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a-world-in-grey · 4 years

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So, my LC OC for Shadow of Heaven’s Light!! Because this is what my brain was doing instead of sleeping.

-LC is Noctis’ older sister, because a) there aren’t enough female LCs, and 2) FFXV is all about parallels and paired/opposite symbolism.

-So seven years before Noctis is born, Regis and Aulea aren’t quite as careful as they should be after Regis’ coronation. Cue a Royal Wedding three years earlier than canon so their whoops baby isn’t also an illegitimate baby. (Whoops! XD)

-Cor is godfather. Aulea hands him this little girl with fire-red hair and Cor just Melts. Goodbye, Gone, Sola Lucis Caelum has the Immortal wrapped around her fingers with a single yawn. His Kitten now.

-Sola is either Sunshine or Trouble. There is no middle. When she’s not beaming smiles and pealing laughter or curled up on Cor’s chest for a midday cat nap in a convenient sun-patch, Sola is driving her poor nurses insane as she nyooms off and up the nearest piece of furniture.

-Cor is Favorite. (Cor is Smug.) This isn’t really a Problem until Sola decides, age 5, that she doesn’t want to be Queen because being Queen is Boring and she wants to grow up to be like Uncle Cor. Regis and Aulea explain that Sola is Crown Princess - and only princess - and that means she has to be Queen when she grows up because there’s no one else who can do the job.

-Cue Sola’s demand for a little sibling so THEY can be Crown Prince/ss.

-Regis Chokes.

-But Regis and Aulea decide that they do want another child. Sola is over the moon when Aulea announces that Sola will be a Big Sister around a year later.

-Sola is Down to be a Big Sister. She is so excited to have a little sibling, and the sheer awe on her face when she finally sees bby!Noctis after he’s born is beyond compare. Regis, Aulea, Clarus, and Cor watch fondly as Sola tells the little baby in Aulea’s arms that she is going to be the bestest sister ever and anyone messing with him is going to deal with her because Noctis is her little brother and she’s going to be his Sword like Uncle Cor is Papa’s.

-True to her word, Sola ‘abdicates’ in favor of Noctis a mere week after he’s born and Refuses to take it back. Noctis can have the crown, SHE wants the swords. The face Sola pulls when someone points out that Queens get the swords AND the crown makes it pretty clear how Sola fells about THAT. Besides, Sola can’t be her brother’s Sword if she’s Queen.

-However, Aulea never really recovers from Noctis’ birth, and two years later dies. Sola... changes. Sola devotes herself completely to Noctis, both as his big sister and as his Sword. When she’s not spending her time reading and playing with Noctis, she’s tearing through her studies and training with such single-minded ferocity that people begin to whisper of her being a Second Cor the Immortal.

-Regis worries at just how much Sola takes after her godfather. He remembers what Cor was like as a teenager, and it’s not like Cor has Stopped Pulling Stupid Shit in the years since.

-Cor isn’t worried. After all, he’s the one training Sola and he’s going to ensure that anything that starts shit with Sola is Not Going To Live To Regret It. Because if Sola doesn’t finish it, HE WILL.

-(And then Cor does worry, because Sola declares in her ten year-old Righteous Fury that she’s going to fight Gilgamesh and chop off his other arm to avenge Uncle Cor and get his sword back.)

-(Cue heart attacks and ALL adults in earshot trying to dissuade Sola before it’s too late to change her mind. It’s too late to change her mind. Cor only just manages to get Sola to accept that she has to beat Cor FIRST before she can go off to fight Gilgamesh. Later, Cor, Clarus, and Regis share a bottle of liquor while Regis and Clarus tell Cor ‘WE TOLD YOU SO.’)

-Regis does NOT tell Sola about Noctis being the Chosen King. He is not stupid thank you very much. Twelve or not, Astrals or not, Sola Will Throw Hands for her brother, no hesitation.

-Sola isn’t there when Noctis is attacked by the Marilith. She furious, because her brother is in pain and she cannot do anything. She even more furious when Regis forbids her from going to Tenebrae with them and has Cor make sure Sola cannot sneak out after them.

-Sola joins the Kingsglaive two days after Regis and Noctis leave. (Let it not be said that Sola cannot be Petty)

-Well, she doesn’t join officially, not when the minimum age requirement is 16 and she’s only 15 yet. But the first real look the Kingsglaive get of the Princess is the redhead storming into their training halls, magic whipping about her in a physical manifestation of her fury, walking up to the Captain and demanding to join their training.

-Titus doesn’t so much as blink before he directs her towards the training course. (Sola tears through the Kingsglaive training with the same ferocity as everything else, pushing herself to complete the courses and then to master it.)

-Regis hates the idea of his daughter fighting on the front lines. But he knows Sola will not be deterred, and even if he were willing to take the challenge Sola’s blue eyes all but dare him to take and deny her enlistment, he can’t.

-Because for the first time Sola is making friends. Friends that are hers first and not Noctis’. People she can be Sola with, rather than Noctis’ Sister/Sword or the Princess.

-They’ve even kindled an interest in magic in Sola. After Sola had deemed her odd golden magic, with such a leaning towards healing that Regis hasn’t heard of outside the Oracles, useless for being unable to heal her mother Regis didn’t think Sola would ever learn more than the basics. But now Sola is eagerly putting her head together with Ulric and Altius and coming up with more ways to make magic explode than actual spells, but Sola is using her magic.

-Libertus and Luche despair over getting another reckless idiot, a reckless idiot that is alSO THE PRINCESS WHAT DID THEY DO TO DESERVE THIS?! They have a hard enough time reigning in Nyx!

-That said, no one in Kingsglaive is going to refuse having Sola at their backs. The girl may only be five feet two inches, but it’s five feet two inches of solid muscle and she’s fast. Only person faster than her is Nyx and that’s because she doesn’t share his talent for warping. But she’ll come in swinging and hit whichever poor sod like a damn freight train with that spear of hers, throwing up shields so Crowe can cut loose with the fire and not catch the rest of them in the blast radius.

-Sola and Crowe are a match made in hell, and if Libertus didn’t know for a fact they were friends he’d be far more worried at how much Nyx and Sola bicker.

-Of course, Sola firmly cements herself as One of Them when she’s nineteen and at Yamachang’s place with the other off-duty glaives. An Insomnian tries to pick a fight with the ‘dirty foreigners’ and the glaives don’t get the chance to do more than bristle before Sola is out of her seat and kicking the asshole’s kneecap in, red hair falling out of its braid and blue eyes burning with murderous fury.

-And as Libertus keeps Sola from beating the idiot bloody, he realizes that he probably shouldn’t find that so hot.

Alright, that’s all for now.

tagging @secret-engima because she spawned this damn plunny.

#Shadow of Heaven's Light #ffxv #Sola Lucis Caelum

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laqualassiel · 4 years

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Oh my /god/, Sola and Gladio are great. What about the other Chocobros? -Nani

XD Glad you liked it!

Alright, the other three are under the cut because this is gonna be STUPIDLY LONG.

Noctis:

-Sola loves her brother from the moment she learns that she’s going to be a big sister. It’s a fierce, unending love and it’s almost terrifying how easy Sola loves Noctis with her entire being.

-After Noctis’s birth, Sola drives the nannies up the wall spending every moment of her free time with her little brother. On one hand, they DO know where she is - just look for the Crown Prince and there’s Sola right next to him, napping or playing or - later - reading to him. On the other hand, they would like it if Sola would Stop disappearing with Noctis and let them do their jobs. (Regis and Aulea find Sola’s insistence on caring for Noctis too adorable to really help the nannies out in this case.)

-Noctis also doesn’t speak until late, and when he does, he also speaks clearly and skips almost directly to full sentences like Sola did. This is due to Sola communicating with Noctis almost solely with magic unless she is reading to him, in which case she’s often reading closer to her level and patiently explaining everything Noctis doesn’t quite grasp yet.

-Noctis gets all the piggyback rides. Regis is worried about Sola and Noctis hurting themselves (at least, when he isn’t getting ALL THE PHOTOS and Dying From The Cute) but Sola is Determined not to hurt Noctis and so takes great care when carrying her brother.

-Aulea dies when Sola is nine and Noctis is two, having never recovered from giving birth to Noctis. Sola doesn’t blame her brother. She could NEVER blame Noctis. No, Sola blames herself. Not for asking for a little sibling (because she can’t regret having Noctis as her little brother) but because she couldn’t save her mother. Even though her magic is able to heal, it was all but useless in helping Aulea. Sola deems her magic useless and decides to become strong enough to protect Noctis without it.

-Sola all but abandons using her magic, even learning to speak rather than communicate via magic. The only exception is with Noctis, the only person she will still tangle her magic with without reservation. Noctis follows her example - speaking to everyone verbally but using his magic to talk to Sola.

-It physically hurts Sola that Noctis forgets Aulea as he grows. Because it’s not fair that he won’t know how amazing their mother was, that he won’t know just how much she loved them and that he can only hear about her from stories and pictures. And it’s not fair, because Noctis deserves to have known her.

-Then Noctis finds a hurt kitten when he’s six and Sola thirteen, and his magic is so distressed and begging Sola to do something that Sola cannot bring herself to say no. She reaches for magic she hasn’t touched in almost five years, but it’s not enough. She doesn’t have the skill. She doesn’t have the power. (Sola was never meant to have deep reserves of magic. After the Healer King, no LC with golden magic would ever be born so powerful.)

-But Noctis mingles his magic with hers out of desperate need to help, and the sheer power that floods through Sola’s soul cracks her skin and turns her eyes to burning embers. When Regis comes running, Cor and Clarus hot on his heels towards the flare of desperation-pain-help-help-help, Sola and Noctis are unconscious. Noctis is pale, practically shivering with magic depletion. Sola on the other hand is flushed and feverish and just about burning up from channeling more magic than she was ever meant to wield.

-Noctis wakes first, and he bursts into horrified tears when Regis explains to him why he and Sola can never do that again. He hadn’t meant to hurt his sister, he just wanted to help. But Sola’s still unconscious and seeing his strong sister so helpless only makes Noctis feel worse and almost vow never to use his magic ever again.

-When Sola wakes, she learns that she has far more magic than she honestly knows what to do with. She doesn’t care much, because she’s more concerned about comforting a sobbing Noctis and reassuring him that she doesn’t hate him and she knows he didn’t mean to do whatever it was he did.

-Sola and Noctis are thrown into magic lessons. Noctis takes to magic easily. Sola hates the lessons but puts up with them because, well, it’s Papa teaching them. Sola’s lessons with Cor increase as well, Cor pushing her to use her magic in combat until it’s reflex no matter how much Sola loathes it.

-Then, when she’s fifteen and Noctis eight, Regis takes Noctis out to Galdin Quay for a day trip as a reward for how well he’s doing in his lessons. Sola’s own reward comes in the form of Cor presenting her with her own katana and a day of purely physical training, beating each other into the training room floor until Sola can hardly move and grinning ear to ear for it. Then flopping on top of her Uncle for a well deserved nap despite Cor grumbling half-hearted about him getting too old for this.

-Noctis comes home in a coma. All Sola can do is sit by his bedside and curse her magic for being useless. Again. She doesn’t know how to use her odd healing ability - it’s hard enough using it to heal herself from the odd training injury but she’s never really figured out how to use it on others for more than the basics. The only reason she healed Abyssus was because Noctis overpowered her ability and forced it to work when it shouldn’t have.

-Sola sobs when Noctis finally wakes, crawling up into his hospital bed and carefully curling herself around him. She wraps her magic around him, all her relief and love and guilt for not being there.

-Regis takes Noctis to Tenebrae to be healed. He refuses to allow Sola to come with, and Cor helps Regis keep Sola in the Citadel until they are far enough Sola can’t catch up. Sola Rages. That’s her little brother. She failed to protect him once already, failed to heal him, and now she is not allowed to help him again. (And part of her wonders if she’s not allowed to go because of her failure. Because she’s not good enough to be Noctis’s Sword.)

-Sola refuses to fail again. If she’s not good enough, then she’ll work until she is, with both her weapons and her magic. And there’s only one place she can push both past her limits, where they won’t try to stop her.

-The Kingsglaive.

-Cor forged her into her brother’s Sword. The Kingsglaive tempers her into a living weapon. Where Cor trained magic into reflex, the Kingsglaive pushes until it is instinct to reach for the power humming in her veins, to wield it as easily as she does the steel in her hands. Sola learns to heal her own wounds until she can do it without thought, learns to take the wounds of others with a mere touch, and learns to take the pain and keep going.

-They push Sola until she doesn’t merely use her magic, but embraces it.

-Sola doesn’t intend to enlist with the Glaive at first. She only joined their training for Noctis and had every intention of leaving after. But then the assholes grow on her, and it’s Noctis who points out that Sola is happy whenever she talks about her day with ‘her idiots,’ even if she’s griping about them. Noctis tells her with wide blue eyes (not their father’s shade, but their mother’s) that he likes Sola spending time with him, but he wants Sola to be happy too and giving up the Glaive would make her miserable. Then he brightens and adds that Sola can be his Captain of the Kingsglaive like Titus is Dad’s. Sola blinks and teasingly asks if she shouldn’t take over the Crownsguard from Uncle Cor. Noctis solemnly says that’s Gladio’s job, since the crownsguard protect the King, while the Glaive attack. Much better for a Sword. Sola hugs the stuffing out of her brother and asks when he got so smart.

-Noctis is there when Sola comes back from her first tour outside the Wall, frazzled and shaking from the sheer level of stimulation against her senses. He doesn’t hesitate to drag her to a sun patch and curl up beside her, wrapping his magic around her in comfort-safety-love, practically drowning out the world with the sheer strength of his magic.

-Once Noctis clears his physical therapy well enough to start combat training again, Sola is put in charge of training Noctis and Gladio. Sola pushes both of them as hard as she can, keeping close watch on them via her magic and stopping once Noctis or Gladio’s pain levels get too high, forcibly stopping Noctis when her little brother tries to push himself further.

-Noctis is the only one Sola ever tells about her dates, because while Noctis is protective of his big sister, he only wants her to be happy and knows Sola can take care of herself. Therefore he never threatens any of Sola’s dates - not even the one idiot that made Sola cry - only asks Sola if he can take a crack at whatever she leaves behind. Sola laughs and ruffles his hair and only promises a ‘maybe.’ Noctis will take it - it wasn’t a no.

-Sola worries about how isolated her little brother is in the public school system. She knows he doesn’t really have any friends, and while Noctis pretends he isn’t bothered by it, pretends that Gladio and Ignis are more than enough, Sola can see right through him. She can tell that Noctis wants what Sola has - friends that treat her as Sola first, and not royalty.

-For Sola’s Coming of Age, Noctis presents Sola a masterfully crafted glaive (that he may or may not have commissioned from a Bellum weaponsmith instead of the usual Insomnian ones, shhhh) as he Officially appoints her as his Sword. (And if every single Glaive in the room recognizes Noctis’ unspoken support of Sola staying in the Kingsglaive, well, Noctis all but verbally named Sola the King’s Glaive.)

-The first time Sola lands herself in the hospital with serious injuries, twelve-year-old Noctis is not happy. He and Cyrus curl up on her hospital bed next to her and then throw the mother of all tantrums once she wakes up. It takes Sola promising Noctis that she will not die on him for Noctis to calm down, sniffling into Sola’s shoulder.

-After that first scare, Noctis actually handles Sola’s other hospitalizations - of which there are a few, to the Glaives’ exasperation - with remarkable ease. When questioned, he simply says that Sola promised. And his sister doesn’t break her promises. Ever.

-Noctis teases the hell out of Sola when she and Lib finally start dating. He loves his sister, he really does, but Noctis tells Sola that her boyfriend is Oblivious. He also insists on meeting Libertus properly if the two last longer than she and Crowe did (who Noctis did meet, and took an instant liking to).

-(Noctis does in fact meet Libertus. Noctis decides that he Approves and agrees to help keep Dad and their Uncles from finding out and Overreacting. Noctis also sits back with a bowl of popcorn when Regis and Cor try to threaten Libertus and Sola Is Not Having It.)

-Then Noctis meets Prompto and for the longest time doesn’t introduce him to Sola. Sola somewhat overreacts out of worry, before Cor helps her realize that Noctis doesn’t want to share his Best Friend with Sola. And is probably nervous about Sola approving of Noctis’ best friend. Sola promptly goes to give her little brother a noogie and reassure him.

-Noctis is Pleased at being the Ring-Bearer for Sola and Libertus’ wedding. It also means he gets to sit at Sola’s table for the Wedding Dinner as part of the Wedding Party (along with Prompto as his plus one, though his best friend had laughed at his desperate plea because the only other option was 12 year old Iris and Gladio would skin him alive) rather than at one of the other tables with stuffy nobles and their - shudder - eligible daughters. No thanks! He’ll leave that to Gladio and Ignis to represent him! Six, Gladio will enjoy it!

-Then Noctis has his own Coming of Age and Sola just about face palms when a messenger shows up and names Noctis the True King, Bringer of the Dawn. What the Pyre. Little Brother why does ridiculous stuff like this always happen to you?! Noctis just wants to sink into the floor already as Sola, Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto all tease the hell out of him.

Ignis:

-Ignis, like Gladio, was originally meant to be Sola’s Hand. Also like Gladio, Ignis was never told this because he was all of three years old when Sola removed herself from the line of succession in favor of Noctis.

-Unlike Gladio, Ignis did eventually piece together why he is not serving as Sola’s Hand when she is seven years older than the Crown Prince. After asking Sola why she gave up the throne when he’s eight, Ignis accepts the answer she gives him and instead focuses on getting to know both his Prince and fellow member of Noctis’ Retinue.

-Sola likes Ignis. The kid’s a genius and absolutely devoted to her little brother. If Sola sometimes brings her own homework over to where Ignis is studying... well, Ignis is really good at explaining whatever she’s stuck on and picks up the material stupidly quick for all that he’s four years younger than she is.

-If by the time Ignis is nine he’s joined thirteen-year old Sola in her own lessons, well, Ignis finds the material much more interesting and Sola is quite the attentive student whenever he tutors her. Ignis doesn’t mention how pleased it makes him that Sola treats him like an equal despite the age disparity.

-Then Sola and Noctis end up in the hospital after healing a kitten, and Ignis gets a front row seat to Lucis Caelum Drama. Because while Sola is unconscious, Ignis deals with a horrified and despondent Noctis (and manages to talk Noctis out of never using his magic ever again, because Ignis has literally just read up on what can result from that and None of them are Good), and caring for the kitten they saved. As such, he’s the first one to realize that the kitten is by far Not a Normal Kitten.

-If he happens to hunt through the royal library for past examples of animals exposed to high levels of magic, stumbling across stories of Gilgamesh’s eagle companion that suggest said eagle was not in fact an eagle at all... well, Ignis is at least Prepared when the newly named Abyssus starts getting up to Shenanigans.

-Ignis is also the only other one in Noctis’ Retinue that Abyssus will listen to outside Sola. Ignis is not ashamed to admit that it is solely due to plying the massive cat with gourmet meals of meat and fish. And the occasional cream. A smart man knows to pick his battles.

-Then Sola joins Ignis’ magic lessons, and Ignis’ practical lessons are instead taught by the King. Ignis... needs a moment to adjust to that. But he adjusts and focuses on the lessons. As is the norm for his and Sola’s lessons, Ignis spends a fair amount of time tutoring Sola because, as the Princess once put it, Ignis is ‘a damn genius.’

-Something Sola would definitely appreciate more if it didn’t mean Ignis noticed things. Like how different her magic is to both Papa’s and Noctis’. Or how inexperienced she is using her magic and how much she honestly would prefer Not To. And well, Ignis is polite enough not to ask when clearly it’s a topic she’d rather not talk about, but Sola can FEEL Ignis’ curiosity like an itch between her shoulder blades and it’s driving her nuts.

-Sola tells Ignis how her magic is able to heal others by taking the injuries onto herself, but how she’s never been all that strong. She tells him how useless her magic is when it’s needed and how she decided that she never wanted to have to rely on it since she can’t afford to. Not with her little brother.

-And ooh, Ignis is curious about Sola’s magic. Curious and speculating on the exact measure of her abilities, but Ignis respects Sola’s boundaries and keeps his speculations to himself. Sola is trained enough that her magic is not a liability. Anything beyond that is Sola’s prerogative and Ignis will respect Sola’s wishes not to use her magic beyond the necessary basics.

-Then Noctis comes home from a day trip to Galdin Quay in a coma.

-It is Ignis’ first time seeing Sola look so fragile. Like the slightest touch will shatter her into hundreds of shards. It looks wrong. Ignis keeps a close eye on Sola. He cannot do anything to help Noctis, but he can hopefully help his fellow Retinue until Noctis - their Prince, their brother, their King - recovers.

-Ignis is there when Sola Rages at being kept from Noctis’ side. He is there when gold magic erupts from her, turning the air thick with pain-anger-betrayal. He notices how her magic skips over him even as it barrels into the Marshal with the full force of her fury.

-And if Ignis helps Abyssus make the Marshal’s life somewhat... difficult for the next couple days so Sola can join the Kingsglaive training without interference... Well, Ignis is no less pleased at being kept from Noctis’s side. And it’s not like anyone but Sola knows of Ignis’s involvement. They might suspect, but they cannot prove anything.

-Sola appreciates Ignis’ help in the days following Noctis’ injury more than she is capable of expressing with words. She also deeply appreciates just how much of a sneaky little shit he can be when pissed off, because wow. Sola didn’t think anyone could pull one over on Uncle Cor and Ignis managed two weeks. Sure it was mostly Abyssus, but Sola could see Ignis’ fingerprints all over some of her cat’s actions.

-Sola can’t wait to see how much better Ignis will get when they’re all older. Maybe she can suggest he practice on the old codgers that still insist Sola needs a Shield?

-She also really appreciates how much talent Ignis has for magic. Practically, Ignis’ specialty leans heavily towards Elemancy, but theoretically Ignis is, as usual, an utter genius. Ignis helps her work out how to use her odd healing ability, so that her injuries - and damn Tredd to Ifrit’s Pyre, the asshole - are fixed by the time she has to report for training the next day.

-Ignis wants to get revenge on Sola’s behalf, but Sola’s called dibs so Ignis takes his satisfaction in hearing about the utter disbelief when Sola shows up to training fresh as a daisy no matter her injuries the night before. If he also helps Sola come up with increasingly inventive applications for other spells to test on Sola’s victi- erm, volunteers, Ignis says nothing. Plausible deniability and all that.

-When Crowe demands to know how Sola comes up with half the spells she does, Sola takes great glee in introducing Crowe to Ignis. Because Crowe’s face at meeting the twelve-year old genius is hilarious.

-The two get on like a house on fire, and Crowe pouts when Ignis flat out refuses to consider joining the Glaive when he’s older, reasoning that Sola can just as easily convey the results of their magical experimentation. His place is at his Prince’s side.

-Sola decides Ignis is Terrifying when he manages to wrangle her into a dress for her Coming of Age Gala. She still doesn’t know how he managed it, and is more than a bit miffed that she has to actually wear the damn thing. At least until after Crowe escorts her back to her quarters after the party and her girlfriend demonstrates how much she liked the dress.

-Ignis reads Sola the Riot Act the first time she lands in the hospital. It’s also ten times worse than Uncle Cor, Uncle Clarus, Captain, or even Papa scolding her because Ignis figured out how to communicate the same way Noctis and Sola do so she can feel every ounce of Ignis’s disappointment-worry-relief.

-That Ignis then goes out and procures a supply of Phoenix Downs and Hi-Elixirs for the Kingsglaive tells Sola exactly how much he appreciates Sola getting injured as well as how much he believes in Sola’s ability to stay out of the hospital. Sola just really wants to know how on Ifrit’s Pyre Ignis managed it, because Phoenix Downs and Hi-Elixirs are expensive. (The Glaive also would really like to know and may or may not be in Awe. They also ask Titus where they can get an Ignis of their own.)

-(Ignis is Smug. Then again, helping Noctis sneak down to Little Galahd to discreetly commission Sola’s Coming of Age gift was far more difficult. If less expensive in the long run.)

-When Sola goes head to head with the Council over the conditions of Little Galahd, she takes vindictive pleasure in securing Ignis’ help. Because Ignis sees it as experience for when Noctis becomes King and is absolutely vicious in tearing apart the nobles Ignis sees as taking advantage of his King’s people. Especially when a number of those same people are responsible for keeping Sola alive on the battlefield.

-Ignis is seventeen going on eighteen when he finds out about Libertus and Sola dating. By seeing the rather distinct bruising on Sola’s neck during one of their training sessions and Ignis blue screens. Just, nope. Ignis did not, at any point in time, want to consider the fact that his Big Sister might have a sex life. (Him telling the Marshal and watching the subsequent Chaos as Cor and Regis Overreact is Ignis’ Petty Revenge. Noctis, pass the popcorn.)

-(Ignis and Noctis also dig out the popcorn when Gladio tries to threaten Libertus and Sola kicks his ass around a training room.)

-Ignis absolutely helps Sola and Libertus plan their wedding. In which he helps Libertus mediate between Sola and the Royal Wedding Planners and finds convenient excuses to drag Sola away from the preparations whenever it’s clear she’s about to strangle someone. (Though he does come to the aid of the Royal Tailors if only so Sola will have a not-dress that doesn’t sear the eyes of every non-Lucis Caelum present. He’s picked up enough of the Galahd Color Code from the Florist Debate to be able to argue the basics with the Walking Fashion Disaster that is Sola.)

-(Ignis even manages to wrangle Regis and Noctis into Decent Suits, at which point the Royal Tailors probably cry because it’s a MIRACLE-)

-Ignis repeats his miracle of dressing Sola and Noctis (not Regis this time, he leaves the King to the Royal Tailors who don’t quite manage to get rid of the pinstripes) for Noctis’ own Coming of Age Gala. Sola compromises with Ignis for an outfit cut similar to her wedding not-dress because ‘I’m going as Noctis’ Sword, not as Princess.’ Ignis is just thankful that Libertus is so easy going when it comes to formal occasions requiring his presence as Prince-Consort and can help Ignis with his wife.

Prompto:

-At first, Sola is concerned about Noctis’ new friend. Because her little brother has been friends with this kid for weeks now but hasn’t said so much as a word to her. Sola Worries. And Overreacts.

-Sola ends up doing a full background check on one Prompto Argentum, digging up every little bit of intelligence she can find as far back as there are documents for.

-She even breaks into Uncle Cor’s files, because some of the files she’s found has her Uncle’s fingerprints all over it and why the Pyre are the Crownsguard watching Noctis’ civilian friend?

-The reports Sola steals from Cor’s office nearly make her throw up out of horror. Because how could someone do that to a baby?! Cor finds her later as she’s doing her level best to trash a training room and Sola confesses to the documents she stole from his office. Cor reassures her that they’ve been watching Noctis and Prompto, and it really is just friendship.

-Prompto is honestly terrified the first time Noctis introduces him to his older sister. Everyone knows how protective the Princess is of her little brother, and Noctis adores his sister. If Sola doesn’t approve of him, Noctis would probably drop their friendship like a hot potato.

-He’s... not expecting her to be so short. From Noctis’ stories, Sola seemed to be larger than life so meeting her and realizing that he’s actually taller than her is jarring.

-Noctis introduces him, and Prompto can see how tense he is as the two siblings somehow hold a whole conversation in one look alone. But then Sola smiles at him, then she’s hugging him and thanking him for being Noctis’ friend and Prompto would really like it if the ground could swallow him now. Noctis’ face is so red that he could probably cook an egg on it but he’s also relieved so Prompto decides he can put up with a bit of embarrassment at being thanked by the Princess.

-Sola feels any lingering concerns about Noctis’ friendship with Prompto disappear the first time she meets him. Because while Noctis hasn’t realized it yet, he’s already slotted Prompto in as his Heart. And Prompto, for all that they’ve been friends for a few short weeks is whole-heartedly devoted to Noctis.

-But Sola can see the insecurities dogging Prompto’s heels. He’s not of noble or royal (or even Lucian, but Prompto doesn’t know Sola knows that) birth, he’s not had a day of combat training for all that he’s in decent shape for a civilian, and at sixteen he’s the only one not Officially part of Noctis’ Retinue. Or even unofficially, because Noctis is Protective and doesn’t want to seemingly drag Prompto into the Drama of Court against his will.

-So Sola goes to talk to him. Because she knows what it’s like, feeling like she isn’t good enough for Noctis. And Prompto is just as wrong as Sola was at fifteen.

-While Ignis distracts Noctis, Sola drags Prompto off to a corner of the Citadel she knows will be absolutely free of anyone trying to eavesdrop.

-Prompto is blindsided when Sola tells him, dead serious, just how much Noctis values his relationship with Prompto. That for years Noctis has longed for a friend that sees him as Noctis first instead of the Crown Prince. That Noctis doesn’t care that Prompto isn’t noble or combat trained or a genius like Ignis, because face it, no one’s as smart as Ignis - Sola grins when Prompto can’t hold back the snort at the way Sola complains about Ignis’ intelligence.

-Then Sola tells Prompto about the four positions of the King’s Retinue. The Sword, the Shield, the Hand, and the Heart. And Prompto feels his heart thunder in his chest because he knows where this is going. Noctis already has three Retainers. He sits, wide eyed and breathless as Sola tells Prompto that the Heart is someone who protects the King, not from physical harm, but emotional. Someone who supports the King through life as his friend. Good times, bad times, everything.

-Prompto chokes out that Sola makes it sound like marriage. Sola snorts, but states that it’s not uncommon for a King’s Heart to also be the King’s Consort. Her grandfather King Mors’ Heart was her grandmother Queen Vita. Papa’s on the other hand... Papa’s was Uncle Cid, and after their falling out Mama tried her best, but it wasn’t the same. Just like how Ignis’ father is the Royal Advisor but not Papa’s Hand because Uncle Weskham lives in Altissia.

-Prompto thinks about that, thinks about having a fight with Noctis so bad that he never talks to him again and something in his chest clenches. Prompto wants to say that it will never happen, but the secret of his origins weighs down on his shoulders.

-He asks Sola why her Uncles left the King, if they were part of his Retinue. Sola fiddles with the end of her braid as she sadly says that Uncle Weskham was injured and they had to leave him in Altissia so the Empire didn’t catch them during the Great War. Uncle Wes told them to do it, but apparently it really hurt Papa to leave him. Uncle Cid, something about Grandfather, she’s never learned the full story there. But them leaving broke something in her Papa, and it’s why Lucis Caelum’s don’t bond with just anyone. Because when it goes wrong...

-Sola looks at Prompto, and she tells him that Noctis chose Prompto as his Heart before Sola ever met Prompto. Prompto gapes at Sola, because, what? Sola’s mouth quirks into a half smile, and she tells him that Noctis hasn’t offered the position to Prompto because being recognized Officially comes with Expectations and Noctis doesn’t want to force that on Prompto.

-Prompto protests, Noctis wouldn’t be forcing Prompto into it, Prompto would be happy to take the position! Sola grins and says that she knows that, but her little brother can be a bit Dense. He also worries, because it’ll make Prompto a target and he doesn’t want Prompto to get hurt. Hence why she’s telling Prompto all this because Astrals know Noctis won’t.

-Prompto has to sit there, dazed as he considers everything Sola just dumped into his lap. Then he turns to Sola and says that Retainers are Officially appointed at 18, right? Sola nods, and Prompto says that he’s got two years then, can she teach him self defense? Because he wants to protect Noctis too.

-Sola beams at him, and Prompto can’t help but grin back.

-Sola teaches Prompto self defense, which Gladio takes over when Sola is busy with the Glaive. Ignis keeps Noctis from finding out about the training, because Prompto wants it to be a surprise.

-Sola helps Prompto find a weapon he favors, and then proceeds to join him for firearms training and the two bond over guns. Sure, Sola’s interest is in weapons in general rather than guns specifically, but she is able to keep up with him when he goes off on a ramble about whichever model’s caught his interest and it’s nice.

-It’s also nice when she finds out about Prompto’s photography hobby and Prompto learns that she weaves tapestries. The first time Prompto helps Sola prank the Glaives by taking a series of photos for Sola that she then makes tapestries from to secretly hang in Glaive HQ, Prompto is practically giddy as the Glaives all but lose their minds trying to find out who the artist is. (Apparently the inclusion of the photographs completely threw off all their previous assumptions, leaving them back at square one.) He and Sola exchange fist bumps.

-Prompto ends up revealing his training to Noctis earlier than expected, because Noctis frantically comes begging for Prompto to be his plus one to Sola’s wedding so Gladio doesn’t kick his ass for asking Iris. Sola overhears and dryly tells Noctis that him taking a member outside of his Retinue will give everyone the impression that he and Prompto are dating. Iris doesn’t count because she’s twelve and his Shield’s little sister.

-Noctis freezes like a spiracorn in the headlights and Prompto watches with some amusement as Sola rolls her eyes and tells Noctis to just ask already. Because as funny as everyone’s reactions would be to thinking Prompto and Noctis were dating, he really doesn’t see Noctis like that. Nuh uh. That’s his brother.

-Noctis stammers so bad trying to ask Prompto to be his Heart that Prompto takes pity on him and accepts. Then, while Noctis is gaping, Prompto points at Sola and says that his sister explained the whole thing, like a year ago. Noctis shoots a wounded look at Sola, who is completely unsympathetic when she tells Noctis that he’d bonded with Prompto at fifteen. She got impatient. Now go drag his Heart to Ignis so he can get outfitted for this shindig.

-Alongside the professional photographers hired for the wedding, Sola asks for Prompto to take photos beforehand because she wants some photos that feel more candid and she really likes Prompto’s work. Prompto is over the moon. Especially when he later sees one of his photos (of Sola and Libertus, flanked by Nyx and Crowe) being turned into a tapestry on Sola’s loom and Sola confides that it’ll be placed in the Hall of Arts with all the other Official Royal Art.

-Sola complains when Noctis’ Coming of Age Gala comes around, because as Prince he doesn’t need an escort, and Prompto just laughs at Sola. Sola throws one of her warp balls at his head but Prompto catches it and whips it back, starting a game of catch/dodge ball until Ignis comes in and tells them to take it to a training room before they break something. Again.

-As a civilian, there’s no pomp and circumstance for his eighteenth birthday. Even his appointment as Noctis’ Heart is a much quieter affair than the rest of the Retinue (though considering Sola’s Appointment was during her own Coming of Age Gala, everyone else’s was quiet comparatively).

-Prompto is more than fine with that. They celebrate his birthday with presents (Sola gets him an absolutely gorgeous camera) and then he and the guys go out downtown while Sola tells them to have fun.

#Shadow of Heaven's Light #ffxv #Sola Lucis Caelum #Noctis Lucis Caelum #Ignis Scientia #Prompto Argentum #Nani asks #this got stupidly long #like holy crap

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