed flesh that was around your neck.

You were eleven at the time. Ardyn hadn't visited you in over three weeks and your parents were becoming crueler by the day. Thoughts of running away were what propelled your legs despite the burning in your chest. Pins and needles danced on your face, freezing the tears rushing down your cheeks. You turned a corner and bumped into something solid and warm before crashing onto the ground.

When you looked up you saw wisps of white hair and a face weathered by years of hard work. Panic bubbled in your throat at the first trace of recognition. You’ve seen this man a few times before. At a distance and occasionally accompanying the Amicitia family heir. He worked for them. If he worked for a powerful noble family then that meant he more than likely knew who you were.

The bubble in your throat popped, flooding your body with searing adrenaline. What if he asked where your parents were? What if he took you back? Your mind raced, competing with the thrashing of your beating heart. But instead of one of your nightmare scenarios coming to life he knelt down on the ground, dropping his bags of groceries as he did.

He asked if you were alright. When you didn’t answer you saw his eyes zero in on the angry welts wrapped around your neck. You slapped your hand over the marks and quickly healed then. Much to your surprise, he didn't ask about them and instead offered to buy you tea and a warm meal, which you accepted after a brief moment of hesitation. Since then, Jared had become something of a grandfather to you. He was aware of what most people pretended to not notice. He helped you befriend the Amicitia children so you could have a home away from home whenever you needed an escape.

You released the balloon building in your chest and sobbed into your pillow. He was a good man. He didn't deserve to die. Never again would you be able to see his warm smile, or taste his pancakes, or even talk to him. A sharp pain cleaved a chunk of your heart. You just keep losing the people you care about left and right. You lost your circus family and now you lost Jared…and it could've been Ardyn's fault.

The door groaned and you sat up. Wiping away your tears, you expected to see Talcott or Iris when the clawing scent of citrus hit your nose. Your eyes hardened at the towering shadow moving through the dark. A blade of silver light peeled the shadows from his face, revealing his brilliant amber eyes.

You turned away. “What do you want?”

“I came to check on you, my dear. I know my...affection must've troubled you.” Ardyn said. Warmth leeched down your legs at the memory his words had inspired.But you choked it down quickly before it could reveal itself on your face.

“That kiss is the farthest thing from my mind right now” You mumbled. Your glare cut through the darkness till you found his gaze. “Did you send them? The soldiers that came here, did you order them to kill someone close to the prince?”

The floorboards creaked the closer he came to your bed. “No, but I was aware of it nonetheless. It was Lieutenant Fleuret who orchestrated the ambush. I advised against it, but it seems he heeded none of it. I truly feel sorry for your loss, my dear.”

You felt your animosity, as fragile as it was, crumble to dust and float away on the wind. An all encompassing despair took its place, slamming into you like violent waves against a rocky cliff. The bed dipped. His hand wrapped around the back of your head and guided you down to his chest. Your fingers curled into his coat as you sobbed.

You breathed him in, soaking up that tropical scent that accompanied him wherever he went. It flooded your lungs, warming the melancholy that trapped your insides in a block of ice. Then you remembered yourself. “You need to go.” You pulled away but Ardyn refused to let you go. “You can’t be here.”

“I come as a friend and nothing more, you have my word.” It was a weak argument but it was enough to shatter the last of your defenses. You didn't fight him as he guided you back into his arms. You knew this was anything but platonic. There was love in the way he rubbed your back. His lips were a feather light touch on the top of your head. Now that his affections were made clear as day, you couldn't read his touch as anything else than what it truly was.

Instead of turning it away, you invited it with open arms. You cried into his chest, knowing it wasn't right to find comfort in the arms of another man. You just made a promise to yourself that you would be a better girlfriend for Gladiolus, all it took to discard that promise was one little visit from the man you never truly stopped wanting.

You were foul in every sense of the word but at this moment you didn't care. Gladiolus was miles away and left you to face your grief on your own. You weren't strong enough to stand under the full weight of it by yourself. Nor were you strong enough to withstand the full depth of your failure. Twice had you failed the people who needed you most. You weren't there when king Regis fell to his enemies and you weren't there when Jared met his demise.

Glittery green light swirled around your fingers like fireflies, as if reminding you of the power that coursed through your veins. You sighed and the light faded away from your hand. What was the point of having the ability to undo death if you couldn't use it to save the people you cared about?

Your face lit up with an idea. You looked up at Ardyn with a face damped with tears. “What did they do to his body? to Jared's?” You said. Hope rode hard on your lungs, making your breaths come out in thin gasps. Maybe there was a way to bring Jared back. Ardyn was a prominent politician in the empire, one with enough power to bring you Jared’s remains unquestioned.

Sympathy flitted across his face and your hopes died on a whimper. “There is nothing left to salvage of his remains, I'm afraid.” His arms tightened around you. “Even if I could scrap up what is left, it would not be enough to revive him, I'm sorry.”

Ardyn rocked you, silencing your anguish with gentle shushes and feather light caresses. He tucked you in once your tears finally stopped. Without a word, he rose from the bed and approached the door. Only stopping when you whimpered, “don't go…”

The shadows masked the way his shoulders tensed and he came back to the bed. Your side warmed as he laid down beside you and pulled you back into his arms.

It was about an hour or so ago when you fell asleep, but Ardyn remained. The moon shone brightly against your face, illuminating every lash that laid against your cheeks. His finger whispered across your jaw, so softly, barely touching, as though you were a freshly painted portrait he didn't want to disturb.

Almost two weeks had passed since he began to wonder who you really were. The more he looked at you, the more that crushing agony devoured his chest. He had longed for you for so long. Longed to touch you, to kiss you, to talk to you, now that he had you he was about to lose you all over again.

This time by his own hand. Over the past two weeks he agonized over his options, combing through every scenario in the hopes that one would leave you alive. He considered just killing Noctis. But just like you he was under the gods’ protection. He wouldn't die until he became the chosen king and fulfilled his role.

Ardyn considered stealing you away ahead of time. Hide you within the heart of the empire and kill Noctis when the time comes. But just as the prophecy dictated, if he allowed himself to be happy with you, to fully embrace his love for you, his powers would weaken and he would succumb to his brother’s descendent.

No matter the scenario the end result remained the same. Unless he was willing to forsake his revenge he had no choice but to hurt you. Ardyn held you tighter against him. There was another option he considered, but only briefly. He could spend his final days with you before offering himself up to the slaughter. It was the only option that would leave you happy and live, the only one where he would be able to enjoy his wife before losing you forever. But it was an option he could not take.

He had come too far to let it all go to waste now. No matter how much he cared about you it would never be enough to quench his need for revenge. If that was the path he chose then he did not deserve to be with you. He did not deserve to hold you in his arms and bask in the temporary peace it gave him. Peeling away from you, he rose from the bed and conjured a piece of paper from thin air.

Scribbling a quick note, he left his number at the bottom of the page and left the note for you on the nightstand. His heart was heavy as he reached for the door. He knew he shouldn’t have but he looked back at you one final time. You didn’t deserve what he was about to do to you. But Ardyn was no longer the selfless healer you fell in love with 2,000 years ago. He was a hardened monster that could only deliver pain and the only thing you would ever receive from him was pain. Opening the door, he walked away with his heart breaking off piece by piece.

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