#Cervitaurs!Ignis

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Hey guys, remember my Fantasy AU? Well, I thought ya’ll might like a baby Cervitaurs Ignis wiggling his lil’ tail for you :3

My first attempt at a simple GIF was a success (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ

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Coming in third in my series of Final Fantasy XV Centaurs but second in my ranking of overall favorite Chocobros is Ignis Scientia: brilliant, bespectacled, and a better cook than you! Support me on Ko-Fi and RedBubble!

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Ignis is inarguably the most mature member of the four Chocobros (and no, it isn’t just his somewhat out-of-place British accent that makes me say that): as Prince Noctis’ most trusted advisor, Ignis takes on the responsibilities of chef and chauffeur throughout their adventure to ensure his allies are well-nourished and arrive at each of their destinations safely and efficiently. I’m certainly not alone in calling Ignis the Chocobros’ resident “Team Mom”, and it’s exactly these parental qualities Ignis exhibits that made me choose to portray him as a cervitaur. Indeed, deer have been characterized numerous times as guardians that nurture and protect the protagonists of the stories that include them, from Bambi’s mother to Harry Potter’s Patronus; even the Ceryneian Hind was a symbol of empowerment related to the Goddess Artemis of Greek myth. However, as frequently as deer are depicted as wise and loving caretakers, they are just as frequently the object of hunt and sacrifice—a second look at the examples in the previous sentence shows that each was eventually captured, killed, or was dead before the story even began. No spoilers, but any fan of Final Fantasy XV is well aware of the sacrifices Ignis was willing to make with the hopes of keeping Noctis safe. And yes, as an adult I sobbed just as hard witnessing the events of Final Fantasy XV play out as any kid does when they realize Bambi’s mom… well, we all know what happened to Bambi’s mom 😢

[moonraccoon-exe]

Right, so I’m not officially submitting this to Gladnis Week because it’s more of a rambled idea than a fic (or should I make it an entry nonetheless?). Okay, so

I lied.

I have this.

Fantasy AU Gladnis.

I read this book, Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman. In that universe, dragons co-exist with humans, except it’s super tense ‘cause humans are scared of dragons, but they’ve got a peace treaty. Dragons are able to shapeshift into human form; a dragon is called a Saar, and their human form is a Saarantras. Dragons live in their natural form up north, but many live among humans in their saarantras, though being allowed to shift once every four years among humans (or shift somewhere away of cities, with official permission).

Dragons think humans are mentally and spiritually inferior because of emotions. Dragons don’t feel, not in the levels that a human does, but they can experiment feelings in their saarantras. Except they don’t want to.

For dragons, emotions are an obstacle, as it gets in the way of doing things. As a summary, they believe emotions don’t let you be objective and, hence, they don’t allow you to give your best on something. Many dragons even find emotions as disgusting to witness. They believe they’re superior because they’re able to do politics and all that they do being “fully objective”.

Now, what if a saarantras decides they want to feel, even if just for curiosity? That’s fine. To certain levels. Most (if not all) saarantrai are often under the watch of censors, who make sure a saar is not feeling “too much”. If a saarantras makes public display of emotions that crosses the line of what they’re allowed, the censors will take them back to their lands at north and erase their memories, at least the ones that gave birth to the emotions the dragon felt too much, as a way to start again. That way, if they felt too much joy from hanging with a human kid, they’ll erase the kid from their memories so next time they meet said kid, it will cause nothing to their emotions simply because they don’t remember they ever enjoyed being with this kid. Or if they grew too sad because a dog died, they will erase all memories from said pet, so the dragon won’t feel this sadness because they literally can’t remember the doggo.

That is, of course, they have to see said saarantras showing emotion; maybe a saarantras feels it but doesn’t demonstrate it, hence the censors won’t know. The problem is showing it, allowing emotions to control their actions.

Dragons do this to keep the “purity” of their race. A dragon that feels can be compared to a human, and, well, ew. Humans are inferior, and sure they create art like no dragon can ever do, but what utility does art have anyway? A dragon that feels isn’t focusing 100% in their job. So nope, they’re being watched to make sure they’re not feeling too much.

Now you see where we’re heading, hm?

Let us imagine: human Gladio, and saarantras Ignis.

Forbidden love trope + fantasy AU! Don’t worry, the book doesn’t focus on the “majestic male dragon with super handsome saarantras who illicitly and ‘unexpectedly’ falls in love with doll-like beautiful human maid” story, it’s got a bigger and more interesting plot, but let us imagine the trope for Gladnis okay hndfjgnsfsp

The book’s universe is sort of like a renaissance time, but I guess we can choose perfectly fine between that or modern times like the game.

Gladio’s the Shield of the Prince by birth and job and a passionate historian by school. He has a normal life and a very good acceptance for saarantrai; not only does Gladio not fear them, he also adores the idea of the two races living together as if it didn’t matter. As the world is mostly in peace, there’s not much of a job for a Shield or soldier, so he spends most of his time in his history researches or just reading, when he can.

The saarantrai wear a little bell on their shoulder so people know they’re dragons, but some are extent of this, mostly researches. This is so that they’re allowed in human schools, spaces and jobs without being discriminated or feared. The apprentice to prince-adviser is one of those.

When he arrived to the court, they presented him as the king’s attendant’s nephew. People assume he’s a very quiet young man that’s either too shy or asocial, but a few people know this is a dragon. King Regis thought it convenient to have a dragon as the prince’s second hand, so that in a future people and dragons could learn to live and grow together; with a human and a dragon in lead of Lucis, it’d become a great change for good when Noctis would take the throne.

Clarus knows, too, and the Council, and Noctis, of course.  

They hadn’t told Gladio, though. But Gladio figures it out pretty quickly. He too had assumed that Ignis was just shy and asocial, but he starts paying attention to his behavior and figures out that this guy, Ignis, it a saarantras allowed to go incognito without the bell.

Still, he doesn’t try to approach him. He holds a mostly diplomatic relationship with him, because while Gladio accepts the saarantrai, they can get rude to deal with, or just difficult. Saarantrai not only don’t feel, they also aren’t familiar with many feelings, so sometimes it’s hard to talk with them and have them understand at all. Plus, this particular saarantras doesn’t seem interested in anything; Gladio had tried conversation with him, but Ignis doesn’t reply or just goes super blank on him.

One day, however, he’s at the royal library when the doors open and two forms come in; the university’s director and Ignis, following close behind and with the same blank, serious expression of always, and both are heading his way with a request.

“You want me to teach him human Lucian history?” Gladio asks as if he hadn’t heard well, or as if expecting them to take back their words.

“Your thesis covered the very same aspects and lapses of history that Ignis is interested in” the university’s director explains. “I believed, as you’ve graduated already as top of your class and as it’s best for him to not leave the Citadel for too long due to his duties, and as you two work together here, perhaps you could teach him and guide him into his own thesis.”

“He was top of his class?” Ignis asks to the director as if though Gladio wasn’t there. “He looks like the brute type.”

Gladio knows it’s not an insult and nothing personal, this is just a saarantras with no notion of modesty or sympathy, but it still annoys him. Indeed, it annoys him even more that it wasn’t an insult; insults tend to be forced just to hurt, but this saarantras is only stating what’s a fact for him, and, well, ouch.

Long story short, the two end up together. Ignis was curious about history and studied it, and Gladio’s now in charge of teaching him. Not only does Ignis want to learn history for his thesis, he always wants to study all of it so that he can understand the human history of Lucis much better, seen as his new role asks him to stay there forever and advise a human, so to do that he must understand humans first, right?

“It wouldn’t be wise to guide people when you can’t understand them.”

Again, it’s a fact for the saarantras. But it makes Gladio feel good and makes him grow some admiration for this dragon; Ignis may seem cold and rude, but he’s actually smart and wants to make a good job, not just do it because he was told, and majored in history just for the sake of advising Noctis prudently and wisely. Needless to say, despite their rough beginning, Gladio quickly grows fond of this dragon and tries to be a good teacher and companion for him.

Ignis sticks to him in his free time, because he took the words “Gladio’s your new teacher” too literally. *sigh* typical saarantrai misunderstanding. Saarantrai value the word ‘teacher’, it’s the maximum title of admiration, because a teacher is the base for a future so a teacher is like sacred to them, and Ignis took the words too literally and now he’s following Gladio everywhere. The poor thing sticks to the Shield like a puppy or a kid, except all serious and quiet.

This one day Ignis is going through Gladio’s personal collection of books to see if any of them could be of use for his thesis, and he made two different piles. Gladio had not seen it weird at first, but when he got closer to see what kind of separation he was making, he saw that one pile was history and the other was novels.

“Why are you piling up the novels?”

“I was seeing how many of those you have” Ignis explains. “There’s so many. But these have no value. They don’t have any facts, they’re only…what do you call them? ‘Imaginary’ stories. Why do you keep all these useless texts? Do you use them for analysis of human psychology?”

“Actually, I just like them.”

“Oh. True. I forgot you’re human.” There’s a long pause. “What is so interesting about these? I see some humans going crazy about novels. But I don’t understand why. It’s full of lies.”

“Well, we’re aware it’s lies. We call it fantasy or imaginary content. I guess that we like them because they’re interesting and make us feel good.”

Ignis blinks at him blankly. He understands but doesn’t at the same time. He gets the point but…really, explaining that to a saarantras is useless.

“Why?”

“Hm…I don’t know. They may have suspense, and getting to the resolution is satisfying. Or it may be romance, and we may feel moved. Or it can be tragedy and we can cry and clean the heart.”

“Crying cleans the heart? That’s interesting, I had not heard about it before. How does it work? I assume the eyes must be connected to the heart in some way. I have learned some things of human biology but I’ve never heard of a direct connection of eyes and the heart, let alone the-”

“No, no” Gladio tries not to laugh. “I mean…it’s only a metaphor. It’s not biology.”

“Ah, metaphors” Ignis brushes it off and continues looking in the books. “We’re bad at metaphors. Us dragons, I mean. So if it doesn’t really clean the heart, what’s the purpose of making yourself cry with a text made out of lies?”

“You’re very curious for a saar, you know?”

“I doubt curiosity is an emotion.”

Gladio doesn’t respond. He laughs a bit and Ignis just stares at him not understanding the motif of laughter.

They continue their days with Gladio teaching Ignis and Ignis following him everywhere like an obedient but expressionless puppy, and with each day Gladio starts finding that more and more adorable for some reason. Ignis walking behind him or at his side, watching him with those beautiful green and super curious eyes, sitting with him to eat even if it’s in silence, sometimes following him while in pajamas, it’s absolutely adorable for some reason.

One day Gladio’s reading one of his novels while Ignis is writing some document. The saarantras looks up at his human teacher at times to see how he’s doing; sometimes Gladio’s smiling, sometimes he’s blank, sometimes he’s serious, sometimes he has this nervous human tic of biting his nails, and a few times he’s chuckling. Ignis tries to rein it in because it’d be innapropiate and novels are senseless…but…

“Explain it to me.”

Gladio looks up from his reading and finds Ignis standing in front of him, serious.

“What?”

“The novel” Ignis points at the book. “Explain it to me. It makes you smile sometimes, and then you’re nervous, and then you’re happy again. I don’t understand. You are aware the things written in there are not real. Why do they make you feel things, if you know it’s only lies?”

“Hm…well…I don’t think that’s something a saar can understand. No offense. It’s just…it’s hard to explain why something makes you feel things, you know?”

“Then describe it to me” Ignis says. “The story. Tell me about it.”

Gladio’s a bit confused and hesitates at first, but eventually he has Ignis sit with him, and he tells him the story of the book, about the heroine, the prince in dismay, the evil daemons, the plot and characters. The more he says the more stupid he feels, because Ignis shows no emotion to what he’s saying, so Gladio fears he’s getting all excited telling this story and Ignis just doesn’t get it, and Gladio feels stupid because he sees how silly it is to tell a fictional story.

Ignis just nods and thanks him, and goes back to work, and Gladio feels stupid.

But, the next day, Ignis has the same request.

“Could you please tell me the story of another of those novels that you read?” Ignis asks him. He offers no explanation, and Gladio’s surprised but doesn’t question him, and tells him more. Ignis, again, shows no reaction, only thanks him and leaves.

But the saarantras starts asking him for stories every day.

Sometimes, Gladio has Ignis follow him to some play, or to see a dance, or to hear some music, and sometimes Ignis finds Gladio looking at paintings and, as he’s following him, Ignis stays with him all the while that Gladio takes to look at them, not understanding why this human is taking so long to stare at it. But this happens so often, Ignis starts staring at them, too; he has no option. Sometimes Ignis sees Gladio play with his little sister, and some times he sees Gladio reprimanding Noctis, and sometimes rewarding him.

All in all,as time passes, Ignis sees Gladio in his normal life, and sees him in every scheme of the human emotions; angered, sad, happy, relaxed, tense, nervous, mischievous, stressed, everything, all while Gladio still takes him to art exhibitions or concerts and while he’s tutoring the dragon.

At some point, Ignis sees him play with Iris, and when the Shield is done and goes back to the saar, Ignis starts questioning him.

“Gladiolus, I don’t understand” he says.

“What’s the matter, Iggy?”

“I felt…something” the saar tries to explain, the head lightly tilted to a side like a curious bird. “I felt…content?”

“Oh? Well…that’s normal, I guess.”

“Yes, I had felt that before, but this is the first time it happens like this” Ignis explains. “I had felt content being rewarded or seeing things turning out fine. But right now, while I watched you play with your sister…you were laughing so much, she yelped out in surprise and joy and laughter, and you two ran behind each other, shoved each other and laughed, and you hugged her while still laughing, and that’s…that’s when I felt it” Ignis tells him. “I don’t understand. I was not taking part in the game. I was not part of the situation. I was only watching. Why did watching the two of you play make me happy when I was not part of it?”

Gladio’s taken off guard. He’s not sure he knows the answer to that, it’s a bit abstract, and it’s a surprise to see Ignis feeling things, even if as little.

“Well…I guess…joy is contagious?”

“Contagious? You mean like a virus? That’s new to me. I had no idea emotions had a biological manifestation-”

Gladio laughs and decides to let this dragon rant on, but when Ignis hears him laughing he looks at the Shield as if confused and shuts up, looking away. Gladio thinks he messed up and offended the dragon, but that’d be silly; dragons don’t feel so he can’t feel offended. Still, he must have made the saarantras uncomfortable.

Times continues and Ignis still requests him to tell him stories and starts requesting him to take him to more concerts.

“We dragons can master the musical technique” he says, “but you humans have this interesting way of putting…emotion into the music. The phonetic change is notorious; I don’t understand why, but a human playing with…what do you call it? Passion. It sounds…different than a dragon with perfectly clean technique. I want to understand it and how it works.”

Gladio, for a moment, thinks that this may be an excuse, and wonders if Ignis’ real motif is that he’s been enjoying of the concerts. But that’d be silly because dragons don’t feel.

Time goes and Gladio is still being followed by Ignis. They have been caught under the rain, and Ignis has run behind a laughing Gladio, not sure he understands why he laughs but certainly not upset. He’s seen Gladio help an old woman with her bags, not sure he understands why he’s feeling things just by witnessing that. He has been with Gladio when the Shield has stopped to pet a stray and scared kitten (that he ended up adopting), not sure he understands what he feels, but feeling it.

Ignis is not sure of why, but every day he’s more attracted to following Gladiolus. He’s interesting, he says to convince himself, but he feels like there’s another way of explaining it that he can’t name. He sees Gladiolus do things and he doesn’t understand why, but he knows that he admires him more and more for every of those things that he does, and he learns a lot about Gladio with the little actions that he makes.

One day, there’s a royal visit of the prince to the outskirts or in town or something, and so Gladio has to stick by Noctis’ side all the time, as is his duty.

At some point, there’s Niflheim intruders among the people that try to harm the prince, and Gladio fights them off. Ignis, as part of the prince’s retinue above his title of Crownsguard, is forced and escorted to leave with Noctis while the Crownsguard and Shield fight the bad guys off. And, he’s not sure of why, but he kept insisting that he stays…except the thing in his mind isn’t to fight the bad guys off Noctis, the prince is already safe, he’s thinking about ‘why are we leaving Gladiolus behind?’ and all the way he keeps looking back to see if he can spot the Shield, and he’s not sure why.

All the while waiting for Crownsguard to come back to the palace he’s been nervous. More than nervous, he’s anxious. And it makes him twice the anxious to be aware that he’s feeling, and it makes him three times the anxious to see that, as he’s already aware that he’s nervous, he’s trying to calm it down and keep it cool because he’s not supposed to feel, but he can’t. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t calm down, and he hates it and doesn’t understand why emotions are so hard to control. He even considers going out and to the outskirts to shift to his dragon form, to get rid of the anxiety, but he’s not allowed to leave.

He tries to think he’s nervous because they were attacked, but truth is he’s nervous for something…someone else and he knows it.

When he hears the Crownsguard are back (and ‘the injured are in the infirmary’), he requests to go see the injured.

“My human teacher is there” Ignis explains, and when he fears they may think he’s worried, he adds, “I have to see his state and see if it’s worth waiting for tonight’s lesson or if I should look for another teacher.”

The human guards are a bit confused, not sure if they just heard a saar worried or if he’s sincere, but they brush it off and let him in.

Gladio’s badly injured, but awake and stable. He receives Ignis with some shock, not having expected for the saar to visit him, so he guesses Ignis may just have a question and he will take his leave.

Instead of that, Ignis stays at a side of the bed, not replying to the ‘Hey, Iggy. Everything okay?’ He stands there staring at Gladiolus and the floor. His hands moved a little, doing a fist, undoing, doing it again and so on, softly but in a clear…nervous sign. Gladio, confused, asks him again if everything’s fine. His voice is quiet and hoarse; he’s tired and paining, a bandage around the head and covering his already scarred eye, and another on the arm and some around the torso. He’s badly bruised and there’s still some blood on him. It’s bad. And Ignis is staring at it all, every bruise and cut and bandage.

At first Gladio thinks Ignis doesn’t understand, but that makes no sense. This is physical harm, not an emotion, so Ignis should have no reason to be curious and not understand.

Quiet, Ignis sits at his side and still says nothing. Gladio stares at him, a bit worried for the saar. Maybe he’s in shock for the attack, and he has no idea how to handle shock. He’s about to ask him again if he’s fine, and, suddenly, it happens.

He hears Ignis sniffle.

Gladio’s confused at first and thinks he heard wrong, but then he sees the saar move a hand up and clean one of his eyes from under the glasses.

Ignis is crying.

It takes Gladio long to process it and understand. This is a saarantras, a saar. This is a dragon. He can’t be crying. He can’t be…feeling. But there he is, sat right at his side and refusing to look at him, a crying Ignis.

“I don’t understand” Ignis says with a trembling and weak voice. “I am not injured. Why does it hurt?”

Gladio stil takes so very long to process and to do anything that’s not stare and be in shock.

“…where does it hurt, Igs?”

“I don’t know” Ignis cries but still refuses to look at him. “I don’t know, but it does. It didn’t hurt…until I saw you. I am positive pain is not contagious. I’m experimenting…many emotions. And I don’t understand why; all that I did was look at you. Why does it hurt me if it’s you in the bed?”

Gladio still takes very long to reply. He stays very quiet and shocked looking at Ignis, who seems to be very frustrated that he can’t stop crying no matter how much he cleans his eyes.

And realization hits him then.

Ignis is worried. And he cares enough to cry.

“Gods…” Ignis sniffles. “I…should go see the censors…”

“No, no” Gladio hurries, though he’s still weak. “If you go see the censors, all the research you’ve done will be lost. Obviously, it’s the first time you experience fear in these levels, and your body doesn’t know how to handle it. But it’s fine. Don’t go to the censors. If you let them erase your memories of me…all your research will be gone, because all of it you’ve done with me. Don’t go with them. For...your research. Obviously.”

Ignis takes long, and still refuses to make eye contact. He knows this is an excuse; the censors could very easily remove Gladio from his memories without affecting his research and new knowledge. Ignis is aware this is an excuse.

But he nods. He lies to himself because he wants to. And he doesn’t go to the censors. He doesn’t want to forget about Gladio and all they’ve done together.

The next day, Ignis greets Gladio with his usual blank and serious expression, and he rarely visits him at the infirmary. But he does; rarely, but he does. Always with some excuse, or with a question that’s so silly Gladio knows is just an excuse, but Ignis visits. And Gladio knows it may be wrong, but really he doesn’t care; Ignis is showing some sort of worry and care, and that’s very wonderful. Gladio’s always thought that all this ‘not feeling’ is absurd and dragons should let that go. Not like emotions can be controlled, half their effort goes into controlling their feelings, so in some way their ‘we don’t feel to focus 100 percent in work’ is absurd. But that’s something he can’t change.

But he can not expose Ignis, and let this one dragon feel. Because from what Gladio has learned of him, Ignis has a very, very, immensely huge and incredibly kind heart. He should be allowed to feel. He wants him to feel. So none say anything.

And Ignis starts feeling in secret. Indeed, he’s been feeling for a veeeeery long while now, but now he starts feeling being aware of it. And sometimes he feels guilty he’s feeling (and feels guiltier he’s feeling guilt, hahaha), but he goes on with this, putting excuses to himself for the things he does.

And the concerts continue, the plays, the poems and stories that Gladio narrates and tells to him, and, once, Ignis took one of Gladio’s novels and read it in secret. And after that one he picked another, and another, and he thinks he’s being subtle, but Gladio knows his books, and notices when one is missing. But he pretends he has no idea.

Sometimes he hears Ignis sighing during a concert, and Gladio pretends he didn’t hear. Sometimes he hears him gasp in the suspense part of a play, and pretends he didn’t hear. Sometimes he’ll smile while watching people dance, and Gladio will again pretend he’s not seeing. But he is seeing. A smiling Ignis…Gladio likes to see a saar experiment feelings and show little, tiny demonstrations of it, it’s super interesting and new, but from all the things that he likes to see Ignis experience, he really likes to see the saar smile. It’s rare, and absolutely beautiful. Ignis’ saarantras is absolutely beautiful on its own; when he smiles in that form…the gods bless. That beauty is amplified.

One day, at a royal ball, Ignis sticks with Gladio as he’s always done (except now it’s because he wants to), and Gladio enjoys watching the saar smile watching others dance. It took him a while, but he got to make Ignis see how to enjoy watching. It’s not rare that a saar dances; they do can feel but only to certain levels and do things involving art, so dancing is not rare.

And Gladio puts that as excuse when he asks him for a dance.

And there go the two, into the mass of people to dance. Gladio, taller, takes the leading role and grabs one of Ignis’ hands and puts the other to his waist. Very curiously, he sees the saar react to that; Ignis looks at him for a moment with a bit of surprise. Ignis stares down and away and stutters a bit and tries to talk stuff, and Gladio’s a bit surprised. Did he just see a saar…going shy? Dragons can’t blush because they have silver rather than red blood, but he wondered, had Ignis been able to, would he have blushed?

The two dance one, two, three songs, and they could have gone for a fourth. But Ignis sees a censor staring at him and worries that he’s shown too much emotion during the dancing without noticing. He’s sure he’s been reining some laughs in, and he’s had half of his focus into not smiling too much while Gladio has him dancing all through the entire hall with a grace he didn’t know possible in a man his size, but he wonders if maybe one or two inappropiate ones escaped him and the censor saw it. So Ignis stops them there. Gladio doesn’t complain, but he feels a bit sad that they won’t continue. Ignis is a very good dancer.

Some days later, Ignis is helping Gladio arrange the books of his personal collection, in his office. They’re very quiet, but Gladio doesn’t mind. It’s Ignis who, while arranging books and taking that as excuse to not look at him, starts some conversation.

“Gladio. I’ve been experimenting some feelings that I hadn’t had before.”

That’s not new. Some saar can live among humans and stumble upon a new feeling only after years, and it’s difficult for them to name them.

“Sure. Describe it to me?”

“Well…I don’t know. This is the most abstract I’ve experienced.”

Gladio thinks he won’t talk again, but the saar sighs and tries it.

“Sometimes, I really want to see you.”

Gladio stops with the books after putting two in their place. At first he did not process the words, and when he does, he turns to look at the saar. Ignis too is looking at him. They keep eye contact for a moment before Ignis looks away and continues with the books and shelves.

“It’s difficult to explain. But sometimes, I want to see you to the point where it feels like…a necessity. Like my day is not complete without seeing you first. I have the literal necessity to see you, to hear you talk, and sometimes that you talk to me, and that you see me. It makes me happy, that part I do understand. But I don’t understand why it’s…a necessity.”

Gladio feels his own face become red, and a ranch of chocobos in his tummy. He’s already half-accepted to himself his own crush on the dragon, but had said nothing because 1. That’s bestiality in some way 2. That’s sick in the eyes of society and 3. It’s senseless to fall in love with someone that literally can’t (or isn’t allowed to) feel. To hear Ignis say this sort of things, it makes his heart race. He’s been a bit flustered whenever Ignis compliments him (in his awkward and sometimes harsh dragon way), but this…is new. And it makes him very flustered.

He takes some moments before he says anything.

“I guess…you’re just growing fond of my presence.”

“That is true” Ignis nods, not looking at him. “But it’s different. Sometimes, when you tell me something positive about myself, or when you find me staring, I really don’t want you to see me, and I feel…” he gestures with the hand as if not finding the word. “…this thing. I feel tickles in my stomach, but I’m positive I have no parasites. And my heart speeds up, but I’ve seen the doctor and I’m positive it’s in good conditions. And I wish…sometimes, that you can touch my face, or my hand. It feels nice, but I don’t understand the physiological reason. And I really want you to see the positive things in me. But thing is, I feel all this only when it’s about you, not with anybody else. Is that normal? What is it?”

And that’s when Gladio understands, simply because that’s absolutely normal in every human when they experience it, and because he’s been feeling it too. He’s taken completely by surprise and the only thing he can do is look at Ignis with widened eyes and the mouth slightly open. Ignis continues arranging the books with his usual blank expression. Sometimes he looks at Gladio but turns his attention to the shelves again, as if he had just said that the sky is blue instead of that…implicit, maybe accidental confession.

“Well…” Gladio starts, a bit quietly, and with the heart in the throat. “…I think…I think that’s…called…’having a crush’…”

Ignis continues with the books for a moment, stops, blinks and turns in Gladio’s direction.

“Don’t be ridiculous” Ignis says. “I have read about this whole crush issue. For the sake of investigation, of course. And what I’ve learnt is that ‘having a crush’ is just the human explanation for a fully egocentric, selfish and sometimes narcissistic necessity of wanting somebody else to compliment you, gift you things, and be good to you with silly gestures like the hold of hands or kissing. It’s disgusting and only the psychological necessity of having somebody making you feel good.”

Gladio smiles a little, with some sympathy; he likes that Ignis knows a lot of things, but the poor thing should just learn to feel freely.

“And that’s not what you feel?”

“…of course not” Ignis says with a slight hint of hesitation. “I mean, there are some symptoms, I won’t deny. But I discard it from being a ‘crush’ because of the entire ‘I want you to make me feel good’ argument. That is not the case. It’s the opposite of the case.”

“Then, you don’t want me to make you feel happy?”

There’s a long pause, like Ignis is thinking or hesitating.

“Partly” Ignis says. “I was afraid it would be this ‘crush’ thing, so I have dedicated great time to think it through and analyze it, and that’s not the core of this…emotion. It is one part, but more like an extension of it, not the core.”

“So what is the core?”

“Almost the entire opposite…I think” Ignis looks utterly confused at this point. “I stopped to think, what if you don’t want me nearby, though? This necessity to go to you, to see you, to hear you, that’s all that I want from you. But what about the scenario where you don’t want me nearby? And I thought, ‘what would I feel if that was the case? Would I stop thinking about Gladiolus if he asked me to get away?” he looks at Gladio again. “And the answer was no. Even though I do desire your attention, I realized that even if I didn’t have it, I’d still feel…rather fond of you” he scratches his head, confused. “I realized I would not mind if you didn’t want me nearby. It’s what you’d want and what’d make you comfortable. And, indeed, I realized that I would do exactly as you requested from me, because I want you to be comfortable. I would like to do as you told me because I want to know you’re…not upset, I guess?”

Ignis continues accommodating the books, as if he was talking about the weather.

“And not only would I do as you told me. I’d also stay nearby, without invading your space. I don’t understand the sudden necessity, and it may be only because I’m in age of mating and perhaps some parental instincts blossom, but…” he shrugs. “…I sort of desire to look after you. Even if from afar. I desire to see you safe and comfortable. I desire to act as some sort of guardian for you, even when I know you don’t need it, and I wouldn’t mind not telling you and I wouldn’t mind that you’d never know.”

He turns to look at Gladio again.

“I don’t understand why. But I want to protect you. In all senses. Whether you compliment me or not, or thank me or not, I have this…necessity to look at you, from nearby or afar, and know you’re safe, healthy, and happy. And that’s not a crush, I read everything about them. Crushes are the desire of being together, and what I feel…I wouldn’t mind if you pushed me away of your life. I’d still feel like this. I don’t understand it; I earn nothing from it. It’s entirely selfless and gives me no reward. Indeed, it only takes from me time and effort. Yet, I wouldn’t like to live any other way if it’s not protecting you. I’ve done research about human emotions, but cannot name this one. If it’s not a crush, what is it?”

By this point, Gladio’s mouth is open and he’s not breathing. He’s not sure Ignis is conscious of the weight of what he’s saying, or the strange beauty to itself. This saar is saying things like always, as a fact, a statement and not anything poetic, and yet it caused Gladio’s heart to flutter inside himself. And this, what Ignis describes…it’s exactly the same to what he feels.

And now that Ignis has described it in such a as-a-matter-of-fact way, he understands it, too.

Gladio’s not sure if he should get close. Ignis has shown to reject physical approaches, mostly any hand nearby the neck (due to dragon stuff, I’ll explain in another post, maybe). He’s not sure if it’s inappropriate or not. But he gets a bit closer; enough to make it intimate, but without invading Ignis’ personal space.

The saar stops with the books and looks at him, expecting his answer. Gladio looks surprised, and there’s some hints of both terror and absolute joy, and it only makes Ignis frown with confusion. He doesn’t understand how a human can feel two so very different things at the same time.

“I think…” Gladio smiles at him. “…that it’s called ‘love’.”

WOAH, this just got so long, I’ll stop here but could write more if you guys want. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

But basically I want Saar Ignis with human Gladio discovering emotions can I pls have that

Also imagine if the censors caught him hhahshasjkashsakah

Also the first time they’d make love would be WONDERFUL because of the neck thing I couldwriteaboutthat I could-

Imagine Ignis in his DRAGON FORM protecting Gladio hndfngndfg

Imagine the censors don’t catch him, Ignis goes to them bc they threatened to kill Gladio if he didn’t and Ignis won’t mind giving up his memories of him so long that keeps Gladdy safe *cries*

Gladio allowed to ride Iggy for a flight aaaah

I WANT SAARANTRAS IGNIS TO LAUGH, TOO.

*GASPS* DRAGON IGNIS FIGHTING A DRAGON ARDYN

I want this AU :’(

[pillage-and-lute]

OK, After Reading the Dragon Story (wich is Just so, so cute!) I have to throw this GIF at you and maybe you could write a little Thing about it top?

Hi Araglas1989!

I love the cervitaur gif, super cute!

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“There’s something in the woods,” the alderman said.

No shit, Geralt thought. Deer, hedgehogs, rabbits, maybe a Kikimore at worst.

“Have you seen signs,” he said instead. “People taken, children disappearring?”

“Nay, nothing like that, but houses are broken into, at first we thought it was animal scavengers but some o’ those doors need hands to open.”

“And what made you think it was animals, then?” Geralt was trying very hard not to use his talking to stupid people voice.

“It broke into the mill,” the alderman said darkly. “And flour was all strewn about the floor. There’s locks on the mill, latches, but on the floor, all the prints were hooves.”

Cervitaur, Geralt’s mind said.

“A devil!” Raged the alderman. “Or witches! Our town is beset by evil spirits, intent on stealing our food!”

“Right,” Geralt said. “I’ll take care of it.”

He  made a purchase in town then led Roach to the woods and tied her up in a glade with grass and even a little sunshine. Then he sat down and opened his pack, setting out a cloth and pulling out his purchase. 

Sugarred, candied ginger. Cervitaurs were distant relatives of fauns, and anything even close to a faun had a sweet tooth. This one was probably starving too, if it was willing to go into a village. Odd, since most wild cervitaurs knew how to forage.

He took a nibble of the candied ginger. For his witcher senses, it was a bit much, but he made happy “hmmm yum” noises.

Geralt was an impressively bad actor, he knew, but he was really hoping this would work, rather than properly tracking the cervitaur and probably scaring him half to death.

There was a rustle in the bushes, and it sounded bigger than a rabbit or fox. He set the little twist of paper with the ginger on the cloth he’d spread out, tilting it so some spilled out. Then he stood up, going over to Roach and running his hands through her mane. 

There was another rustle. Geralt waited, breath bated and sensitive ears perked. Grass crunched under a hoof, a second, and then another hesitant hoof.

“I’ve heard that witchers don’t like to kill sentient creatures,” said a voice. Geralt turned.

A very thin cervitaur was in the clearing, he wore a stained blue doublet and there was a lute strapped across his back.

Geralt pointedly set his swords down, “No, we try not to, unless we have no choice.”

The cervitaur hesitated. “But you laid this trap for me?”

“Less trap,” Geralt said. “More an offerring. I figured you were hungry, most of your kind wouldn’t go near a village for less than starvation.”

The cervitaur knelt, in the funny way deer do, by the cloth, but didn’t take any ginger. Geralt sat on the opposite side of the small cloth.

“It’s not poisoned, then?” said the cervitaur, his eyes barely leaving the candy. He really was very thin, knelt like this Geralt could count every rib.

Geralt pointedly took another tiny bite, “No,” he said.

“You eat it like it is,” the cervitaur said, but he picked up a cube of ginger.

“Witcher senses,” Geralt said ruefully. It’s a bit much for me. What’s your name? I can’t keep thinking of you as ‘the cervitaur’.”

“Jaskier,” came the reply, slightly muffled as he unslung his lute from his shoulder. There was dappling on his back, but his face was that of a young man, quite a handsome one, really.

“You still have spots,” Geralt said. “You aren’t a wild cervitaur?” Only young ones or cervitaurs who often transformed into humans kept their snow spots. 

Jaskier took a careful bite of ginger, then hummed in delight and took the whole cube into his mouth. “Yeah,” he said around the ginger. “My mum was a cervitaur too, but she bought a glamor from a sorceress and fell in love with my dad, then she had a glamor made for me.”

He ate another ginger cube, but Geralt took some hearty bread from his pack and cut it, preparing to listen. It was obvious Jaskier needed something heavier than candy.

“I never learned to forage, and since I mostly looked like a human, I didn’t understand why I should learn.”

Geralt hummed. A glamor could transform a cervitaur, already magical, into very nearly human, but in the real form they needed to eat like both deer and humans. Jaskier would have probably gotten by okay on grass but his human half needed real nutrients, without knowing how to find nuts and berries, he would have starved.

“So you broke into the grain store,” he said, handing Jaskier a slice of bread.

“Yes,” the lad looked shamefaced. “I didn’t want to steal but I can’t just walk into town, my glamor wore off.”

“Show me.”

“Jaskier pulled a little silver band from his finger and dropped it into Geralt’s outstretched hand. The witcher examined it carefully, looking at each of the runes. There was a long scuff through one. 

“I might be able to fix this,” he said. “Temporarily at least, but that’ll do until we get you to a sorceress.”

Jaskier watched, chewing contentedly, but his eyes never leaving Geralt, as geralt pulled a silver needle from his pack. He lay the needle on a stone and heated it with igni to red heat, wincing as he picked up the sliver of metal in his fingers. He scratched the last symbol back onto the ring, dropping the needle when it was done. 

“You’re burnt,” Jaskier said, reaching out for Geralt’s hand, looking at the line of blisters where he’d held the needle. 

“It’ll heal in an hour,” Geralt said, proferring the ring. “Try it on.”

Jaskier slid the ring onto his middle finger and he was sitting crosslegged in the grass, some rather tattered trousers on. There was a hole in the bottom of one boot.

“They thought you were a devil, you know,” Geralt said. Jaskier chuckled, then looked regretful.

“I suppose they wont pay you now,” he said. “You have no proof.”

Geralt sideyed him. “Depends, how good of an actor are you?”

Jaskier grinned and popped some ginger into his mouth. “You have no idea.”

Thirty minutes later a dirty, thin bard stumbled into the village. 

“Vanquished!” he cried, “The devil is dead! I was captured in his lair, I saw it all!”

The young man was charming, and had been through a horrible ordeal, and as he sat in the tavern and told --and sung-- the tale of how the noble witcher, the white wolf, had fought a devil to free him, the townspeople were entranced. Food and drink was sent his way by sympathetic townsfolk, Geralt even got sent a couple heaping platefuls, and ale was on the house.

Traveling with a bard mightn’t be so bad, he reflected. He nudged Jaskier, though, when he started to absentmindedly lick salt straight from the shaker.

[kit-astrophy]

Another continuation of my Fantasy AU! There was going to be 4 characters, but this part of the story got me rambling :’D

The Story; Part 3. Ardyn!

Previously:

Meet the Bros - Designs for Gladio, Ignis, Prompto and Noctis.

The story; Part 1 [by @moonraccoon-exe] - featuring the tale of how Gladio found Ignis and helped him on his road to recovery.

The story; Part 2 - featuring Gladio meeting Noct and Prom, Ignis dealing with shedding and a trotting Gladio!

Part 4 coming soon with a new character! And check under the read more for the story!

Buy me a Ko-Fi?

ARDYN.

Life is comfortable for a while in the forest. The humans are staying out for now, there have been no sign of any traps in a few weeks and our boys are settled comfortably now that Ignis is fully healed and independent.

Gladio is out on a patrol when it happens; the roaring fire that begins to consume the forest in mere minutes. Of course he wants to run back to the lake to ensure the safety of his friends, but he has to help a small family of wounded Satyr’s first.

Prompto noticed the fire first; he was up a tree at the time, enjoying the breeze when he got a face full of smoke. He had never climbed down a tree so fast in all his life.

Their best bet is to head south towards the ocean. It’s the safest place when a fire is raging. Prompto and Noctis grab Ignis by an arm each to lead him around to the other side of the lake; an area Ignis had only explored a few times.

It’s important to mention here that Ignis is not totally blind. He can see shadows, which is how he usually avoids walking into large objects.

But in a fire? There are strange shadows being cast that are very disorientating for Ignis. He has to rely on Noctis and Prompto to lead him.

They make good distance; but the fire is spreading faster than they can move and before they know it, it’s caught up to them. A burning branch falls from over the heads, and Prompto only avoids it by letting go of Ignis and leaping out of the way.

It wasn’t a problem. Until the rest of the tree came down too. Noctis was able to tug Ignis to safety but they were separated from Prompto. 

“Keep going! We’ll rendezvous on the beach!” Prompto shouted over the roaring flames.

Noctis knew the way, so he continued to lead Ignis as best as he could; but losing Prompto wasn’t the last of their problems.

Ignis didn’t fail to notice Noctis slowing down; coughing more and stumbling as they carried on.

Noctis’ senses are stronger than the others. Sure Prompto’s hearing could match, but Noctis had the most sensitive nose. And all that smoke was becoming too much. Ignis only just managed to catch him before he passed out.

Ignis’ legs aren't built to carry extra weight; the only way he could carry Noctis was by taking his arm around his shoulders and wrapping his other arm around Noctis’ waist to lift his feet off the floor and carry on as best as he could.

He walks into more than one tree. He’s just glad no one is there to see it.

A few more trees slam to the ground in front of them and he’s forced to stop; the shadow before him is huge and definitely not natural.

Ardyn is easily as tall as the trees in his dragon form and it’s him who just took down several trees upon landing before the Cervitaurs and the unconscious Werecat.

He shifts before them, long robes flowing behind him and fire burning at the hems.

“Well, well, well... what do we have here? A little lost deer and his kitty cat?” He drawls, walking towards them at a languid pace, knowing he has them trapped.

Ignis can guess what has happened. Such a large, imposing shadow must have been the infamous dragon that often roamed these lands. A most deadly threat; a creature who gave no consideration to the common law of creatures not to eat each other. And they were his next prey.

Ignis had very little time to come up with any idea of what to do. But when he felt that imposing presence in front of him, he did the only thing he could do.

He turned, and he kicked out with his hind legs. He nailed Ardyn right in the face.

Even in a human form, the dragon was able to create fire in his hands and threw it at Ignis, catching him directly in the face in return.

But Ardyn was furious and shifted back into his dragon form and unleashed a torrent of fire upon the ground with a mighty roar.

Ignis was in so much pain and the flickering shadows were replaced with pure darkness when he couldn’t bare the pain of opening his eyes. He tried desperately to carry Noctis further away and somehow, by some small act of the gods, he was able to tuck them both behind a boulder.

With a beat of his wings, Ardyn was gone. Ignis was careful to lay Noctis down and did what he could to cover the younger man with his own body and try to protect him from the flames roaring around them.

He couldn’t carry on; his own consciousness was fading. He didn’t know if his actions would save Noctis or not. His last thought was a plea to whatever gods were listening that at least Noctis would be safe.

Gladio hadn't thought twice about running through the fire to find them. After he had made it to the beach and found Prompto, he knew he couldn’t stand around and wait. Prompto knew roughly which direction they had likely gone.

It was an utter miracle that he found them. But the situation was bad. Although the flames had lost some intensity, Ignis was hurt badly; the flames had licked at his skin across his human back and singed away fur across his deer body. Noctis, miraculously, was unharmed.

The worst of the damage was the terrible burns across Ignis’ left eye, and some of Ardyn’s blind attack had caught him across the chest and up the neck too. Hell, it was hard to find a part of him that wasn’t burned.

Gladio expected moving him to cause so much pain, but Ignis didn’t even react as Gladio managed to sling him over his horse back and haul Noctis up into his arms.

The only thing he could do now, was take them to safety and pray that they would be okay...

[kit-astrophy]

Now featuring the FINAL design!

The Story; Part 4. Aranea!

Previously:

Meet the Bros - Designs for Gladio, Ignis, Prompto and Noctis.

The story; Part 1 [by @moonraccoon-exe] - featuring the tale of how Gladio found Ignis and helped him on his road to recovery.

The story; Part 2 - featuring Gladio meeting Noct and Prom, Ignis dealing with shedding and a trotting Gladio!

The Story; Part 3 - Ardyn! Bringing you his design, and the angst.

This AU just keeps me rambling. Two more characters to come, BOTH in part 5 of this story, so keep your eyes peeled! <3 I’m so glad people are finding some enjoyment in this AU and as always, feel free to talk to me about it!

Buy me a Ko-Fi?

This situation is not good. Prompto is frantic, Ignis is terribly wounded and Noctis still hasn’t woken up either. Gladio isn’t sure how he’s stayed calm up until his point.

Like all the other creatures who had now lost their home to the raging inferno, courtesy of Ardyn, they’ve had to seek out a new home near the beaches. There’s a small, unoccupied cave they had to make home. 

They have no supplies, and no access to the village they usually went to when they needed anything. There was another nearby but right now, they weren’t sure if they should take any risks. After all, Noctis was their best thief.

Ignis’ burns have made a mess of his body, and all they have been able to do is try to keep him off of them... which was pretty hard with how much of him was covered in them. It would be a miracle if he survived at this point.

Gladio has only one idea. And really, it’s insane. But there were many legends of a creature blessed with healing abilities beyond all imagination... the problem was, they were so rare that it was difficult to find them. 

However... there was one creature who just might know where to find this blessed being. 

Rumor had it that the Arachne known as Aranea, was the best place to go for any information.

There was just one small... tiny... terrible problem. Information from Aranea was never free. And if she didn’t like you? You weren’t going to leave alive.

Prompto was dead set against it, but Gladio knew exactly where to find her and their options were extremely limited. It had to be done.

Her cave wasn’t hard to find. Further around the beach were a complex system of caves built into the cliffs. Gladio approached with caution and wondered for a moment if she would even listen to him. 

Poor dude almost jumped right out of his hooves when she dropped down from over his head.

Aranea was a beautiful creature, if you could look past the eight legs and murderous intent. She stalked right up to him, circling Gladio to take him all in.

“And just what could a bulking centaur like yourself, want with me, hm?”

Gladio tried to stand tall; he didn’t want her to know how intimidating she actually was. But he explained to her what he wanted.

“Oh? My, that is a bold request... however it just so happens that I do know where to find what you seek.... for a price” 

It was a risk Gladio was willing to take. Whatever she wanted, he would fight for. He would run to the ends of Eos if he had to.

Cakes, were not exactly what he had in mind.

“Darlin’, there are just some things a girl like me can’t get for herself. Of course, I could always ask for something else. Some werewolf blood, or perhaps some pixie wings-”

“The cakes are fine! That’s... fine... I’ll figure it out”

How the hell was a Centaur supposed to get cakes for a blood thirsty Arachne? 

“I told you it was a bad idea!” Prompto squeaked. “It’s not like we can just walk up to someone and buy a cake, that’s crazy! We’d be killed the second we stepped into the village!”

Prompto shook his head, slapping his hands over his ears. “This is it, we’re screwed!”

... Except that Prompto looks awfully human when his ears are hidden.

Oh no...

Oh yes.

Gladio carefully rearranged Prompto’s hair to better cover the tips of his ears, meticulously ruffling at it to make sure they’d stay hidden while Prompto whined and complained. 

“Now remember. You go in, pick out someone’s wallet, grab as many cakes as you can afford and carry, and head straight for Aranea’s cave, okay?”

“NOT OKAY! I’M NOT GOING IN THERE. I HATE SPIDERS!”

“Prom, you are going. Think of Iggy. Think of Noct”

“Okay... okay... I can try... I... Gladio.... what’s a ‘wallet’?”

( ￣ー￣ )

For an Elf, Prompto isn’t all that bright sometimes. But Gladio does his best to explain and sends him on his way. There’s a village they’ve never been to before not far from Aranea’s hideout. 

It’s a tense time for Prompto, constantly patting his hair down and glancing around at all the people nervously. One slip up and he was a dead Elf.

However, Prompto was a really good pickpocket. 

And it turns out that cakes weren’t all that expensive.

So he got six of them. It was pretty hard to stack that many boxes in his arms and he made a nervous comment about “girlfriends, amiright?” to the teller before making a very hasty retreat.

That was the easy part.

Prompto was absolutely terrified of large bugs and you didn’t find one much bigger than Aranea.

He approached with near-silent footsteps, careful to avoid walking into any cobwebs and shaking the entire time.

Especially when she appeared out of nowhere right behind him. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t dropped all the cakes.

“And what are you doing here, Shortcake?”

“CAKES! Gladio said you like cakes and I got you cakes because we need help and cakes are good so if you could eat these cakes and not me and maybe just tell me where we find this magical thing and I can be on my merry way and not die please oh god don’t eat me”

She likes him. She likes him a lot. 

She took the cakes and tucked them away out of sight, returning once again behind the trembling Elf just for fun. The squeak he made when three of her legs curled around him was more than a little amusing.

“Alright... I’ll tell you what you want to know” She said, human fingers petting through his hair while he tried desperately not to scream or cry.

He practically threw himself at Gladio in a sobbing mess when he got back. “Oh god she touched me!”

Gladio carefully brushed the lingering webs out of Prompto’s hair before he could realize they were there.

“You did good, Prom. You did really good”

And now, Gladio knew where he had to go. Even with the day drawing into evening, there was no time to waste.

[kit-astrophy]

Fantasy AU: PART 2

So @moonraccoon-exe has been helping me LOTS with my Gladnis week Fantasy AU! Coonie made a wonderful headcanon post (Part 1) and we’ve talked a lot about it since. SO here is some additional story for the Fantasy AU! We’ll explore Gladio meeting Noctis and Prom, some more about Ignis’ antlers and something about Gladio too  (ಠ‿↼)

This won’t be the last headcanon post! The next one is delving into the angsty side of the story!

Also... I’d really love love love LOVE to see some written scenes or art for this... if anyone would like to write/draw ANYTHING for this AU, please please PLEASE do so because I would love to see any of it! ❤

Let’s first explore how Gladio met Noct and Prom!

Gladio found Noctis first. He had known him before, when they were still a kitten and a foal.

Their dads were buddies!

Yeah, let the image of Werecat!Regis and Centaur!Clarus enter your minds peeps.

It’s been a long time, and both their fathers are gone now.

Noctis didn’t recognize Gladio at first...

He was frightened; he’d had a nasty run-in with some Nif hunters... all he’d been trying to do was find some food in the village.

But he’d been hurt and he ran for the safety of the forest.

And he ran straight into Gladio. Literally.

He panicked okay? He shouldn't have attacked his old friend but he was in flee mode and it was instinct.

He caught Gladio right across the eye... that scar will haunt him forever, even though Gladio really doesn’t mind.

When it all calmed down, they realize who the other was and it was a relief to see each other alive and... kinda well.

So thus, Gladio took in his first stray. They were still just teenagers; 14 and 17.

THEN CAME PROMPTO.

Prompto is pretty much the only Elf around Lucis territory. 

Elves are usually only found in Niflheim. The bros know this. They do not question it.

Prompto is too precious and sweet to be paired with any of those presumptuous pricks.

When Gladio found him he was in a right state. 

He was up in a tree, laying on his belly across a branch. Honestly, he thought he was dead with his arms and legs just dangling down from there.

Luckily he was alive! But he had run so far to get away from Niflheim. Poor kid was exhausted, bare feet raw and bloody.

Believe it or not, Prompto was very quiet at first. He was a Nif, he knew that... he was scared they might hurt him when he woke up in a strange little alcove beside a lake. 

His feet were all wrapped up in some bandages, and there were a pair of boots waiting at his side.

Noctis stole them from the village.

Gladio and Noctis didn’t ask questions. Other than his name, that was all that was important.

Gladio could tell from his eyes that whatever he had seen in Niflheim haunted him. Questions weren’t needed.

Months later, Prompto started to come out of his shell with little giggles and adorable smiles.

He confessed that he was a trained archer. It didn’t take long for Gladio to find the materials he needed to make a bow and some arrows, just in case.

Noctis and Prompto were 17, and Gladio was 20

So lonely Gladio, now had two companions ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

Then of course, came Iggy... which you can read in Coon’s HC post! (Ages 20, 22 and 23, same as in the game)

Coon mentioned Ignis’ itchy antlers in their HC post, but the problem isn't just that they’re still growing. They shed.

Have you SEEN a deer shedding antlers? The first thing to shed is usually the velvet and OMG IT LOOKS LIKE BLEEDING!

Of course Ignis can’t see that the shedding has started, but he can feel the discomfort of velvet hanging off the bone.

This definitely needs more tree rubbing.

But of course, Noctis, Prompto and Gladio don’t know that it’s just velvet shedding...CUE THE FREAK OUT. OMG. IGNIS YOU’RE BLEEDING ASDFGHJKL!!!!  (#ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ

Ignis is just like... (・-・) Is there something on my face?

He manages to explain to them that this is perfectly normal.

They wake up one morning and one of Iggy’s antlers has finally broken off, thank goodness. The itching was terrible.

They catch Noctis later... using it as a toy.

We’re not sure he’s really a panther you guys. Just an over-sized kitten

“It’s good for my teeth!”

Dear astrals don’t try to take it from him.

*HISSSS*

Gladio made that mistake once.

Once.

Then of course, his antlers have to regrow...

TINY LIL’ STUMPS!

Gladio thinks it’s adorable!

Stop touching them Gladio, Iggy doesn’t like it!

He so likes it.

Gladio has his own discomforts too. He hates it when dirt and pebbles get caught up in his hooves and well... centaur anatomy simply doesn’t allow for enough bending to clean them out.

Prompto is more than happy to help. He keeps some dull arrowheads for the task.

He’ll spend ages in the evening carefully scraping out all the nasty bits of loose dirt and stones.

Gladio feels a hundred times better after a good cleaning session. Feels like he could run forever! ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

He’s trotting the next day. Don’t mention it, he’ll deny it.

But it’s adorable and Ignis loves to hear his little trot against the rocks around the lake. It’s highly amusing.

Clop clop clop clop clop

[moonraccoon-exe]

Okaaaaay, so @prompto-cam and I were talking about it and long story short,

Here are some Headcanons for that Centaur!Gladio and Cervitaurs!Ignis AU from this pretty art! C:

 Ignis actually wasn’t scared when Gladio helped him when he found the cervitaur caught in that trap.

He was scared when he first heard Gladio approach, though.

Ignis is blind, but he’s pretty good with his ear. However, after a while with his leg trapped and due to the injury, he’s panicking a bit and fears a human may find him if he finds no answer soon.

That’s when he heard Gladio approach, but all that he hears is horse steps.

The first thing in Ignis’ head is that this is a human-domestic horse carrying its owner, but he’s also aware that pulling from his leg will only injure it more.

His reaction is to stay still, lower the head a bit, and cover his nude human torso with the arms, more in a subconscious reaction of feeling exposed rather than modesty.

Gladio hasn’t realized that the cervitaur is blind, so it doesn’t cross his head to explain he’s a centaur (‘cause it’s obvious…to creatures who can see).

Not knowing Iggy can’t see him, Gladio sees in him a scared and vulnerable young cervitaur.

Really the only thing that’s wrong is that Ignis thinks this may be a human.

“Hey. See you got caught. Thank the gods I found you before any human.”

That’s when Ignis relaxes.

“I’m going to free you, alright? Don’t be scared.”

“I’m not. I was at first because I wasn’t sure what you were. But judging as you’re not a person, and the horse steps, I will assume you’re a centaur. Am I correct?”

Gladio’s a bit startled at first. Ignis’ eyes do look strange, but he looks around and behaves as if though he could see (too confident), so the centaur is only now catching that this cervitaur is blind.

“Yeah. Sorry to startle you.”

“That’s alright. If you’re a centaur, then I should be the opposite of scared. I would really use some help here…”

As mentioned in original artist’s canon of this AU, Gladio frees him and takes him to the spot nearby a lake that he inhabits with Noct and Prom, a werecat and an elf, respectively.

Iggy quickly befriends these two because he starts spending most his days with them.

None has another place to go, so this is where they stay; Gladio, however, as a centaur and guardian of the forest, goes out most of the day for patrolling. Noctis and Prom decided to stay at their spot to look after the injured cervitaur and see after his injury.

Prom has a slightly dumb hand for this, but he’s constantly making sure that Ignis is comfortable and always asks him how he’s doing and if he needs anything, which makes Iggy grow fond of him very quickly.

Noct can behave a bit rude or asocial sometimes, but Iggy learns to read through him and see the little hints that show that he cares; he’s got a better hand for injuries, so he’s checking up on it better (but not more) than Prom.

However, the four get to hang together and that’s how the gang is united and pls let them be happeh forever

You know this psychological thing that I can’t name that says that the more that you see yourself in another person (not only visually), the easier/quicker/more you grow fond of them?

This equation has it simple for the boys: Prom and Noct, as the most humanized of creatures, share a stronger bond than Noct and Gladio or Igs or Prom and Gladio or Igs.

Hence, as centaur and cervitaur, two creatures very alike, Igs and Gladio have it super easy to grow very comfortable with each other, more/different than with the other two.

Noctis likes to sleep in his panther form and curl against Ignis.

“He’s warm.”

Prompto feels betrayed.

(don’t worry, it’s all playful)

Ignis likes to pet Noct and Prom; he can’t see, so he likes to feel their skin or hair.

The guys are suckers for it.

Noctis, mostly.

He’ll go to Ignis and just sit at his side or rub against his legs or human torso until the cervitaurs pets him.

Ignis thought this was a panther, not a kitten.

“Cats will always be cats, I guess.”

Ignis really likes toying with both Noct’s and Prom’s ears.

“Pointy. :).”

In exchange, the guys like to touch his antlers.

Ignis doesn’t like that at first.

The guys are children-level of insistent so Ignis just gets used to it and lets them.

When Ignis’ leg recovers from the injury, Gladio suggests he starts taking small walks to stretch the legs and make sure he stays healthy and etcetera.

Gladio’s worried something may happen to the blind cervitaur, because his leg is healed from the injury but not fully.

That’s how the centaur starts going with the cervitaur for walks in the forest.

It’s small walks at first, and Gladio makes sure to return Ignis to their safe spot before leaving again for his patrolling.

Each day, the walks become a little longer, little by little, until Ignis fully heals.

Even then, when he’s fully recovered, he asks Gladiolus to accompany him in his patrolling.

Gladio’s not too confident about it at first, but agrees.

He really likes the cervitaur’s company.

Gladio had guessed that this blind cervitaur could be a bit of a fragile and scaredy guy; first impressions left their impact, and a blind creature tends to not be confident.

However, it’s during their walks together that Gladio learns Ignis is the opposite to all that.

The cervitaur moves as if though he can see with no troubles.

Gladio learns that all his “there’s a stump in the way” and “be careful, there’s a rock in there” have all been useless; Ignis sees the road without needing to see it.

“Why didn’t you tell me you could walk around without help?”

“Your help was a very kind gesture, and I didn’t want to be rude.”

Ignis, you beautiful thing.

Ignis even knows some ways through the forest that Gladio himself, a centaur, a centaur that goes on constant patrolling, didn’t know.

Ignis starts showing him ‘shortcuts’, better ways to take to some place, another route to somewhere else, or just a very nice place.

This is how the two start bonding together besides living together and their conversations of four; with walks through the forest, that started to heal Iggy’s leg, and transformed into mere enjoyment <3

Hnngndfngndnnfd

When Ignis is fully recovered, he likes to run with Gladio.

They’re both starting to grow sort of friendly competitive against each other, and running was the first (and most common) competence they have.

Gladio had assured him that he’s a very strong centaur with long and strong legs. Ignis said he’s himself.

Ignis won.

The little bastard.

Gladio’s body is very strong and the strength gives him some speed, sure.

But Ignis’ body is slender and gracile. He’s more speed than strength.

He’s lighter, so he’s like a bolt.

Have you seen a damn deer run?

There goes the cervitaur, like an arrow in the air, and Gladio trying to catch up.

Long story short, these two like to either walk through the forest, or run together. :3

Hey, look, we’re back at their spot by the lake with Nyactis and Orlando Bloom but better Prompto.

Prompto usually takes patrols as well, but he’s mostly in the surroundings of their spot; he’s the guardian of it, making sure no humans or any sort of bad guy tries to take it from them.

Noctis is a lazy bastard.

But he knows how to fight, don’t worry.

Noctis behaves much like a feline whether he’s in his human or panther form.

And I mean that includes the smart gaze looking at everything, the grace of jumps and landing, the fierce look in the eyes…

…and also the purring and playfulness.

Noctis likes to lie on the ground and play with Gladio’s tail.

It swings.

Prompto likes to shoot some arrows (he’s an archer <3) and Noctis has to go catch it.

Noctis is trying to play with Iggy’s tail, but he always changes it for Gladio’s.

It’s longer. Funnier to play with.

Speaking of Iggy’s tail,

When Ignis starts growing feelings for Gladio, as in having a crush, he’ll get very happy when Gladio compliments him or smiles at him or something nice and innocent.

And his little tail starts going WRIGGLE WRIGGLE WRIGGLE WRIGGLE WRIGGLE WRIGGLE

Look at that tail, it’s so tiny and ridiculous hisdonfjsdfd it’s adorable

It moves so fast in such little movements, the tiny thing ahahaha

Ignis usually fights with all his might so that his tail stops moving before Gladio notices

Gladio sometimes notices anyway

Gladio will grin and tease him about it

Gladio will say it’s cute and that he’s happy Iggy is happy

And he’ll proceed to pet (or try to pet) Ignis on the head.

Ignis usually backs away and tries to smack his hand away.

“Oi! Gladiolus! Stop that, I’m not a puppy you can pet! >:(”

Gladio will pet him anyway

(Psst. Ignis likes it)

Gladio started that as a way to annoy him, but he starts to really enjoy it.

Mostly Ignis’ deer spine.

It took a while for Ignis to stop freaking out and complaining.

He used to complain at first because he feels like a puppy or a child and who do you think I am and how dare you treat me like this, you’re- oh gods, it actually feels so nice, hndnnnfg.

Iggy now tends to fall asleep very easily when Gladio’s petting his animal back.

Noctis sometimes lets his feline side take over and will interrupt by sneaking in between Gladio’s hand and Iggy’s body.

This guy wants to be pet too :’(

When the guys realize that Gladio & Iggy are slowly but surely becoming a couple, Noctis will reach for Prompto and cling to him.

“Yeah, well, then I choose this one. He won’t betray me like you two. You’ll scratch me, right, Prompto?”

“I guess (・・ ) ?”

Are you guys sure this is a panther

Gladio likes to have Iggy rub his antlers against him to scratch him where he can’t reach

Where he can reach, too

Iggy’s antlers scratching him are just /so nice/

Iggy started that by accident

He was trying to poke Gladiolus as a friendly gesture.

Gladio ended up saying “Oh gods, that was nice, can you do it again? And now move? And…yes…oh yes…right there…a little to the right- oh yes…”

Ignis tends to get neckache so often because of how long he spends scratching Gladiolus and his horse body.

Nyactis in the distance like >:(

Ahahaha

Iggy’s antler are still not on their full size (though really they only need a few inches more), so sometimes they itch.

Gladio thinks that the most adorable thing to ever see in the universe is Ignis scratching his antlers against a tree.

It’s so dumb and adorable

Prompto likes shiny things and making simple elf-like jewelry, and his favorite model is Ignis’ antlers.

He likes to make “antlerlaces”, strings with little shiny pebbles that come and go all over Iggy’s antlers.

Gladio has a lot of troubles to stare, because he wants to stare /all day/ when Iggy has some of that “antlerlaces” but he doesn’t want the cervitaur to be uncomfortable

Ignis actually likes that Gladio stares.

Gladio already considered Iggy to be absolutely gorgeous; the little elf jewelry gives him some sort of divine look that makes the centaur re-realize how pretty Ignis is.

Prom secretly put some of his best “antlerlace” jewelry on Iggy the first time the cervitaur and the centaur were going to go out for a walk as in “a date”, officially now.

Iggy let him.

You should have seen Gladio, he wasn’t expecting that.

He forgot how to speak and tried for so long.

Ignis is so happy, he feels so good bc Gladio looks at him like the cervitaur is some deity and it makes him feel so hsdngjdfngfdo

They spent that night at another lake, just the two of them, looking at the stars or at each other.

Not like there’s much difference for them between the stars and each other’s eyes.

 I don’t really know what else to say or how I can finish this, so Imma stop here. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

I hope it’s fine, @prompto-cam, and if anyone else has more ideas for this AU I’d love to see/read them! Also, hope you enjoyed these! c:

[kit-astrophy]

MEET THE BROS.

I feel like continuing my Gladnis week Fantasu AU some more (really, I need a NAME for this AU, feel free to make suggestions).

To go along with the two headcanon posts (PART ONE HERE AND PART TWO HERE) from both myself and @moonraccoon-exe with the help of @gladioflowerchild, I decided to finalize some designs. Don’t worry, there will be more to come, as the story develops! 

My next post with this AU will bring on some angst, and introduce some more characters too so stay tuned! ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

And once again, I would LOVE to hear your own thoughts, and see any art/stories you wanna make for this AU! <3 Buy me a ko-fi?