#Final Fantasy XV fanfic

[savage-rhi]

Mending Shadows // Chapter 32

Summary:

Y/N was a simple Scavenger of Lucis, until meeting a deadly blow at the hands of an infected creature. At the crossroads of death, they are found by Niflheim’s cryptic Chancellor with his own agenda. Now bonded to Ardyn Izunia, and tossed into the world of Niflheim, Y/N struggles to cope with their new life as an Imperial Icon all the while battling their feelings toward their fate and that of Ardyn’s.

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Tuti had never been so frightened in her life. With her back to the wall, she attempted to gather her bearings. The task was proving to be a futile effort, for her lungs clamored for oxygen. Her throat felt shattered with every inhale of breath. She was quite surprised to have a voice given her consistent screaming. A part of her subconscious that wasn’t falling apart at the seams joked she could’ve passed as an operatic singer in another life, for her air capacity seemed unyielding. 

Unyielding…Gods, she wished to have such strength. Her fingertips quivered against the cobblestone upon her back, wondering if she should look around the corner. A terrible crunch had Tuti reconsider tactics as her body flinched. Low growls intertwined with a quelching noise that fanned the flames of dread inside of her. She could feel it slither down her back, causing her legs to tremble. 

Tuti knew what awaited her around the edge, and the ghastly sight that would surely burn into her conscious for all time. Yet her curiosity was tempted to take a gander at what Y/N was doing to the bodies. 

Only for a second…She told herself. Just one second…

Tuti sealed her lips tight--took in a deep breath--and inched little by little.

As her head turned she resisted the urge to gasp. Six to seven corpses were scattered around. She and Y/N were a long way from the building that MedZin originally trapped them at. Tuti reminded herself there were plenty of lost souls to be found, and her eyes followed a trail of fresh blood. She settled her gaze on Y/N's back. 

Tuti squinted her eyes to get a better look. Y/N was crouched above the body of a woman. Although she couldn’t make heads or tails of what was happening, she knew Y/N was eating her. The squishy noise of flesh being ripped had Tuti’s stomach fighting the urge to throw up as goosebumps trailed the fine hairs along her arms. 

Gods be damned upon me…Regret took the form of tears in the corner of her eyes.

Tuti knew she should’ve bolted when the men unhanded her to deal with Y/N’s daemonic state. She should’ve ran like hell until her legs could no longer carry the weight of her guilt, but devotion was a fickle thing. She couldn’t in good conscience leave Y/N behind. Not even if they had become a monster and massacred all who tried to stand in their way. Y/N was important, and so was witnessing every horrible act they committed. 

Tuti’s thoughts were interrupted as Y/N's growls began to stagnate. Their breathing quaked, and they suddenly flung the corpse away from them. 

Tuti jumped as the body tumbled off to the side. The strength behind the shove had her grimace. She could only imagine what her poor body would've felt had she been on the receiving end. Her pondering ceased as her eyes once again followed Y/N. 

Y/N started to crawl on all fours as if bipedalism was an uncommon state of being. Their head violently shook from side to side while anguished shrills crept past their lips. Eyes tightly closed as bits of light from the sun trickled into the room. Suddenly, Y/N began to choke on warm blood that flooded their entire throat. Their body heaved as contents from their stomach began to spill. Black bile and bits of meat collapsed onto the floor, creating a noise that sounded like expired milk meeting concrete. The sensation was beyond words and disgust. Painful wheezes were the only noise Y/N made for a time. 

The purge of flesh had momentarily snapped Y/N’s conscious out of its catatonic state. They collapsed on their side, only to scramble to their knees once they caught a whiff of the vomit that lay not far. Weakly, Y/N forced the upper half of their body to rise. With heavy breaths, Y/N opened their black and yellow eyes as their head leaned back. They stared at the ceiling as the world twisted in disarray. They had no idea who they were, or what was going on, but everything felt terribly wrong. 

Y/N slowly brought their hands up to their eyes. A blotched purple hue plagued their skin as did black spider webbing. Then there was the blood. A murky red that nearly camouflaged well against their clawed fingertips. The copper smell inflamed their nostrils, and their heart skipped a beat. For a split second, Y/N became aware of what was going on. Tears instantly streamed from their eyes, mingling with the same black bile that touched their chin and mouth. The scourge--catching wind that it's hold was failing--attempted to steer it's vessel in another direction. Y/N felt their skull split in half as their brain was doused in sickness. 

Throwing back their head, Y/N let out an inhuman screech. The sounds devolved into melancholic growls. More sun came through and they covered their eyes. In a frenzy, Y/N dug their nails into their scalp to relieve themself of pain. Their cries weakened further, and their normal voice started to peak through the cracks of daemonification.  

All Tuti could do was cover her mouth as she watched. Her own tears had become heavy as she witnessed Y/N attempting to shine through the monstrous mask. She could scarce believe it. That there was someone that still remained underneath all that. 

A loose lightbulb overhead suddenly dropped near Tuti’s location. She gasped into her hand, observing the shattered glass then looked up. Y/N was staring right at her, unblinking. 

“By the six, Y/N…” Tuti stuttered. “Don’t come here. Please. Please. Don’t come here.” 

Y/N’s head canted to the side in a swift motion. The movement reminded Tuti of a bird cocking its head out of curiosity. Y/N sniffled and leaned forward. Once again on their hands and knees, they slowly crawled toward Tuti. Y/N's features went neutral while never taking their eyes off of her. 

Tuti wanted to scream.

Most would’ve followed animal instinct and run, but Tuti froze. She tried to rationalize her choice to remain, given what she witnessed when the MedZin soldiers attempted to flee. They were cut limb from limb in a matter of seconds. Perhaps if she stood her ground, this creature at the helm of Y/N’s body wouldn’t see her as a threat. By all accounts this was stupid, but she had no other choice but to lock in as Y/N was no more than ten feet away now. 

Y/N’s head twitched as they sniffed the air. Blinking a few times, the neutrality they wore began to shift. Fright plagued the dark eyes that stared right at Tuti. Uncertain what to make of her, all the while remaining attentive to what she’d do next. 

Tuti felt like she was going to have a heart attack.

“It’s alright,” Tuti whispered, more to herself than to Y/N. “It’s alright.” 

Y/N seemed to be hypnotized by her words, and Tuti let out a breath she had been holding back. The purr like snort Y/N let out would’ve been almost endearing had they not been consuming a person moments ago.

“Y/N, it’s okay.” Tuti nodded as her lips quivered into a smile. “Everything’s going to be fine!”

Everything’s going to be fine, but not for the dead...Tuti recalled the body count and bit her lip. Now wasn't the time for survivors guilt. Not when she had Y/N more or less settled down. 

“Y/N,” Tuti murmured. “I’m going to get help. Do you know what that means? I’m going to fetch the Chancellor. He’ll be here, and you’ll be okay. You hear that? You’re going to be just fine. He’ll fix this!” 

She took one step backward and all hell broke loose. 

Y/N lunged forward, snapping their mouth in rapid succession at Tuti while they attempted to grab her. Tuti let out a high pitch scream and bolted. Panting heavily, she sprinted down a hall and made a right. Her body slammed into a door, and she let out a pained yelp. She ignored whatever bruises were gained and continued to run as the sound of Y/N's brisk claws rapidly trailed. Suddenly, Tuti felt a huge weight upon her back as Y/N launched themself at her. 

Tuti shrieked and she tumbled to the floor with Y/N. Save for the stinging lacerations Y/N inflicted, Tuti couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on. She yelled and used her weight against Y/N, and forced them both to roll over several times before coming to a stop. Tuti felt the wind knock out of her as Y/N slammed her to the ground. Frantically, Tuti's right arm reached out for whatever was near, and pulled a rifle off a MedZin corpse and used it to block Y/N's mashing teeth from reaching her face at the last second. 

“Y/N! Stop it!” Tuti bellowed. Her plead fell on deaf ears as Y/N kept snapping. The material of the gun was being peeled away quick, and Tuti knew she didn’t have long. Her eyes rapidly glanced between both their bodies, and using all her strength, Tuti pushed up and kicked Y/N not once but several times in the abdomen.

One pained cry after another escaped Y/N, and while stunned, Tuti adjusted the rifle and used it to hit them across the face. The power behind Tuti’s hit forced Y/N off as they plummeted to the side and away from her. 

Tuti scrambled to her feet and ran before Y/N had the chance to recover and finish the job. She ran so fast that the muscles in her calves began to spasm. 

“You there, miss!” An Accordo trooper beckoned Tuti to come forth. “Miss, do you need help? We’re looking for survivors of an explosion! Miss! Miss!”

Tuti didn’t register the soldiers who had come to search for survivors. She didn’t hear Y/N let out a haunting scream, nor did she hear the conversation the men had amongst themselves as to what caused it. She didn’t hear them make haste toward Y/N’s location. She didn’t hear the yells, the gunfire, or the sound of an unknown weapon going off, causing Y/N pain beyond measure that the daemonic voice all but disappeared as the human within called out her name. 

“TUTI!” 

Her ears fell numb to the world, and she didn’t stop running.

After what felt like an eternity, exhaustion had Tuti come to a halt. Out of breath and wheezing, Tuti forced her dry eyes to look around and figure out where she ended up. Buildings that hadn't been touched by the earlier attack greeted her as did a clear sky. The smoke was long gone, and there were seldom few down this road, save for Accordo troopers securing the area. It didn't take long for Tuti to realize she was in one of the districts closest to the port. 

“Thank heavens,” she said in between harsh breaths. She grimaced at feeling her clothes stick to her skin from all her perspiration, and felt guilty. This was nothing compared to what Y/N was enduring--that is if they were still alive. Tuti didn't have time to entertain the thought any further as a strong hand gripped her shoulder. She felt the world spin and she screamed. 

Ardyn flinched from the screech, making a face as he shook his head. “Tuti?”

“Chancellor Izunia?” Tuti’s bottom lip quivered, happy to see a familiar face. She threw her arms out and embraced him. "Oh thank the six!" 

Ardyn was dumbfounded as his arms flew up to avoid being fully ensnared. He acknowledged Tuti had a forcible strength despite her small frame, and wasn't sure if that shocked him or the fact someone genuinely sounded relieved to be basking in his presence. He looked down and his gaze met hers. Tuti's heartsore eyes reminded Ardyn of a devout praying before the heavens to be freed of strife. 

“Y/N is back there! I couldn’t do anything but watch. There was so much blood! Y/N’s not themself, and I don’t know what to do! What are we going to do? I didn’t want to run, but what choice did I have?! Y/N tried to kill me and I…Chancellor, what are we going to do?!”

“My dear, you’re going to let me go for starters.” Ardyn grimaced as he calmly coaxed Tuti’s arms and hands away from him. He composed himself the best he could, and softened his hardened gaze. “Second, I need you to breathe. Can you do that?”

“I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I can do that!” 

“You can and you will if you care for what happens to Y/N!” Ardyn stated firmly. He somewhat prided himself in the fact he scared her, for Tuti's disposition immediately changed like a switch going off. She shook like a cat who had nearly drowned as Ardyn gestured for her to follow his motions, taking in a big inhale followed by an exhale. Little by little, she started to regain her old self from what he gathered. 

“Good, good,” Ardyn replied eagerly. He only had so much patience to aid someone with a basic mindfulness technique. 

“Chancellor--”

“Tuti,” Ardyn rested both hands upon her shoulders, minding not to put his weight on her. He made a great effort to not sound hostile, nor give away the desperation that was tugging his pulse. “It’s imperative I know where Y/N is at. I need you to tell me everything.” 

“I…alright,” Tuti swallowed. She studied Ardyn's features, noting how tired he was, and she felt a pinch of intimidation run down her body. She also couldn't help but notice how golden his eyes were. Not like the earthy brown tones she had seen in many common people, but an almost ethereal hue that felt dangerous. For a second, Tuti thought she was looking at Y/N's daemonic eyes. Her breath hitched and she averted her gaze. No longer having the strength to be reminded of what almost killed her. 

“Y/N and I were heading for the port to evacuate. The Imperial caravan at the hotel was long gone by the time Loqui and I found them. We took to the smaller roads to avoid the crowds. Then out of nowhere, there was this…explosion. It was like a star fell from the heavens and blinded us. The impact sent Y/N and I flying in opposite directions. When I came to, I frantically looked for Y/N before I was manhandled by these people in black uniforms with a red patch--MedZin I think. They talked so fast, but they planned to take Y/N with them and kill me.” She had to pause for a moment, shuddering from the implications of her fate had Y/N not taken to rage. 

“And then?” Ardyn besought. 

Tuti let out a breath. “Y/N suddenly turned into…something else. A daemon. One by one, our adversaries were slain, but MedZin tossed another one of those bombs at us. Y/N retreated deeper into the building to avoid it. I stupidly chased, and Y/N just kept getting more and more violent. MedZin retreated at that point because Y/N overwhelmed them--"

“Do you know where the men ran off to?” Ardyn interrupted. 

“No,” Tuti shook her head. “I wasn’t paying attention. I was too scared Y/N was going to find me. There was a moment I thought Y/N came to their senses, but they tried to attack me. I ended up hurting them, and I think Accordo troopers went seeking them out.” she pointed past him. “The building, it was several blocks down that way…you can’t miss the impact site of the bomb.”

Ardyn let go of Tuti’s shoulders and made a fist. His fingers were loosing blood from the pressure he applied.

“Chancellor, I beseech you I didn’t mean to leave Y/N behind,” Tuti sniffled. She could sense the brief hostility that traveled through him, despite his hands no longer being upon her body. “I’m so sorry--I thought…”

“Don’t speak any further,” Ardyn breathed. He resisted the urge to strike, knowing most would’ve done what she did in order to survive. Using his right index finger, Ardyn poked underneath Tuti’s chin and coaxed her to look up before letting go. “You have my sincere appreciation for what you’ve confessed. What come may, I’ll handle everything.”

“T-thank you, Chancellor.” Tuti weakly gave a bow with her head. As she rose, she followed Ardyn’s hand while he gestured toward a group of Higher Imperials from afar, being escorted by two magitek soldiers. Her heart skipped a beat, knowing there were familiar faces. 

“Go to them,” Ardyn encouraged. “Now.” 

Tuti glanced over him one last time before she found the courage to pick up her feet again. 

After taking in the destruction nearby, Ardyn shadow stepped and headed for the spot Tuti had pointed out. While he transcended through space like nothing, he suddenly felt his body wanting to give out, and it did just that. His breathing raced as the scourge traveled through him, and Ardyn suddenly came to a grinding halt. 

“Oh Gods…” He hoarsely whispered, feeling his heart cease like it had been grasped by someone with a tight grip. The last time Ardyn felt his heart stop beating was when Somnus struck him down during their duel for the throne. He remembered it well. Pain and confusion danced in harmony as air left his lungs, and the muscle of his heart desperately pumped without realizing the action would be its undoing. Ardyn felt that same suffering both physically and metaphorically in the present. 

Multiple points on his body started to become inflamed, as if the very fibers of Ardyn's muscles wanted to break through his skin. He then heard horrid screams pulse in his ears, and behind his eyes he saw a familiar daemonic entity wearing Y/N's face. The scourge felt beyond excited. The rush of despair Ardyn felt at the last second on Y/N's behalf at Outpost 98 came back to haunt him with a vengeance. Y/N--his Y/N--was close to the finish line just as before. 

“Pull yourself together!” Ardyn snarled. He once again shadow stepped as if the gods themselves were trailing him in a hunt. 

Minutes passed, and Ardyn neared the site of the explosion. He didn’t want to waste time, but couldn’t resist taking a gander at the impact point. A hint of a sulfur like odor hung in the air which caused him to grimace. He then picked up on a bouquet of scents that had the scourge in his body attempting to shirk away. The hivemind didn’t like this. Not one bit. 

“A suffoco was deployed,” Ardyn said quietly to himself, and looked ahead to the large hole that led inside the building. A shroud of screams came tumbling out, and Ardyn braced himself for the worst as he ventured forth into the fray. 

The interior of the building was an abysmal mess. What was once a lavish series of offices and intricate halls was now a pigsty of debris, brick, and blood. Ardyn didn’t envy whoever worked here. He imagined how tedious the task would be picking up after the carnage he had observed left and right. The foul sweet smell of the scourge within Y/N’s blood waft in the air, and like an addict, Ardyn eagerly followed the trail. 

A noise with a rhythmic tap rang in his ears before the explosion went off. Ardyn lost his balance, and slouched against the wall nearest to his right. It felt as if the rays of the sun kissed through all layers of his flesh. A pained moan fell past his lips. His right hand reached for his chest, and trembled up his neck as a strain took hold. 

Confusion rampaged across Ardyn’s eyes while he rapidly glanced around. With each pass of air through his lungs, Ardyn felt his organs clamoring for relief. The commotion was far away. He hadn’t been hit by a suffoco, but by the gods, did it feel like it. 

As his ears rang, the rapid tempo of a pulse soon took over as the dominant noise. It wasn’t his heartbeat, but that of another. It hit him all at once as his mind seemingly began to download information at a speed unfathomable to a mortal. 

Y/N couldn't breathe. They were alone, terrified, and suffering. The scourge had given up its lust for dominance over the host, and was attacking the body from the inside out in a crude attempt to relieve itself of affliction. Ardyn felt his body flux in temperature. One moment boiling, the next cold as ice. The daemonic entities that resided within screeched so loud, that Ardyn shouted while covering his ears. Falling forward, the shrieking evolved into desperate murmurs of incoherent thought. 

“Y/N,” Ardyn gasped. His brain felt like it was melting, but he tried to keep himself afloat. The sclera of his eyes became a pitch black void, and Ardyn instinctively began to follow the voices and Y/N's pulse. 

With every step, Ardyn felt agony like no other wash over his soul. He nearly tripped over himself a few times, not used to taking on the burdens of a mortal. Despite discomfort, he persisted on his path. Gods be damned anyone or anything that got in the way of the impulse he felt enslaved to. The very atoms of his being desperately yearned to be with who his scourge had imprinted upon. 

Soon enough, Ardyn arrived in the room where he assumed Y/N would be. He stopped to catch his breath and looked downward. Bodies of Accordo troopers littered the area. He couldn’t sense any other life present, until heavy breaths captured his attention.

Ardyn watched in dismay as Y/N suddenly emerged. Like a fish out of water, Y/N crashed and tumbled into everything. In between hysterics, Ardyn noticed Y/N's skin sizzling with an artificial smell that was likened to a rich spice. Y/N had been directly hit by a suffoco, and the light magic within the orb had triggered asphyxiation. He could feel the light that had penetrated attempting to purge the scourge by any means necessary. 

Ardyn briefly recalled witnessing demonstrations of the weapons use from Accordo officials. It was one thing to watch in trials, but another to helplessly observe a daemonified creature go through such suffering. He was pulled out of his head as Y/N choked while trying in vain to scream, and made direct eye contact with them. 

Despite a pair of abyssal eyes staring him down, Ardyn could see the human showing through. A desperate plead haunted Y/N’s features, and he felt his blood run cold knowing subconsciously what Y/N was telling him despite not having full control of their actions:

They were making their peace with the end. 

“No, no, no!” Ardyn shook his head. His voice teetered on the edge between human and monster, enough to startle Y/N. “You don’t have the right to do that! You don’t have the damned right! We don't take the easy way out, Y/N!" 

For a moment, Ardyn thought he had them under his control until he witnessed Y/N’s scourge veins rapidly pulsate. It was like witnessing a caterpillar attempting to burst out of its cocoon in a bloody mess. During his turmoil, Ardyn didn't pay attention to the fact Y/N suddenly attacked him. The punches made him snarl, and he felt Y/N cut open his left arm with a swipe of their clawed fingertips. Ardyn let out a pained hiss as Y/N flung themself off and retreated. 

“Y/N, come back!” Ardyn beseeched with a yell. “Y/N!” 

He chased after them and Y/N collapsed against the legs of a table nearby. Their airway now almost completely blocked, they began to let out a sickening wheeze. Ardyn came to their side and fell upon his knees. He gathered Y/N's body into his arms. His tear brimmed eyes desperately searched them over while he tried to shake them back into consciousness. 

“Oh no, no, no! Y/N!” Ardyn's voice strained while his mind flickered between the past and present. Y/N's painful rasps intermingled with the somber breaths Aera had taken before she had perished. History was repeating itself in a way that crushed him more than the blade of Somnus piercing his back, and Ardyn desperately cried out as Y/N violently escaped from his grasp. 

Amidst the sudden jolt, Ardyn froze as an idea leeched into his head. If the panic could be settled, if the scourge could be reassured--like he had done for Y/N's flares in the past--perhaps there was a chance of survival. Instinct beckoned him to give more of his scourge to Y/N, and to lure Y/N's pain to a singular point. 

Ardyn's mouth fell open as he saw the irony of their roles being reversed. It was now Y/N's turn to feed off him in order to heal. While the thought seemed counterintuitive, he had to try. He couldn't--no, he wouldn't go through a painful loss again. He rapidly began to think of ways to get the scourge into Y/N. There was nothing sterile like a syringe near, and he scarce doubted such an item existed in an office setting. Ardyn nearly settled for hovering his injured arm above their mouth and letting the scourge drip, but he realized Y/N could choke further.

"There's gotta be some damned way to-!"

Ardyn looked down at his sliced arm, watching blood and dark bile seep from the wound. His heart skipped a beat as revelation cleared his mind, then carefully brought the injured limb to his mouth and started to suckle. Ardyn could feel the underside of his tongue fill with scourge, and he tried to contain it without it falling to the back of his throat. After consuming much, he lifted his head. Blood and scourge oozed from the corners of his mouth as a determined fixation lingered in his gaze. 

While Y/N began to rise from the ground, Ardyn’s right hand grabbed a hold of their head from the chin in a tight vice. He forcibly turned them around. Y/N gagged out a hoarse yell in protest. The whites of their eyes were pushing and pulling against the darkness. Ardyn could sense through their agony that they didn’t want to fight him, but had no control over themselves. Not in this sorry state. 

Before Y/N had the chance to attack, Ardyn brashly pinned Y/N to the ground with his body. Either side of his arms caged their head. He leaned forward and Y/N cried out as his left hand cupped the side of their face. Ardyn let go of his hesitance, tilted his head, and softly pressed his lips to Y/N's. Closing his eyes, he forced his tongue inside their mouth and remained still, letting the scourge he had gathered slowly descend into Y/N's body. 

Little by little, Ardyn felt Y/N's trembling cease. He calmly breathed through his nose, and flinched when his throat captured one of Y/N's gasps. The scourge was definitely distracted. He could feel it begin to sync up with his own, losing its fear to the light that he was snuffing out. Gods be damned to all hells known if this wasn't going to work. This had to work. He would make it so.  

As the seconds ticked on, Ardyn moved his mouth ever so slightly. His tongue lifted and tugged against Y/N's, controlling the flow of the scourge. The sound of Y/N's heartbeat in his ears began to dissipate as his own increased. He felt a moan from Y/N reverberate through his mouth, and impulsively returned a groan of pleasure. Euphoria began to flood him, which confused Ardyn greatly. He shouldn't have been deriving any sort of satisfaction from this act yet his nerves melted. His knees grew weak as he felt Y/N's bottom lip feebly tug. If he didn't know better, they were trying to kiss him back. 

Ardyn tried to not allow such sentiment to interfere with his aid. This was nothing but a transaction to ensure both parties would survive, yet he could feel himself succumbing to the similar affections he craved at the springs. There was a part of Ardyn, a part he denied, that hoped the kiss would linger. He prayed even harder that Y/N wouldn't pick up on these feelings through their bond. 

Ardyn's face flushed with warmth while he slightly opened his eyes. He admired the little imperfections in Y/N's skin before the hand that was cradling their face gripped further. His thumb brushed upon their flesh delicately and he closed his eyes yet again and deepened the dark kiss. His movements were deliberately slow, giving Y/N plenty of time for their body to settle and even push him away should they be fairing well. Ardyn could feel Y/N's scourge merge with the hivemind that flickered in the back of his subconscious. It wouldn't be long before it would become dormant at his behest.

A muffled groan from Y/N’s end had Ardyn freeze. The noise wasn’t feeble and broken but strong, indicating to him that Y/N could breathe freely. He relinquished whatever desires that held him, and lifted his lips from Y/N’s. His eyes carded over their face, relief grasping him at seeing natural color return to Y/N’s flesh. Save for the small patches of scourge markings, they were by all accounts normal. He hoped in mind, that similar results would show. That Y/N was still there, in their head and in control. 

Ardyn removed himself from Y/N. He adjusted his legs, now sitting upon his knees as he bundled up Y/N close to his chest. While supporting Y/N with his left arm, Ardyn used his right hand to softly nudge their face. Fear tip toed around him as he pondered the what ifs. Y/N wasn’t dying no longer. The scourge all but confirmed that, but such assurance from spirits of darkness did little to calm the erratic ache of not knowing in full. 

“Y/N,” Ardyn whispered in plea. “Y/N, talk to me. Talk to me."

He stilled when Y/N opened their eyes. There was no trace of a familiar set of amber orbs looking upon him as if he had held up a mirror to himself. 

“Hi,” Y/N croaked. The word was faint and scratchy, but it was enough. Shortly after, Y/N closed their eyes and passed out. Their body and mind too worn to comprehend the world.  

Despite them passing out, words couldn't convey nor touch how relieved Ardyn felt in this moment. To be free of loss's burden was a blessing sweeter than all the sins he had committed upon others. Ardyn closed his eyes while settling down his nerves, and embraced Y/N tightly to him. Had he been a pious man, perhaps the gods would've deserve some praise for the occasion, but alas not. He saved Y/N himself. An immortal--Adagium--saved someone with his own curse. 

“What are you doing?” 

Like a mirror being crashed into, Ardyn’s body stiffened at the intrusion of Loqui's voice. He was rattled out of his peace, and the deep yellows behind his black eyes constricted while he growled under breath. 

“Chancellor, what are you doing with Y/N?” Loqui’s voice grew louder. He stepped forward, and his mouth fell open. Shock fell upon his face as he caught glimpse of the scourge markings that covered Y/N's legs. "Y/N's...no, Y/N's a daemon?" 

Ardyn kept his back to Loqui, shielding the majority of Y/N from him. His shoulders quaked as the relief he had felt seconds ago, began to burn off into a resentful anger. 

“This can’t be!” Loqui stepped back. He shook his head. “Did the attackers infect Y/N?!”

“No,” Ardyn lowly replied. 

“So then…” Loqui’s voice trailed off as he started to put it together. He could feel his face turning a pale. “Has Y/N been sick this whole time?” 

“You were supposed to be watching them!” Ardyn bellowed. He turned his face to the side; daemonic features long gone yet his animosity remained. "You stupid, reckless, boy!" 

The sudden scream had Loqui jump and lose his train of thought. He watched Ardyn rise to his feet with Y/N in tow. Despite being scared, Loqui felt weeks of pent up frustration toward the Chancellor come tumbling out. He stood his ground, and glared while firmly talking back to Ardyn. 

“Chancellor or not, you will not address me as such!” 

“I can damn well call you by the name of every filth on Eos if it would give me pleasure!” Ardyn spat. “Y/N and I argued for a day and night over you being their guardian while I attended the empires affairs in Altissa, and your negligence almost cost them everything!” 

“You can’t pin this all on me!” Loqui retaliated. “My commands from the battalion take precedence in the event of--!”

“Precedence? Don’t make me laugh!” Ardyn interrupted with a bitter scoff. “I know you all too well, boy. You walk in the shadow of your father and wished to be seen in the same light as he. That’s why aiding the House of the Courts benefited you versus keeping Y/N--and Tuti for that matter--safe from our enemies! It wouldn’t bode well on your resume, no, but saving Madam Secretary and all those Higher Imperials would’ve done numbers for your reputation! Admit it you little leech!”

“You don't know a damn thing about me, and you should talk! Like you've done any better regarding Y/N's welfare!" Loqui countered. “All this time Y/N has been sick with the starscourge, and you didn’t do or say anything about it? Does the emperor know?! Is Chief Besithia aware of that?!” 

“I am not privy to disclose or break Y/N’s confidence to the likes of you, regardless of how highly they’ve spoken of your character!” Ardyn yelled. “Y/N’s burdens are mine and Chief Besithia’s responsibility, not yours nor anyone else!” 

“So Y/N is a pet project then? Something for you and the Research Ministry to poke and prod at?!” Loqui felt his blood boil at the mere thought. “The laws are clear, Chancellor that we ease the suffering of those afflicted! The starscouge is a fate worse than death, the whole world knows that even our enemies! You're an inhuman monster for this! If you cared anything for Y/N, you'd-!" 

“Don’t you DARE tell me I don’t care about them!” 

The air stilled as both men froze, staring one another down. 

There was a time that Loqui believed while he could never beat the Chancellor in a game of wits, he could physically usurp him. The feelings of betrayal and anger tempted Loqui to prove his point. His mind was already made up, yet his body didn’t move to the commands of his conscious. Loqui was surprised. The fury behind Ardyn’s words were long gone, but the presence of an unfathomable rage lingered like a sickness that refused to part ways. 

Ardyn never once flinched. His firm posture--the way he held Y/N protectively to him--indicated to Loqui he had struck a nerve so deep, that the false bravado Ardyn displayed among the public could devolve into something dangerous. He had just earned himself a little taste of it. The very nerves under his flesh tinged at the realization. 

Loqui let out a snort, and lowered his head. Literally bowing out of a potential brawl. He made as fist as Ardyn began to walk with Y/N in tow and stopped. Loqui could feel the Chancellor’s eyes raining daggers upon him, and refused to look him in the eye. 

“There’s a thousand ways we can go about this, but I’ll keep it simple.” Ardyn coldly spoke. “Speak of Y/N’s condition to anyone, and I’ll ensure unfathomable suffering befalls you and your kin.”

Loqui flinched. “You’d really resort to that?”

“To protect Y/N, and the interests of empire itself, yes.” Ardyn firmly replied. He leaned in closer so he was nearly whispering in Loqui’s ear menacingly. “If I had half a mind, I'd encourage the Imperial army to demote you to such a low rank that worms would take precedence over your value. Alas, I will not be moving forward with such commands. I do this kindness for Y/N by sparing you, but make note: this will be the first and last time you ever question my sensibilities. Is that quite understood?" 

“Yes…”

“Yes what?” 

Loqui grit his teeth. “Yes Chancellor.” 

“That’s what I love to hear.” 

Loqui’s emotions were teetering on the edge at the way Ardyn mockingly said love. He didn’t know if Ardyn was mocking his feelings to Y/N, or if the Chancellor himself was admitting his own emotions in a subtle ploy. Mind games were not Loqui’s forte, nor did he ever want to become a person who enjoyed said things. It was best to let it go, despite having the urge to chuck his sword right through the man's chest while his guard was down. 

Enraged and at a loss, Loqui didn't hear Ardyn make his departure. Nor did he hear him state he would be seeking medical attention for Y/N. Loqui peered up and watched as Ardyn disappeared down the hall, leaving him with eviscerated corpses. The likes of which Loqui couldn't fathom. He grimaced as nausea curled its finger around his chin and tempted him onward. 

As he left the massacre behind him, Loqui couldn’t help but wonder if it was Y/N or the Chancellor who had committed these violent acts. Knowing Y/N was tainted by the scourge, it had to be them. But there was something about the Chancellor’s manner that him questioning everything down to his loyalties. He couldn't help but wonder how far the rabbit hole went, and wished more than anything, that he could lean on the wisdom of his father. 

[dollgutzzz]

Sicktember Day 6: Dizziness/vertigo

Thank you to anonymous for the outline suggestion for this prompt! It was super fun to write :) 🩷

Rating: T

Media: Final Fantasy XV

Characters: Noctis, Gladiolus, mentioned Ignis

Summary: Noctis is not feeling well, but knows he can’t put off his training. He eventually pushes himself to his limit.

[happybookowl2]

Amor Non Exurat Flamma Chapter 28

[kaitouhime]

Final Fantasy XV Fic

Looking for a final fantasy fic with Noct and time-travel involved.

Details:

Noct somehow finds himself in the past

Noct is wearing Nix Ulrics beads to honor him ig?

He meats the Ulric clan and saves the elders and young that were being attacked at the time with the help of a Messenger GodCat???

Colors are a big thing I think

There is a huge miscommunication problem between him and the clan regarding the colors and the woman that he is staying with

The communication problems eventually get cleared up and the clan goes from resenting and hating him to the opposite

There is a big gathering of clans at one point

...I can't currently remember much else at the moment that makes sense

please help

[aquathewriter]

Fratres Usque Ad Finem (FFXV AU)

Summary: After Prompto is confronted with the truth of his origins, he looks around a bit more until he finds a young clone floating in an unknown solution. Without thinking, he frees the boy and now has to take care of a kid that is new to the world around him. (Follows mid-end Episode Prompto, end of the base game, and then beyond.)

Chapter One

"Who...what am I?" Prompto whispered as he looked up at near-mirror images of himself. They all seemed to be sleeping peacefully with their arms crossed over their chest in their tubes. They were so still that he thought they could be dead. He didn't know what compelled him to look around more, but he soon found himself walking deeper into the room until he found himself in an area where the clones were starting to get younger and younger. "They're just...kids..." he said quietly as he stopped in front of one of the chambers. This kid inside was probably no older than ten years old. Thinking back to photos he had seen from when he was that young, he saw the resemblance, but they weren’t as identical as he thought. The boy’s hair was a darker blond than his, and his skin was paler, though that could be from him having lived in the tube his whole life. Like the older clones, he looked to be sleeping peacefully, suspended in the fluid-filled tube. Looking to the right, he saw a digital interface. There was a string of numbers, but underneath that, it read 'incubation time: seven years.' He was right about one thing; the kid was no older than ten.

Gritting his teeth, he pulled out his pistol and pointed it at the glass. His hands shook as he adjusted his aim and pointed it off to the side, intentionally missing the boy. He pulled the trigger, and the familiar sound of gunfire echoed throughout the room. The bullet shot through and lodged into the machinery behind the kid. The fluid that suspended him started to leak out, but it wasn't fast enough. Pulling out his rifle, he held it by the barrel and hit the breaking glass a few times. He didn't care if he broke the gun, he could find another, and his want to free this boy was greater.

With one last hard whack, the glass shattered, and the greenish fluid came rushing out. Prompto then dropped the damaged weapon and pushed his arms into the rush of liquid to catch the boy before he fell into the broken shards of glass. Prompto then carried him bridal style away from the mess he created, allowing for any cords or whatnot that were connected to the boy to snap off as he hurried off. As he reached a corner away from the chaos, the boy started to cough, and it finally hit Prompto what he did. “Shit…” he breathed.

He just broke one of the clones out of their tubes, not knowing if he could talk or walk or do anything! Not only that, the kid was now his responsibility, and with what was going on right now added a whole new level of challenges for him. 

Shaking his head, he knelt and set the boy on the ground. He had him sit up and patted his back as the boy continued to cough up the mystery fluid he was once floating in. Eventually, the boy calmed down and slowly opened his eyes. Prompto watched as the boy looked up and around at his surroundings. Soon, his eyes landed on Prompto, and the older blond gasped quietly when he noticed that they weren’t blue like his but a pale green. The boy’s eyes scanned Prompto’s face before he opened his mouth.

“Who…who are…you?” The boy’s voice was raspy and weak. Prompto didn’t know how he should’ve felt about learning that this boy could speak, a boy who spent his whole short life in a tube. He really just felt relieved to know that the boy was aware and could function.

“My name is Prompto,” he said softly, hoping not to scare the child.

“Where…Where are…we?” the boy asked as he looked around again. Prompto bit his bottom lip as he tried to think of a way to explain it to him.

“It…it doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that you're free and safe.”

“Free?” the boy questioned as he looked back up at the young man in confusion. Before Prompto could answer, the boy started to suddenly shiver almost violently. Startled, Prompto looked around to see if he could find anything to cover him but just ended up taking his coat off and wrapping it around the kid’s body. He helped guide the boy’s arms into the sleeves, and they covered his hands completely. He still shivered but was nowhere near as violent as before.

“Do you think you can stand?” Prompto asked. The boy shrugged, and the older blond nodded. “I think you can do it.” He then held out his hands toward the boy. If he knew how to talk despite living in a tube his entire life, he must have some control over his motor functions. He seemed hesitant at first but took Prompto’s hands. Prompto slowly stood up and helped the boy stand. The boy wobbled for a bit until he finally found his balance. Still holding his hands, helped the boy take a few steps before letting and showing him he could do it. The boy turned around and gave Prompto a small smile.

“And there he is now! Oh, and with another one of the clones.” Prompto spun around and pushed the boy behind him. Looking up, he saw Ardyn with another, much older, man behind him. Prompto noted that the older man looked ill and faced away from them. They both stood on a staircase that led up to possibly more of the lab. “I told you he became a fine young man. Are you ready to meet your maker, Prompto?” the older blond bared his teeth at the horrid man while the boy gripped his sweater in fear. “Any questions for daddy dearest?” Ardyn laughed. “Father and son! Or, well, sons now. Oh, how I love bringing families together.”

“No…it’s not true…” Despite his anger, his voice barely made a sound.

“My my, you still don’t believe it? Even after seeing all of them down there and then the boy you freed?” a wicked grin appeared on Ardyn’s face. The older man…Prompto soon figured out that it was Verstael Besithia, Niflheim’s resident mad scientist. The older blond let out a shaky breath. Ardyn laughed at this as he climbed up the stairs and disappeared behind some machinery.

“What’s the matter?” Verstael’s voice pulled Prompto's attention back to him. He watched as the man climbed down the rest of the stairs and slowly made his way closer to the boys. “Have you never seen a man turn before?” Prompto’s blood ran cold when he saw that half of the man’s face was blackened like he was bruised. Or dead.

The Starscourge!

He quickly pulled out his handgun and pointed at the older man. Verstael laughed. “If those Lucians hadn’t intervened, you could have turned too.” The calm tone in his voice made Prompto’s skin crawl. He lowered his gun somewhat but kept his finger on the trigger. “The boy too. He could have turned too once he was old enough.” Prompto felt the boy’s grip tighten.

“Why me? Why us?” Prompto demanded though his voice was weak.

“Because you two were cloned from this genius’s genes, born of my own flesh and blood.” he then gestured to the other tubes that held the younger clones. “You are, but one of millions created to serve our great empire in the magitek infantry.” memories of his past then flashed through his head.

“Created…to serve you?” Prompto felt faint. His breathing was quickening. Part of him wanted to turn tail and run away and forget any of this had happened.

“Prompto?” the older blond gasped and looked down. The boy was looking at him with a mixture of worry and fear.

Stay…for the kid…

“Yes. And now you’ve finally come home to Niflheim, my son.” the man then laughed wickedly. Now fed up with what this man was spouting, Prompto held his gun straight up into the air.

“Cover your ears,” he said loud enough for only the boy to hear. Once he felt the boy let go of his sweater, he pulled the trigger. The gunshot caused the boy to yelp, and the sound echoed off of the walls and machinery. Verstael’s laughter faded as he sneered at Prompto.

“Shut up!” he shouted. He looked down at the ground as his breathing became heavy. He slowly lowered his gun to his side. “You’re wrong…I’m a Lucian!” he saw the boy from the corner of his eyes. Tears then started to sting his eyes. “And he’s going to be someone! Anyone he wants to be! We are not one of your experiments!” Prompto’s body felt heavy as he leaned forward, taking his eyes fully off Verstael, and tried to compose himself.

“Not anymore. Now you two are nothing but failures.” the man growled. “I ought to return you both whence you came. Perhaps then you might serve some useful purpose.”

“Prompto!” the boy screamed. The older blond looked up and saw that Verstael was just inches from him, and it looked like black ink was dripping down the dead side of his face.

“Never!” Prompto shouted as he made him and the boy take a few steps back before pointing his gun at the man again. Verstael just laughed at the two.

“With your help, my ascension to divinity is now all but complete.” Prompto felt his body shake with fear as he watched the infected side of his face seem to morph and contort. This fear spiked as Verstael started to close in on them again. They were already pressed against a wall behind them, so they couldn’t back up anymore. “Soon, neither the kings of Lucis nor the gods themselves,” the scourge was smoking off his right arm as he placed that hand on Prompto’s shoulder, “will be able to challenge my reign!” Prompto then saw that his other hand was reaching for the boy. Prompto let out a scream and pulled the trigger.

It was normal for his ears to ring after shooting, it was much more common when he first started. But now, the ringing drowned out anything and everything. He watched with wide eyes as Verstael struggled to breathe as he stumbled back a few steps before falling to the ground in a motionless heap.

Prompto took half a step forward before his gun slipped from his hands, and he fell to his knees. It then came crashing down at what just happened. He killed someone. It didn’t matter if he was a madman or succumbing to the scourge; he pulled the trigger and ended a life.

Though he didn’t look at him, he knew he and the boy both wore the same shocked looks on their faces. He didn't know if the boy even understood what happened. The ringing had faded, but the silence was deafening as they watched the scourge drift off the dead body.

“Look what you’ve done.” Prompto jumped slightly at the sudden voice but didn’t take his eyes off Verstael’s body. “You’ve gone homicidal-no, patricidal!” Ardyn said in mock shock. Tearing his eyes away from the body, he looked around and couldn't see the man anywhere. 

“No…” he whispered before looking at the body again.

“You lose your friends and murder your family. Now you’ve no one left! Well, there's that boy, but what use is he to you?”

“Shut up!” Prompto screamed while Ardyn laughed from wherever he was hiding. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” He then leaned forward and pounded the ground a few times. Ardyn’s laughter faded as tears rolled off the tip of his nose.

“Prompto?” the boy whispered as he tugged on the older blond’s sweater. 

“Vital functions decreasing. Plasmodium activity index increasing.” a feminine robotic voice spoke over a speaker system. Prompto let out a breath before looking up. “Daemonification complete.” he watched as Verstael faded, only leaving his clothing. “Initiating transfer to Unit XDA-1002: Immortalis.” the lights then went out, save for a red glow that came from beyond the stair, and then the ground started to shake. Forgetting about the boy, Prompto grabbed his gun before he rushed forward, up the stairs, and almost crashed into a long console that sat in front of a series of windows. There was a machine in the room beyond the window with six or more of the holding tubes. Prompto could only guess that they once held more of the clones. He then felt small hands grab his sweater. He gasped in fear before looking down at the boy holding on to him. It looked like he had stumbled from the shaking of the floor and caught himself on Prompto.

Just then, there was a crash from the other room. The shaking ceased soon after. Looking back, he was surprised to see a familiar face standing on top of a dead daemon.

“Aranea?” he called out. She looked up at him. Surprised crossed her face before she quickly hid it with slight annoyance.

“You always play hard to get like this?” her voice came through a speaker somewhere. He started to say her name, but she quickly held up a hand, cutting him off.

“Save it, Blondie. Get your ass in here.” when he didn’t move, she shook her head slightly and looked back to a nearby table. He soon regained control of his legs, helped the boy properly stand again, and led him into the room while resting a hand on his back. “So this is that new model they’re working on.” she then looked up when they stepped into the room. “I dunno what’s got you so shook,” she started to walk closer to them, “but you can deal with it later. Let’s move.” when the blond didn’t move, she rolled her eyes, marched forward, and grabbed him by his collar. He gasped in surprise. “I’m only gonna say this once,” she then let go with a slight push, “lost your will to live, and you lose all hope of me helping your sorry ass. Got it?” he swallowed the lump forming in his throat before giving her a little nod. Prompto then watched as her green eyes flicked down to the boy. She stepped back with a surprised gasp. “What’s a kid doing here?” the way she spoke just before told Prompto that she didn’t know about the clones. He gripped the hand that rested on the boy’s back tightly before trying to refind his voice.

“He…He’s a long story.” she looked the boy over.

“Is that your coat?” Prompto nodded. “Does he have any other clothes?” he shook his head. She then sighed and undid her coat. As it slid down her arms, revealing a dark blue sweater underneath, she noticed the confused look on Prompto’s face. She groaned in annoyance before ripping her red scarf off. “There’s more than a foot of snow outside, colder than any winter you’ve probably experienced in Lucis, and I don’t think you want him losing any toes. My coat is longer and can cover more of him.” she then threw both garments at Prompto.

“But…but what about you?” he asked as he pulled the coat off of his face. She just waved him off as she made her way to another exit on the other side of the room. He watched as she stood on the threshold with her arms crossed and stared out into whatever lay in the next room.

She’s keeping watch…

With a sigh, he got down on one knee and helped the boy change coats. While his coat reached the boy’s knees, Aranea’s dragged on the floor, but it was probably warmer than his with the fur lining, and they could tuck his feet in when they went outside and wrap the extra length around his bottom half. After he wrapped the scarf around the boy’s neck and some of his head, Prompto placed a hand on his head. His hair had mostly dried but was still a little damp. “You feeling good?” he asked while forcing a small smile for the boy. The kid nodded as Prompto pulled the hood up and over his head and then put his own coat back on. “Good. Now, let’s-”

“Target detected.” the feminine robot voice suddenly announced over a speaker. Prompto jumped to his feet before gripping his gun tightly. From the gaping hole in the wall, Prompto felt his blood run cold as he watched three MTs clamber over the debris. “Capture and retrieve immediately.”

“Shit!” he heard Aranea hiss as the MTs started to make their way toward the blonds. She then raced forward with her lance out and easily one down.

“Commence capture and retrieval of compromised units.”

“Get your ass in gear and move it!” she shouted before charging back for the exit. Prompto then scooped the boy up, carrying him half-bridal style while the kid wrapped his arms around his neck and raced after Aranea.

Once he ran out the door and reached the other side, he saw a large warehouse-type area. “There,” the Commodore said as she pointed down below, “that’s our ride out of here.” He looked to where she was pointing and saw a snowmobile. He nodded as a bullet flew over their heads and lodged into the window in front of them. The boy whimpered as they whipped around to see the two other MTs, and then several more coming up the nearby staircase closing in on them. “Dammit!” she shook her head before pulling a folded map and shoving it into Prompto’s chest. It started to fall, but the boy caught it and looked from it to Prompto in confusion. “Head there. I’ll buy you two time and catch up later." She then summoned her lance and calmly walked toward the battle. Prompto quickly processed what she had just said.

“But what about you?”

“I said I’ll catch up.” She then fell into her battle stance.

“But what if y-”

“Just go! You have a kid!” she almost screamed. Promtpo pressed his lips together in a thin line as he danced on his toes. He wanted to stay and help her fight, but…he looked down at the boy in his arms and saw the fear and confusion in his pale green eyes.

It took another bullet to whiz by his head and shatter the glass behind them to make him start running. Aranea had cleared enough of the stairs so he could run down most of them. He had to shoot at a few MTs when they reached the bottom but quickly gave up on that. He dismissed his pistol and raced for the gates that housed the snowmobile.

Once they reached the gates, he heard the boy gasp.

“What are those?” Prompto looked back to see a few daemons making their way toward them.

“Daemons!” Prompto said before turning back and sprinting for the vehicle. The blond threw his leg over one side and sat down with the kid in front of him. “Put your arms around my chest!” the boy let go of his neck and did just so while burying his face into his chest. Prompto then wrapped the kid’s feet and legs as best as he could with the extra length of the coat. He pulled out the map from in between them, looked at the location Aranea marked, and tucked it into his coat. He revved the engine before punching it. The snowmobile shot forward, and Prompto was quickly greeted with the harsh bite of the cold. He felt the boy stiffen and tighten his hold around his chest. “Just stay like that until I say so!” he shouted over the engine. He felt the boy nod and returned his focus to driving.

It was easy going for the first few miles…then they were nearly blown off their ride by a missile. Looking back, he saw a war airship with missiles lining the underside, quickly gaining on them. Adrenaline coursed through him as he pushed the snowmobile to go faster. 

He narrowly avoided missile after missile, but his luck only lasted for so long. He didn’t realize he was running out of road until the snowmobile had launched off the rock. Everything then moved in slow motion. The vehicle went straight down while throwing them off. He watched as he flew out of the boy’s arms and the fear in his eyes as Prompto flew farther away from him.

Time resumed its normal speed when he hit the ground on his back and ended up rolling a few more feet before stopping on his side. He briefly lost consciousness before slowly opening his eyes. He then heard the airship come closer to them. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing in hopes of playing dead. The snow soaked into his coat and pants, but he needed this to work. He heard the engines hum for a few moments before taking off. He waited until the engines with a whisper before groaning and pushing himself onto his back. He felt the adrenaline crash getting to him as he looked up at the cloud-covered sky. His lung wheezed as he breathed heavily. With a sigh, he rested the back of his left hand on his forehead and closed his eyes.

“Catch ya later, Aranea…” he stayed like that for a few moments until he remembered the boy. Ignoring the pain in his body, he quickly pushed himself and looked for his companion. He then found him lying next to the overturned snowmobile. He scrambled to his feet and raced toward him. As he reached him, the boy started to regain consciousness as well.

“Prompto?” the boy called out before the older blond knelt down behind him.

“I’m here; it’s okay.” he panted slightly. The boy looked back, and he saw that the scarf had slipped down his face while the hood fell off his head and revealed the pink that stretched across his cheeks and nose. Prompto started to help the boy up, but as soon as he started to move him, the boy let out a cry. “What’s wrong?” Prompto asked quickly as he stopped moving the boy and put him back on the ground.

“M-My leg,” he said with a pained expression on his face with tears rolling down his cheeks. Prompto looked at the boy’s leg and saw that it was unwrapped and trapped under the snowmobile. Standing up, Prompto pushed the vehicle so it was back on its treads and off the boy’s leg.

“How is it?” Prompto asked as he looked back at him.

“It doesn’t feel good,” he said as he sniffled and looked at the blond.

“Does it hurt?”

“H…hurt?” the boy looked like he didn’t understand the word.

And he wouldn’t…he’s never felt it before…

“Hurt…um…when something happens to you, you can feel hurt, feel pain.” he never had to explain what hurt meant to anyone. “It’s pretty much what you said. It doesn’t feel good.” The boy nodded slowly and looked down at his leg.

“Yes, my leg…hurts.” Prompto nodded and dug his legs out of the snow. His bare legs were pink from the cold, but his left leg had a large and nasty-looking bruise forming on his shin and on some of his foot. 

“I have to carry you anyway, but we’ll take a better look at it when we get to where Aranea wants us to go,” he said as he wrapped his legs again. The boy nodded before the older blond picked him up. With a sigh, he sat on the snowmobile. He had the boy hold on again before he turned the engine on. 

“It makes a lot of noise.” he heard the boy say just before Prompto took off.

“Engines are loud most of the time.” he then smiled when he thought about the regalia. “My friend has this car, the regalia, and it’s a beautiful car. The engine is really quiet, but there’s still going to be noise from it. It’s just much quieter than this one.” he then remembered the events on the train. He didn’t know now if he could go back to them or if they would still call him their friend if he told them the truth about where he was from and how he was made and not born.

“Friend?” This snapped Prompto from his thoughts, and he sighed internally. He wasn’t mad at the kid for questioning, but he just didn’t have the energy to both drive and explain what some words were.

“I promise I’ll tell you what it means when we get to the spot.” the boy nodded, and they remained quiet for the rest of the ride.

[mrs-sharp]

Everytime you realise your favourite fictional character is... fictional.

[chasingfigments]

@crazyloststar and I have been working on our collaboration Civil Hands since September 2021, and we're so excited to start posting it! We are once again working with many artists for this project, and our key art is by aidenofwolves. We hope you look forward to it!

Prompto doesn’t need the chancellor’s crooked finger to prompt his lines. “Until the day a peace treaty is signed, I intend to remain in Insomnia, if Your Majesty is willing to host me.” There is a long, considering silence. “We will speak plainly,” the king says. “You would surrender yourself as hostage to Lucis against further Niflheim aggression?” The chancellor smiles before turning back to the king, and there is little Prompto can do to calm his racing heart. “It will be an easy thing, should Your Majesty hold fast to your honor.” — Or:  When the Prince of Niflheim surrenders himself as a political hostage, Noctis’s curiosity turns into something unexpected.

Posting begins 21 August 2024.

[kodieshmodie]

Gladio's come this far, hasn't he - what's another trial before a Shield's reunited with his King?

A second piece for @ffxvreversebang2024 !! Nightflower_panda wrote an amazing post-Tempering Grounds Gladio-centric story to go along with my artwork, definitely come check it out!!

[sanjismywhore]

Breaking The Bed

Gladiolus Amicitia x Reader

Warnings: nsfw, rough sex, afab reader

Gladio is a giga chad and breaks the bed

Re-upload because something glitched

————————————————————————-

Gladio’s hips rutted against yours. His palm perched up on the swell of your ass while his other hand pressed into the curve of your spine. He used his strength to keep you pinned flush against him, chest to chest, while you rocked back and forth on his lap; kissing him softly.

The softest sigh escaped your lips as a low moan echoed through his mouth. He felt the vibration course through him, causing him to smirk and suck gently on your lower lip. His mouth slid down your neck. The gentle kiss was followed by his tongue licking at the sensitive spot under your jaw.

He moved lower to nip at your throat, making sure to cover every inch of skin with his kisses. You hands tangled in his hair as his fingers trailed down your front. Teasing the skin along stomach before settling over your clit, rubbing circles around it as he kissed you hungrily.

Your legs wrapped tighter around his waist, squeezing his length, letting a whimper slip smooth off your tongue like silk to his ears. “Gladdy…”

A moan ripped deep within his throat, pushing himself harder against your center. His hands moved from your clit back up to cup your ass.

As if sensing your need, Gladiolus lifted his hips upwards, burying himself deeper within you. His thick cock stretching you out even more, “You drive me crazy, y’know that?” He grunted with pleasure as your walls hugged him tight.

You could feel every thrust, every slight movement of his cock perfectly. Moaning his name once again, you tried to bury your face into his chest. His chuckle, as boisterous as it was, gave you goosebumps.

Gladio brought one of his rough hands up to cup your face. As he stroked your cheek with his calloused fingers, he mumbled. “Eyes on me sweetheart.”

Your gaze shifted upwards so fast it almost made you dizzy, but it never left his face. You didn’t think you would ever get tired of watching him; the way the darkness in his amber eyes bored into your soul with hunger and desire. Or how he sucked his bottom lip between his teeth when his gaze drifted towards your lips.

“Just look at me.” He grunted. You could feel his other hand press harder into the small of your back, forcing your hips to roll against the movement of his thrusts.

Your breath hitched with each one, feeling the burn in your core build. Gladio leaned forward to capture your lips again. Moaning softly in the entanglement of your lips, you wrapped your arms around his neck.

Your hands ran through his locks, pulling him closer. Gladio let out a deep moan in against your lips deepening the kiss even further. As you began rocking more urgently into his body, he squeezed your ass. You gasped against his mouth.

He chuckled under you, “You want more?”

You swallowed thicky, nodding vigorously. Your hands fisted the fabric of his tank-top, tugging him closer to you until his head dipped into the crook of your shoulder. Thanks to his sturdy build, you could lean all your weight against him as he hugged your smaller form.

Enveloping your body into a tight embrace, Gladiolus grunted against your skin as he worked to increase the tempo of your movements. You moaned louder to which he snickered against your lips. With his firm grip never falterting, he leaned backwards with you in his arms until his back hit the plush mattress. You yelped in surprise.

The springs groaned, the wood creaked, and the bedframe knocked against the wall. His cock throbbed within you as he bent his knees, planting his feel firmly on the bed with you still in his lap.

Gladio’s laugh sent a chill down your spine. He covered the side of your face with wet kisses, tickling the skin with his facial hair. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were begging for it, princess.” With his lips close by your ear, you could practically hear the smirk plastered on his face.

His movments slowed momentarily, giving you a moment to catch your breath and adjust to the change in gravity.

With every slow thrust, Gladio whispered sweet nothings in your ear, encouraging you to get lost in your own rapture. “Just relax and enjoy the ride.” He kissed the top of your head. His words filled your entire world, wrapping you in an intoxicating cloud of lust.

And suddenly he pistoned his hips hard, thrusting up into your soaked cunt with exertion. The loud smacking of his hips became drilled in your head as he drove into you repeatedly.

You laid on his chest helplessly as he held you down with his own brute strength. His grip was tight on your body as he buried his face into the space between your shoulder and neck.

He slammed his cock into you relentlessly, balls smacking against your ass with each thrust. He pounded into you as if he was trying to fuck himself through every inch of your body. ”Fuck me,” You huffed as the wind got knocked out of you.

It was an order, not a request. Gladio didn’t hesitate to comply. Grinding his cock into you, he thrusted his pelvis hard against yours as if that would help you find release faster. He just kept fucking into you harder and harder. Your pussy clenched around his throbbing cock, soaking the entire length. And he still fucked you with everything he had.

His hands gripped your hips tightly, holding you down as he pounded into you. His breathing was heavy, labored. His chest heaved with each thrust. His eyes were closed, his face contorted in ecstasy.

He moaned as he felt you clench around him, your wetness dripping down your thighs.

As he kept thrusting, he realized that he would only continue to get lost in you. No matter how far he could climb to chase his high, his desire remained insatiable.

Even now, hours later, dawn was approaching. After what had felt like a lifetime to Gladio, his dick still throbbed, desperate for more.

Straddling your figure as you laid on your stomach, he ground his hips down into you. Either of his hands rested on your hips as he fucked you mercilessly from behind.

The sheets were wrinkled in your grasp, pillows scattered around. Both of your bodies were drenched in sweat, hair disheveled. Your clothes were no where to be found. Presumably somewhere scattered on the floor, but you paid no mind.

He was still pounding into you, stretching you open so that you could take him, and only him. Every time his hips made contact with your ass, it jiggled—to which he found amusing.

Gladiolus smiled slightly, running his finger down your spine. A shiver of delight rippled through your body. His smile grew into a full fledged grin. Sitting up straight, he continued to pound into you. “Beautiful.” His purred to himself.

He knew he had you completely enthralled by his cock. “Gladdy,” You moaned his name, arching your back against him. He smirked as he watched you writhe beneath him, continuing to pump himself into you as your thighs shook, clenching around his cock.

Occasionally he would hold your waist tight and push your face down into the pillows below, whispering the most vulgar obscenities to your ear.

“Shit, babygirl.” “Yeah, you like that?” “Fuck yeah, take that cock.” “So fuckin tight.”

He would slam into you over and over again, abusing your swollen pussy with such ferocity that it caused a sharp pang of pleasure to shoot through youe core. Then he’d shealth himself deep inside, growling through clenched teeth. “You’re takin me so well.”

Every second you spent with him felt like forever. But it couldn't have been any more satisfying. He was make love to you until you shattered from his lips; his touch; his words, his cock.

His fingers dug into your hips; nails scraping against your skin, creating small trails of bruises. “You’re mine, y’know that?”

You could only respond in moans or whimpers. Your speech barely comprehensable to him, but he didn’t care. Every sound or movement you made told him all that he needed to know.

It was a wonder how no one knocked on your door to complain about all the noise. Not Prompto or Ignis, or the other motel quests. Not even Noctis. In the back of your mind, you wondered if the others had been listening throughout the night, but the thought was soon drowned out by your own moans.

The bed croaked in response to your passionate lovemaking. The wooden frame beat the wall over and over and over again in sync with Gladio’s thrusts, scratching off the paint.

You felt his bare chest make contact with your back as he leaned down, mixing his sweat with yours. His lips ghosted over the shell of your ear, gently nibbling on your skin. Your name fell from his lips with a grunt. The sound was music to your ears.

You swore to the Astrals that you could’ve fallen apart right then and there.

You let out a soft cry into the pillow, shuddering from every overhwelming sensation.

“Fuck (Name),” He kissed your shoulder blade, leaving light trails of teeth marks as he slowed the ferocity of his thrusts while still making sure to reach the most peasureable depths inside you

Gladiolus growled against the crook of your neck, feeling your cunt flutter around him. “Oh shit…” He grunted, grinding into you harder. His breathing grew heavier as he wrapped his arms tight around you. Your body was practially buried beneath his weight.

You bit down on the pillow, muffling out a moan into it. His large hand caressed your lower abdomen as he pulled you tighter to his body. The bed squeaked under him as his hips rolled along with yours.

Your back arched against his hard chest, your legs trembling from both the excitement and exhaustion. Your muscles tightened in an instinctual reaction whenever he took you this far. “Please.” You whimpered just loud enough for him to register, aching for relief.

Picking up speed yet again, Gladio shut his eyes and clenched his teeth. Sweat beaded his forehead, dampening the strands of hair that hung onto his forehead. His muscular thighs tensed and flexed as he continued his relentless pounding.

You whimpered weakly, burying your face deeper into the pillow. Every thrust caused your clit to sting from overstimulation.

Coincidentally, every hard thrust caused the bed to croak louder and louder behind the lewd sounds.

Gladiolus let out a loud grunt, slamming into you with renewed vigor. Your breath caught in your throat, you couldn’t believe that this was happening. He continued to thrust with an intensity that left you trembling, unable to stop yourself from cumming right away.

A faint cracking could be heard coming from somehwhere in the room, but you didn’t pay any mind to it. As a final thrust brought forth your orgasm, it felt as if the walls came crumbling down. You emitted a loud cry of ecstasy.

And with yet another orgasm for the night, the bed finally gave out one last croak before collapsing in on itself.

CRACK

The bed’s legs cracked first, then the entire bedframe gave in and fell flat to the ground.

There was a pause that lasted way too long, leaving you both dead silent. It was like the world had stopped. Neither of you moved, almost too scared to break the bed further.

It took a few seconds to register what happened. Thankfully the mattress didn’t slide off during the event, so neither of you got hurt. Both emitting soft gasps, Gladio was the first to lift himself up to check out the damage.

You whined as he pulled out of you, leaving you empty and still trembling from your orgasm. And while his cock was still standing proud, still leaking with want, he ignored it entirely.

He got off of you. Rubbing the back of his neck as he grimaced at the state of the bed.

“Shit…” He cursed, reaching for the broken bed frame.

“Is it bad?” You weakly sat up, cheeks flushed and eyes puffy. “It’s gonna cost us a couple thousand Gil...” Gladio shrugged, glancing back at you.

Groaning, you pushed yourself up from the pile of pillows. Your legs wobbled as you stood, letting the blood rush to your limbs once you regained your balance. “You think Iggy’ll lecture us later?” You chuckled softly, leaning forward to grab onto Gladio’s forearm, using it to steady yourself.

“I bet he’ll make us cook for a week.” He laughed, assuring you with a soft peck to your cheek. “I’m gonna have a great time explaining this to the owner...” He grunted, briefly leaving your side.

Walking around the room, he picked up the clothes scattered all over the foor. “We really outdid ourselves didn’t we?” Gladio added with a small grin, looking down at you with amusement.

You laughed softly to yourself and pulled yourself together. “Yeah, definitely did.” You glanced at the mess of the bed again, then looked at him.

“Never expected you to be so… passionate.” You smiled sheepishly.

Gladiolus scoffed, sliding his boxers back on. “Well you weren’t expecting a gentle giant, were ya?” He teased. Walking over to where you stood, he pulled you towards him and kissed your temple.

“Nah, never.” You grinned up at him, resting your hand over his chest. “You made it worth my while.” You whispered, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.

He let out a satisfied hum, “That’s not all I got in store for you, babe.” Playfully squeezing your ass, Gladio pulled you in for a kiss. After a couple more minutes he broke the kiss and turned away from you, grabbing his phone.

“Get yourself dressed and go see Iggy. He’ll probably let you sleep in his room.” He uttered as he put his pants back on.

As you picked up your clothes and shuffled towards the bathroom, you turned back to look at him momentairly. “And what about you?” You asked.

“I’ll stay here and call the front desk.” He answered as he grabbed his shirt from the floor and put it back on. “Don’t tell Ignis just yet. Wouldn’t want him getting pissed at you for my mistake.”

[cravingsfromatwistedone]

CHOCO-CHOCOBO! [ FIC / NSFW ]

AUTHOR'S NOTE: NOW THAT I'M PLAYING FFXV, I JUST KNOW THAT PROMPTO WOULD ADORE THE CONCEPT OF CHOCOBO GIRLS (FF13: LIGHTNING RETURNS IN YUSNAAN) ! I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT THE GUY FROM THE CANVAS OF PRAYERS WHO WANTED A CHOCOBO GIRL'S NUMBER WAS PROMPTO IN ANOTHER LIFE. ANYWHO, ENJOY READING, MY DARLINGS! TW: ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP, USAGE OF PETNAMES (PRINCESS, BABE), EXPLICIT NSFW CONTENT (IT STARTS OFF CUTE BUT IT GETS NASTY AFTER THAT!) PROMPTO ARGENTUM X FEM! READER

The Chocobo Post in Duscae has never been this livelier before ever since they organized Chocobo races. Now that the Deadeye in the area is dead, the owner and staff decided to implement a feature that was long pushed aside due to the past circumstances they had. With enough Gil and materials, what they had planned went in full swing, accompanied with many new and familiar faces; the owner himself even graciously invited the four Hunters

That's why the blonde male was shaking in his boots. Sure, he was excited that Noct mentioned something about visiting the Chocobo Post in a passing statement but he wasn't expecting this. His blue eyes keep flitting everywhere, from the gang to the owner then back to the girls in front of him. Mind you, girls who were dressed up akin to Chocobos. Their outfit consisted of scantily golden coloured bikini tops, thigh high stockings and boots that looked like Chocobo feet. Not to mention the feathery plumage behind them and the feathery wing-like gloves. It doesn't help that the girls were grinning at him, giggling at him as they beckon for him to come closer

"Hey, aren't you the one of the Hunters that killed off that Deadeye? Choco-choco thanks!" "Choco-chocobo, your hair have the same colour as our Chocobos! Say, do you want to take a picture with us?" "You're pretty cute for a Hunter, y'know! Come here, Chocobo boy!"

No wonder the guys were grinning from ear-to-ear in the car, refusing to give an inkling of what he was going to see when they arrived there. Everyone that day could still remember the visible flush that was on his cheeks and neck, the male capable of saying yes meekly to the Chocobo Girls' invitation for an impromptu photo session. It was a really, really long day

⋘══════∗ {♡} ∗══════ ⋙

"Do you think this looks alright?" You asked, the feathery plumage fluttering as you do a twirl. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Hard. "Yeah, it looks fine, totally fine—" He blurted out, propping his chin up on his hand as he stared up at the figure standing in front of him, baby blue eyes skimming down your form greedily. It doesn't help that his skin is warming up considerably too. He sat up straight, hands reaching out for you and his fingertips grazing your exposed sides "Can I touch it?" He coughed out, shaking his head as he cleared his throat before muttering "Can I touch you?—" His eyes are wide with so much hope pooling in them, his brows arching upwards and his lips pursed in a thin line. A very nervous, quivering line

"You don't have to ask permission," You giggled as a smile blossomed on your pink lips. Lips that he just simply adores. He sucked in a breath sharply, holding it as his gloved hands enveloped around the smooth flesh. He pressed his thumbs into your muscles gently, slowly trailing them upwards while he pulled you closer and closer to him "So pretty," He mumbled, his golden bangs tickling the skin of your breasts as he planted a soft kiss in between them "My very own Chocobo girl who's the cutest," The male added a beat later, letting his lips linger on your skin a while longer before sinking his teeth in, evoking out a gasp of surprise out of your lips. It's so hot. His ears are burning from hearing that precious little noise. "The sexiest," He drawled out, arms snaking around your hips and waist as his hands began to fondle with the straps of the costume "Wanna take these off," He muttered, his fingers hooking into the elastic band of your shorts, sliding them down just enough so he could see your pussy. It was soaking wet, your wetness staining the fabric. His tongue swiped against his lips unconsciously, his eyes narrowing in interest as he pulled the cloth down all the way through before his hands went back to squeeze your thighs, tempted to just swipe the pads of his fingers against your clit "All this just for me?" He questioned, the edges of his eyes crinkling from grinning too widely "Can't wait to fuck you stupid, babe—" The male hastily dragged his other hand to the buckle of his belt, undoing it as he tugged you down to his lap, cock straining against the fabric of his jeans and once he does undo his jeans, he's almost embarrassed of how stiff he was. Keyword; almost. He couldn't care less of about what he feels right now, the only thing he wants to feel is your tight walls enveloping him and clenching down on him like a vice. His blue eyes turned into half-lids as he watched how the head of his cock brush and prod against your soaked folds, your arousal just simply dripping and coating over the flushed tip. He let out a hiss through gritted teeth as you started to lower yourself down, fingers digging into your backside as you take him inch by inch He knew that you had to ease yourself like this every time, your cunny too tight even for his size but fuck, he can't take it anymore—

The blond wrapped his arms around you, muttering a gentle 'Sorry' against the shell of your ear before grabbing a handful of your thighs and forcing you down his cock, the male happily swallowing up your whimper when he pressed his lips on yours. " 'm sorry, 'm sorry—" He chanted, groaning into your mouth as your hips met in rapid succession "Wanted my cock in you so, so, much, princess—" As soon as he said those words, he felt you tighten around his pulsing cock and he nearly sprained his neck from how hard he threw his head back, his brain filled to the brim with the thoughts of your warm pussy and how good it felt to be in it. One of his hands slithered up to grab a fistful of your hair, pulling it back just so he could litter a mess of hickeys on the soft skin of your neck

"That's it, keep-mmh-taking my cock like that," The blond praised, his mouth parted slightly before he moved up to your lips, blue eyes fluttering shut from the taste of your tongue invading his mouth which just made him hasten his pace even more. He had to pull away, he had to. If not, he would've busted his load right then and there and he didn't want that He wanted his sweet, sexy girlfriend to cum first So with another whine leaving his lips, he dragged his hand to be in between your legs, rubbing his fingers on to your clit furiously while you start to squirm in his embrace. The male knew you was close, judging by the way your muscles are tensing up, your moans getting higher in pitch. He wasn't so far behind either, his thrusts mostly consisted of him rutting his pathetic cock in and out as he tried to push the both of you over the edge "P-Prompto, I'm going to—" Your words were cut off by a loud, pleasured cry and it made Prompto lose his mind, your slick juices dribbling down his thighs as he continued to bully his cock into you. It was more than enough for the man to let loose now that your needs were satiated first. With another bruising kiss to your lips, the blond pulled away before putting his entire focus into his pace, not really heeding the constant pleas and whines from you to 'slow down' and be 'gentle' He's almost there, he can feel it. His thighs going taut, his jaws clenched and the constant, throbbing ache in his loins as he kept on going. His persistence was then rewarded, the blond whimpering in pure delight as he felt his sweet girl clenching on him for the third time. His body not even hesitating to just simply flood you with his warmth, your pussy milking his cock for he's worth while you both basked in the sweet, sweet afterglow. He'll worry about the Chocobo costume later on, his brain's too mushed to think about cleaning them and returning them back to the owner. It was a rental after all

[savage-rhi]

Mending Shadows // Chapter 33

Summary:

Y/N was a simple Scavenger of Lucis, until meeting a deadly blow at the hands of an infected creature. At the crossroads of death, they are found by Niflheim’s cryptic Chancellor with his own agenda. Now bonded to Ardyn Izunia, and tossed into the world of Niflheim, Y/N struggles to cope with their new life as an Imperial Icon all the while battling their feelings toward their fate and that of Ardyn’s.

Click here to read on AO3

Y/N’s mind was suspended in darkness. 

The passage of time was an elusive concept that slipped through their soul like grains of sand in an hourglass. There was no such thing as the external world. There was no Eos, no Niflheim, no Lucis, no Ardyn--only a void that unfolded with a surreal fluidity. Memories couldn’t plant their roots in this place. Nothing flourished here, except two things: presence, and song. 

Although not aware of themself, Y/N latched onto the melancholic tune that somehow wormed its way into the dark to meet them. The idea of colors slowly began to return in splotches of vibrant blues and purples and vibrated against the sound, creating hues beyond the spectrum of the waking world. Little by little, like a rock being polished by the waves of the ocean, imagination and existence blurred into an ethereal dance. 

A glimmer of light broke through Y/N’s eyelids. It tugged at the fringes of their awareness. Everything was blurry, but they could detect movement. Shapes wandered around their peripheral, and so did voices. They couldn’t make out what was being said, but felt… something. 

It was hard to put words to tone much less decipher the delicate touch that would occasionally glide across their face, squeezing their right hand when all ministrations were complete. The simple ritual was conducted by only what Y/N could perceive as an entity. Shortly thereafter, would the song emerge and play it’s gloomy notes. Though Y/N couldn’t comprehend the movement of time, they had a feeling the entity had done this on numerous occasions, and they felt warm at the thought that something beyond recognition regarded them. 

The process repeated itself many times over. Just as Y/N would be on the precipice of awakening, they’d fall back into dark shores. Only peering through when they once again could hear the dreary song, and watch as colors tried to choreograph it's energy. 

A chord struck and reverberated all through the void, and Y/N’s consciousness suddenly remembered the name of the music. 

Shiva’s Lament… 

Y/N felt themself once more peering out from the dark and taking a step back into the waking world. The corner of their eyes still heavy with fog, Y/N’s ears followed the poignant timbre of sound that felt both like a warm hug and a haunting cry. That’s when Y/N’s exhausted gaze fell upon Ardyn, watching as his body sway while he adjusted the bow against the strings of a violin. His fingertips delicately moved against the neck of the instrument to seamlessly connect notes that longed for each other’s company like lost lovers. 

Shiva’s Lament…Y/N repeated in mind, as the memory of their debut night in the Vixen carded its fingertips against their brain. Their eyes traveled over Ardyn with awe, for his hair looked like whisps of flames against a glow of light that emitted from his body. Y/N was surprised to see him without his jacket and scarves. He was dressed so casually that it went against his nature, but it never once took away how graceful Ardyn looked from Y/N’s point of view. 

Gods, he was so beautiful in the glow that words couldn’t describe it. If it were possible to move their limbs, Y/N would’ve reached out to him.

Like heartstrings being carefully tended to, Ardyn made the violin weep with such a soulful quality that Y/N could feel themself drifting back to sleep. They didn’t want to be lured back into the dark. No, they wanted to latch onto the flowing melody and let Ardyn guide them through the storm; like he had done at the wedding when they danced. Like how he carried them through Outpost 98. He was always there at that midpoint between life and death for Y/N. A personal reaper who offered some shreds of comfort before the finale. And like the grim itself coming to collect his toll, Y/N succumbed to Ardyn’s song and went back to the void. 

There was nothing but dreamless sleep for what felt like ages, and Y/N awoke once more but with a sharp gasp like a newborn babe taking in air for the first time. As Y/N adjusted to the world, their labored breaths became calm until there was a steady flow. They could no longer hear their pulse rattling inside their skull, and took this moment to gather everything around them. 

Niflheim…The familiar colors all throughout the room assured Y/N they were no longer in Altissa, but this wasn’t their usual sleeping quarters. The distinct smell of rich spices and musk was strong. They could feel it leeching out of the blankets that covered them. It wasn’t unpleasant by any stretch, but it added a layer of confusion to Y/N as they carefully rose up from the bed. 

As the blankets bundled around Y/N's waist, they noticed the black and red coloring of the sheets. This was Ardyn's bed. This was his scent.

Y/N dryly swallowed, and noticed they weren't alone. Slouched upon a chair a few feet away, Ardyn lay motionless. His arms and legs both crossed with his head leaning against the top rail. Soft strands of breath left his mouth, and Y/N adjusted and crawled on the mattress toward him. As Y/N got a better look, they noticed how wearied he was. More of the wrinkles around Ardyn's eyes were prominent as were dark circles. He looked as if he had stayed up for several nights in a row, and hadn't a moment of reprieve. Y/N wondered if he was sick, and the idea made their skin crawl as they worriedly searched him. It was so peculiar to see signs of stress in Ardyn's features, given he was permanently stuck in his thirties.

Sighing in relief at not seeing anything else, Y/N decided not to entertain the thought any further. They tried to remember how they ended up here, but alas nothing came forth. There was not a speck of a hint, minus how delicious the red velvet cinnamon rolls tasted in the morning after leaving the beach. Y/N felt that their mind was permanently on a dead television channel, akin to the annoying tingle of compressed nerves they felt down their arms and legs. 

“Gods be damned…” Y/N whispered.

Maybe after eating breakfast, everyone went back home. Maybe they had jetlag from riding the airship and needed to sleep it off. Maybe nothing nefarious happened. Maybe they had one too many drinks at the wedding and passed out. Maybe in their drunken state, they dreamt of swimming in the ocean with Ardyn. Maybe...

“We both know that’s a lie,” Y/N murmured to themself while they looked upon Ardyn’s sleeping form.

Whatever happened in Altissa, Y/N knew they had been out cold for a long time. Something had to have gone down, or Ardyn wouldn't have been here. Not like this. 

Growling out of frustration, Y/N could only recollect small fragments of seeing Ardyn playing the violin. With how blank their head felt, they wondered if perhaps that too was only a dream. A fleeting thought that sounded beautiful and offered them comfort during a near death experience. With how weak they were in body, it made sense to Y/N that their brain would latch onto something like that.

Y/N suddenly noticed an object that was sitting in Ardyn’s lap. Shifting their legs so that they were dangling off the bed, Y/N curiously observed the open leather bound book. Marks from what appeared to be pencil was scattered around on the pages, creating an image Y/N couldn't decipher from this angle. Wanting to get a better look, Y/N slowly stood up and stumbled while walking toward Ardyn. Their body quaked as gravity made itself known again. Gritting their teeth, Y/N shuffled toward the chair and thanked whatever was listening that they need only take a few steps forward. With each lift of their feet, Y/N's calves felt as if they had been crushed under rocks. As they drew close, Y/N evened out their breath and gently reached for the book, being mindful not to bump Ardyn all the while. 

With shaking fingertips, Y/N brought the book to their face and quietly observed. The first few pages were littered with intricate drawings of figures and faces. People Ardyn had no doubt seen around Niflheim, or maybe even somewhere from his past. The warm glow that drifted through the curtains nearby illuminated the drawings further. Free flowing gestures accentuated the little imperfections people naturally had. There was character to every face, and every limb as if Ardyn's mind was a camera that had taken several shots of people in motion. They were surprised that a hand pulled this feat, let alone that Ardyn had any artistic endeavor. 

“Wow,” Y/N smiled as they whispered to themself. 

Page after page was filled to the brim, and Y/N wondered if anyone knew about the Chancellor’s creative pursuits. Mid-thought, they flipped to the next page and froze. The subject jumped out at them immediately like a reflection out of time. Y/N was staring at themself. He had drawn a portrait of them. 

Mouth falling open, Y/N realized there was more than just one. Their eyes drifted from sketch to sketch, and as more was revealed, Y/N felt astonishment tightly grasp their heart. Disbelief danced on the edge of reason as Y/N flipped a few more pages, revealing more of themself. 

Ardyn had acquired every nuance of Y/N's persona with the stroke of a pencil. There were smiles and frowns, comedic poses, and moody postures. Moments of vulnerability that only the artist himself could've witnessed firsthand. Even among half finished doodles he had clearly given up on, their essence remained intact. All the while, the subject had been completely oblivious to how immersed the artist was as he captured quiet intensities and delicate manner. 

This somehow felt more intimate than coming across the contents of one's diary, and Y/N blushed as they forced themself back to the first page. 

The room suddenly felt warmer than usual as Y/N had a deeper understanding of Ardyn's observations of humans. Each sketch was a silent testimony to how he truly paid attention to all the little nuances most took for granted. It was scary how he could get into someone's head, let alone commit a wink or a grimace to memory via graphite and parchment. It also enamored Y/N, especially when they realized some of their portraits went as far back as their debut night. Disbelief and other emotions swirled inside of them, realizing these drawings captured unspoken feelings Ardyn kept hidden from the world. 

Biting the inside of their lip, Y/N winced out a weak grunt. Their stomach twisted in a painful knot. Dehydration finally clawed to the surface, and Y/N carefully put the sketchbook back in Ardyn’s lap before limping away to seek something to quench their thirst. 

Ardyn was lost in his own world between worlds. He didn’t register Y/N had awoken, nor was he disturbed by them tinkering with his sketchbook. Everything outside of his head wasn’t a matter of consequence. Not when he felt so weak to the point of entering a period of temporary hibernation. If Ardyn were aware, this would’ve been day three of this mini holiday he had unintentionally succumbed to. That being said, he had been granted anything but rest.

After the fiasco in Atlissa--and dealing with the political consequences of the event--Ardyn had long sought shelter amongst the whispering commentary of daemons and the poor unfortunate souls he had consumed ages ago. Their voices forged several paths before him as he combed through the past week and a half. He cut through memories of conversations, and meetings--putting them into boxes and categories he could summon at a later time.

In this dark space, Ardyn was also seeking answers to questions. Trying in vain to find a point in time where he perhaps mistook an event as insignificant. The first attack on the House of the Courts made perfect sense. The arrival of several Imperial fleets had pushed people past an already unstable edge with the betrothal to boot. Ardyn couldn’t fault the citizens of Accordo for that, for even he sympathized to a degree with their hatred toward the empire. It was easy for him to understand how the embers of men could grow into a forest fire, yet unlike a voracious flame, they didn’t get far without a clear sense of direction. However, he couldn’t let bygones be bygones with the secondary attack. Not when it was so personal that it dare felt insulting. 

A fleeting glimpse of a meeting Ardyn had with investigators tip toed around his conscious. It had been evaluated that the coup had been sprung by a Lucian faction soliciting aid from Accordo’s anti-imperialist groups to achieve an ulterior goal. Of course this faction was MedZin, and Ardyn ensured that little tidbit was expunged off official documentation via bribery of monetary gain.  Of course he spun a believable lie to Aldercapt and the Imperial Counsel, that this ensemble's primary objective was to cause upheaval and undermine the empires national relations. Of course Y/N and other Higher Imperials were targeted to deliver the message--and of course, Aldercapt was pissed off to no end. He spent a great deal verbally lashing out against the surviving ambassadors for not having the foresight to take better charge of security. 

Ardyn managed to sate Aldercapt's tempter tantrum, and settled down the unease amongst his colleagues with diplomatic solutions. He extinguished many fires that day, yet he couldn't put one to rest and that was the truth of the situation. That day of reckoning and bloodshed had been wasted on one simple task: to ensure Y/N's capture. 

A daemonic voice lulled Ardyn to another memory. While Verstael's associates checked to see if Y/N had imbued Tuti with the scourge, Ardyn had studiously interviewed her. The poor thing would live another day if she could get through her recent trauma. He thought the endeavor of a formal checkup was a pointless effort on Verstael's end, for Ardyn knew Y/N didn't have the capability of infecting humans. Not when he himself personally suppressed such an ability via influencing the hivemind--just like he had been doing to Y/N's memories. Making sure the locks had been well fortified. 

Through Tuti’s ramblings, Ardyn confirmed some long held suspicions about why Y/N was specifically targeted. MedZin, as far as they knew, believed Y/N to be Adagium and thus responsible for their main research facility being compromised. It was clear as day. After all, it was Ardyn himself who left a trail of bread crumbs to Y/N's feet, ensuring the fault for the damage would befall their reputation. He had put a target on their back to wash his hands clean of the sins he committed in Lucis during that time. By all accounts, Ardyn should've been ecstatic that his former nemeses weren't seeking him out, however, he felt anything but contentment. 

Y/N was supposed to be the lamb. A sacrifice to sate the sanguine tongue of Gods and bless him a boon to further his true path, and yet when it came time to reap the lamb for slaughter, Ardyn didn’t have the stomach for it. Like an impetuous child who couldn’t fathom barbaric acts, he had taken the innocent creature into his arms and ran away from responsibility, knowing full well he didn’t have the means to keep such a beast happy and healthy. His so called mercy was an act of selfishness that strayed him off the path of divine retribution. All because of one simple act of defiance. All because his heart led him astray, just as it did when he had taken the scourge into himself on behalf of the deep love he had for his people. 

Ardyn saw himself back on the beach in Altissa.  

Love… 

Aera flashed in his head. Her smile, and her blood. 

Look what that got you in the end… 

I warned you long ago Lucis Caelum, thou brings plenty of pain upon amongst himself. 

“The great Ifrit…what an honor to be graced by your riddles and mystery,” Ardyn’s mind bitterly spoke out into the void. While he couldn’t see him, Ardyn could sense the Inferniums spirit and how warm the atmosphere became. “I assume you’ve come to impart more vague threats?”

I take no honor in such intimidation despite thy hatred for thee. 

“How considerate,” Ardyn scoffed. “Our last encounter would suggest otherwise of your intentions.” 

Make no mistake, my wrath will be as swift as my flames when divine timing commences. You know of the purge within your veins unlocking me from this cage. How the scourge has grown weak to protect thee. It is not the king of light who will bring you peace, but I in the end due to mankind's tampering with nature. 

The serum… Ardyn held a belief in his gut the issue with Ifrit was connected to him getting jabbed long ago, and this confirmed all suspicion. He mused to himself at the irony, and didn’t know whether or not to despair or laugh. 

“Then why torture me with your very presence at this moment, shouldn’t you be saving that for your grand entrance when you take over my body?” Ardyn muttered. His eyes glanced around the endless dark, feeling out the vibrations of the hivemind and that of the god that dwelled inside of him. 

Your fear has called to me. 

“My fear?” 

The fear of profound loss. Thou dreads this depravation above mortality. 

“What are you, a shrink?” Ardyn sneered. His sarcastic quip did little to deter Ifrit’s expository as the god continued to speak through thought.

Through thee, I will seek thy own retributions toward mankind and the gods. At such time, I proclaim a hand will never lay upon the soul you miss. 

Ardyn glared and averted his gaze, feeling every fiber of his being--of his soul--wanting to lash out in blind fury. The god of eternal flame certainly knew where to hit a man when he was down, that much Ardyn gave Ifrit credit for. 

“Aera… my Aera is dead,” He muttered with sorrow. “No one can harm what’s gone. Not even the accursed gods can break a spirit beyond the astral realms. I took you as an entity of intelligence, not a mindless beast yet it seems I stand corrected.”

It is not the ancient oracle I speak of. 

Ardyn became dead silent. 

I shall grant thee this one kindness in memory of who thou once was. 

“You know nothing of my feelings!” 

Thy knows enough through your meddling in darkness. 

“Get out of my head!” Ardyn yelled. He suddenly felt the air become humid and felt his soul crawl as if it had been doused in flammable liquid. Through sudden surprise, Ardyn could sense that Ifrit was prepared to light the match. 

Enjoy domain over this god and darkness, Adagium. The end draws near, and I shall bask in the fires of my hatred for thee! 

The voices of daemons began to screech, rattled by Ifrit’s intrusion. The presence of the Infernium disappeared, but the temperature of his spirit remained, and Ardyn felt overheated. Like a runaway vehicle, the sensation slammed into him and shattered like glass. It was as if he had been stranded in a desert, and there was no oasis that would grant him reprieve. He couldn’t sate the pain in his body, nor how parched his mouth had become. However, absolution lay before Ardyn in the form of a blue void that would openly swallow him whole if he chose to dip his feet into the surf. 

The waves of the beach beckoned Ardyn to seek refuge. He could feel it drawing him in like how the very moon controlled the currents. Ardyn rushed into the tides just as he had done before in Altissa until he had fully submerged. Through darkness, he saw a warm glow illuminate the water around him. There were no facial features to be seen coming from this light, but he recognized this presence. He was safe here, so long as he swam forward. 

Y/N…

He woke up. 

Ardyn’s eyes nearly bulged as he shot upward from the chair. Panting in fright, he blinked several times. Every so often he glanced around to ensure he was fixed in reality, and not dwelling within the hivemind or elsewhere. When his body and mind no longer determined an incongruity, Ardyn rubbed his forehead and deeply sighed in relief. He felt his shoulders relax while he slouched further into the seat. 

For a moment Ardyn contemplated how long he had been in the dark. The thought was short lived as he did a double take of the bed, and saw Y/N was missing. His eyes widened as the link between himself and Y/N suddenly became reestablished. Memories and sensations that weren't his suddenly hit him all at once, and Ardyn nearly shouted as he gripped the arms of the chair to stabilize himself.

For several minutes, a rush like adrenaline filled Ardyn’s body from head to toe. He was overwhelmed, beyond stimulated for what felt like eternity until it came to a screeching halt. Through Y/N’s perspective, Ardyn witnessed them falling to the floor in the kitchen. He winced as if he had experienced this for himself.

As soon as he regained control of his own point of view, Ardyn jump into action. He tossed his sketchbook to the mattress nearby and sprinted, not caring if he bumped into anyone or anything. What mattered was meeting Y/N in the middle. What mattered most was seeing them awake and most importantly, alive. 

Once Ardyn ventured through the kitchen door, he came to a grinding stop. Y/N still remained on the ground several feet away, but they held up a hand for him to remain where he was. Confusion placated him as Ardyn raised a brow while catching his breath.

“You’re---”

“Awake, I know,” Y/N interrupted quietly. Their gaze fell to the ground as their body quivered. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I got hungry and came here. The scourge flared a moment ago and I slipped. I guess you felt that, or you wouldn’t have come in running. ” 

Ardyn took a few steps toward them. “Allow me help you back onto your feet.”

“No, no,” Y/N shook their head, their eyes finally peering up toward him as he stopped midway. There was a mutual look of solace, signifying both had missed one another to some capacity despite Y/N's reluctance. 

“Let me handle this, please.”

“Y/N--”

“Ardyn, please just let me have this.”

At first Ardyn was stumped. He couldn’t understand for the life of himself why Y/N was being stubborn. Defeatedly, Ardyn studied Y/N’s features. He noted how bloodshot their eyes were. How tears stained either side of their face. The way their skin both looked rejuvenated and stricken by disease as if trapped between limbo. He felt fear creep up in the form of assumption; worried that Y/N wasn’t out of the woods yet with their coma. However, he couldn’t allow himself to dwell. Not when there was another pressing issue he was contending with: a morbid curiosity if Y/N remembered anything. 

With careful eyes he quietly observed Y/N hobble to their feet, trying to resist the urge to catch them should they fall again. As soon as they stabled themself, did Ardyn speak up.

“It would seem the luster of your pride remains untarnished by your little two week respite.” 

“Was that Ancient Lucian or you talking fancy?” Y/N countered with a tired yet playful scoff. They faintly smiled seeing Ardyn trying to resist grinning at the witty remark. 

“I could put it into laymen’s terms for you?” Ardyn gestured. 

“And ruin your fun nitpicking my head? Nah, that’s not very sportsmanlike.” 

“Ah, a little cranial commentary never harmed anyone, right?” Ardyn chuckled. He let out a breath he had been holding in as repose briefly tangled him up. 

"I saw your sketchbook." Y/N murmured. 

"Beg your pardon?" 

"I didn't know you were an artist." Y/N reiterated, offering a small smile as compensation. 

"Oh," He was taken aback. The redirection having caught him off guard. "I wouldn't assign myself such a title..." 

"Don't be so humble." 

"Far from it," Ardyn mused. He felt his hands shake as his cheeks lightly flushed. He never expected to have been caught by anyone regarding his little hobby. His heart stammered as the recent sketches he had done of Y/N sleeping flashed in his head. Ardyn cleared his throat. "I take it you saw everything?" 

"I know I shouldn't have looked, but...curiosity got the better of me." Y/N shyly shrugged. 

"And?" 

Y/N noted his body tensed, as if bracing himself for a scolding hit. 

"You made me look prettier," Y/N began, reminiscing the few portraits that stood out to them and smiled. "Far more diplomatic than I deserve." 

"And here I spent many a night wondering if I tarnished your image." Ardyn quipped sarcastically. The small smirk he wore hid most of his fright like a shield. 

Y/N shook their head at him. "You can't tarnish what's already tainted."

Ardyn sighed. "Don't you find this sort of duress fatiguing?"

"When I'm around you most of the time, yeah." Y/N nodded, letting out a tired laugh as did he. 

Both became quiet as they felt the scourge sync them up further. The familiarity was a breath of fresh air, and either felt a dull ache had finally been satisfied. There were no words that needed to be spoken, for both felt the same relief as the other. 

“I’ve so dearly missed our little banters as of late.” Ardyn confessed quietly. 

“Me too, I think.” Y/N admitted, letting Ardyn's earlier proclamations sink in as they gulped. "Two weeks, huh?"

“Well, nearly two weeks I should say you’ve been out cold.” Ardyn corrected. 

“Are you going to tell me what’s been going on?” 

Ardyn cautiously gazed over Y/N’s form. “I harbor no desire to inundate you. Not in this condition.” 

He could see the frustration instantly come to Y/N’s face, and could sense a bottled tension Y/N had been holding onto for quite some time wanting to spill over. Reluctant to witness such a travesty unfold, Ardyn's mouth opened to speak and found himself surprised when Y/N softly interrupted him. 

“At least,” Y/N paused as their bottom lip trembled. The corners of their eyes brimmed with fresh tears. “At least tell me if Tuti is alright. I know…I know I tried to hurt her.”

"She's fine," Ardyn reassured with a nod. It became clear to him that while he had been in the throes of darkness, Ardyn had failed to keep a tight leash on Y/N's fragile state of mind. A plethora of curses came and went through his body as made an attempt to soften the blow. "Everyone is just fine."

“But I’m not…” Y/N sniffled, wiping their eyes. “I'm sorry. I know the last thing you need right now is to see me crying like this.”

His right hand reached out. “Y/N--”

“It all came back to me when I started eating,” Y/N interrupted. Their voice shook as they began to regale the intrusive memories that flooded them. “I popped a grape into my mouth, and the sudden squishy noise made it come back. All the bodies. The awful stench. How their skin felt sliding down my throat...I know what I did Ardyn. I know what I've done." 

"Let me stop you if only for a moment," Ardyn strongly implored. Keeping his eyes on theirs, Ardyn gently shook his head to emphasize his point. "No one knows what you've done. I've made it so. As far as the public is aware, you lost conscious from having hit your head on the way to the airships. The only souls who know the truth are the dear companions we've kept close, and for the record, Betrys and the Serpent Society--hell, Senator Rodrick and his bride, they've been nuisances wanting to know how you've been fairing. See for yourself in your chambers, it's filled with tributes wishing you well. There's no need to catastrophize."  

"You really think hearing that I received material goods is going to make me feel better?"

"You misconstrued my intention--"

"It doesn't matter," Y/N interrupted again. "There's no coming back from this. You know what the worst part it was? There was some part of me that was still aware, that enjoyed what I was doing to those people! I liked chasing Tuti. I liked it when I scared and then killed those people who tried to harm us. It wasn't my daemon, it wasn't the hivemind, it was all me! It was all me!" 

“Y/N, it’s not as simple as you’re making it out to be! I assure you---”

“Spare me! I should be rotting somewhere, not them! You can’t just---wave a hand and make this...this feeling go away, as you do when you’re dealing with matters as Chancellor! Ardyn, you can’t fix this! No matter how desperately I wish you could, and no matter how earnestly you yearn for it!"

Ardyn’s heart pounded as Y/N’s voice grew hoarse from screaming. The final yell broke them, for they devolved into pained sobs as he watched Y/N turn their back to him. No longer having the courage to look him in the eye, nor face what they had done any further. He flinched upon seeing Y/N weakly hit their head with their own hands until grief held back their self hatred. 

“I shouldn’t have waken up. I shouldn’t--” Y/N shoulders trembled. 

The air hung heavy with the weight of Y/N’s emotions, and Ardyn felt a palpable tension not only in the room but within his body. He was relieved that Y/N couldn’t recall their actions at Outpost 98, but he was quite disappointed in himself that he couldn’t lock away what had happened in Altissa. If only he hadn’t been distracted by Ifrit, of trying to seek answers in darkness, if only he had kept up his concentration, if only he had been more dutiful keeping watch over them in bed, if only…

There was no use. The damage had been done, but now came the tricky part: how to proceed.

Ardyn felt a compulsion to rush to Y/N’s side, but uncertainty held him back. He was caught between a desire to be a supportive presence, fear of encroaching on Y/N’s vulnerability, and wanting to leave Y/N on their own while they settled with their fright. This wasn’t his battle after all. He didn’t have a stake in Y/N’s guilt, but he knew there was no chance in six hells he was going to let that go. No. Not when he could feel the very essence of their humanity, reaching out through the scourge to be forgiven. 

Ardyn hesitated further. He swallowed hard as he began to feel his own emotions mirror the turmoil in the kitchen. Hands twitching nervously at his sides, he took a cautious step forward. The noise was enough to quiet Y/N down, if only for a second. Once the silence cemented for a time, did Ardyn let go. The words left him without a second thought.

“May I hold you?” He asked barely above a whisper. He had never felt this nervous or so resolutely inclined to act on such a powerful impulse. 

Y/N sniffled as their head turned to the side, giving a faint nod. The silent permission granted Ardyn the courage to close the distance between them.

As he approached Y/N, Ardyn placed a hand on their quaking shoulder. Initially startled, he felt emboldened to proceed. Slowly, his hands traveled down Y/N’s sides, securing a hold at their waist before enveloping them in a gentle embrace from behind. His touch was a delicate balance between assurance and tenderness, and he could feel Y/N melt little by little. The fragility he sensed in Y/N stirred a desire to shield them from further harm, to be a source of solace in the midst of uncertainty. He squeezed a little tighter, holding onto Y/N as if they were a fragile bird whose wings had been clipped. His nose softly pressed the back of Y/N's head as he breathed, acknowledging how much he had missed their scent. 

“You’re right,” Ardyn murmured. “You’re a menace. I can’t undo the past nor your actions, and yet I remain at your side.”

“Ardyn--”

“You speak so low of yourself it's utterly exhausting,” He bitterly whispered against their scalp. “I don't move men nor stars for anyone. Do you have any idea of how much I’ve sacrificed on your behalf, the lengths I've gone? Damn you. Damn you for mattering to me." 

"I can't--"

"We will get through this. That's one promise I can keep."

Y/N slowly turned around to face him. His arms still remained securely attached. 

Y/N sniffed while noting the contours of Ardyn's face. There was an unmistakable sadness that echoed in the depths of his golden hues. No amount of glaring nor putting on a strong front could hide it away. His vulnerability only grew when Y/N nonverbally acknowledged the unshed tears glistening in Ardyn's eyes. They had never seen him in such pain before, and it nearly snapped them out of their own melancholic trance. 

"Are you crying?" Y/N's voice trailed they watched Ardyn bite in the inside of his bottom lip. He visibly shook.

“I thought I lost...” He couldn’t finish the words. Not when the gods could so easily come to claim another soul he couldn't be without. His arms adjusted, giving Y/N the opportunity to part ways while a silent understanding was shared. As soon as Y/N reached a hand to touch his face, it was over. 

Y/N found themself reciprocating a tight hug as Ardyn brought their body to his chest and squeezed. His soft lips peppered the side of their forehead while he held them close, not having the courage to let go. 

[dollgutzzz]

Sicktember Day 2: Overindulgence/Too much of a good thing

Yippeeeeee day 2! Hope you like this one :) Please lemme know if you did, I thrive off validation LOL

Rating: G

Media: Final Fantasy XV

Characters: Noctis, Ignis, and Prompto

Summary: Noctis snuck out of his apartment to go game with Prompto. He fills up on junk food and soda before sneaking back. Much to his dismay, Ignis had prepared a heavy dinner for him. He didn’t want to get in any trouble, so he’d just have to force himself to eat it all.

[happybookowl2]

Amor Non Exurat Flamma - Chapter 33

🎺Announcement time! A new chapter of ANEF has landed. Enjoy!

Warnings: Things get a little spicy for an impromptu kiss, but mostly more emotional pain than anything.

[sleepyheadnat]

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Word count: 675

Cleaning up the rubble of the old Citadel years after the fact, Cindy ended up finding something unexpected—a broken leather string tied to a rusty little plaque in the middle. A dog tag. With Noctis's name, age, sex and blood type engraved on it.

It had been a stupid thing, really. Noctis and Prompto had still been in high school at the time and a fair had hit the town. The gunslinger—18 years old and having never held a gun at that point—convinced them to get matching ones from a stand so their whole Royal Retainer "thing" would, quote on quote, "Feel more legit". And now here Noctis's lied, in the ruins of the place where he had fallen. How very fitting.

That silly town's fair trinket was now akin to the prince's inheritance. But there was no fight for its possession—the other two decided on Ignis immediately. And Ignis took it, and he clung to it. It hadn't been easy for any of them—much less for himself—to see their formerly composed and seemingly unshakable companion, their "mom", kneeling on the dusty ground, gripping the dog tag in both hands like his life depended on it, sobbing openly and bitterly like a child.

He began wearing it around his neck—fixed the string with the utmost care. Aranea would catch, out of the corner of her eyes, how he would sometimes hold it between fingers, stroke it while whispering soothing mantras to get himself to calm down when whatever creature lived in his head started acting up. In moments like those it settled in her—the truth she had long realized and accepted way before he had gotten down on one knee before her: Aranea had married a broken man. Fit her just right, though; she wasn't any less broken than he was.

Maybe too many blows to the head will do that to you, but she found it harder and harder to discern reality in her mind. She would spend minutes trying to separate her dreams—and nightmares—from the prior night from her actual life, try to make sure that the memory she was playing in her mind was an actual memory and not a thought or a story someone had told her.

She would sometimes watch Ignis as he talked to her, stare at the scarred eyes behind his glasses, follow the movement of his lips and wonder to herself who was this man talking to her so intimately and why did he feel so familiar. Some mornings, she would leap out of bed when she saw him and reach for a spear that was not there. Ignis would gently, lovingly coax her into believing that yes, they were married, this was her house, she was safe. No, the war had ended long ago, they didn't have to worry about that. Niffelheim? No, they were in Insomnia, she had defected from the Empire years ago. Why was the Sun up? It was because the True King had sacrificed himself to bring the Dawn back. The world was saved.

And, as sick and twisted as it was (because it was very sick and twisted), the few tears that would sometimes escape Ignis as he said those words aloud would at times turn out to be just the thing that spurred Aranea's memories back. She would come out of her episodes just in time to see her husband try to hide his sadness. But Aranea, always one to have things done her way, would have none of that. And, as sick and twisted as it was, comforting him helped ease her mind away from painful memories and destructive thoughts.

In a sick, twisted, miraculous way, having to care for each other's burdens helped ease their own pain. It was easier to be strong when you had someone who depended on you, warmth was easier to find with arms holding you or another body lying beside your own in bed. Yes, married life suited them just fine—to live is to suffer, but at least they weren't suffering alone.

—

This is a little segment of a HighSpecs fic I began writing in late 2022/early 2023. I never got around to finishing it,—and I want to! I just don't know when I'll have the time—but this section was completed and self-contained enough that I felt like sharing it by itself for now, while the rest of the fic remains a WIP.

[drxcorelibre]

Overcoming Distance in Love P.A.

: ̗̀➛ Freeing oneself from long-held desires x

⚠ Genre/warnings: self-insert gen-neutral reader, situationship to lovers idk i just love prom and he deserves this sm, slight nsfw (heated makeout), pinning, atp cindy4life lol, this is so damnn

✎ Reading time: approx. 16min

₊˚ʚ It was as if the months apart had never happened, the chemistry between you still as strong as ever.

₊˚ʚ Prompto pushed himself away from the garage wall and began slowly making his way towards you. Each step he took was measured, his eyes never leaving yours.

₊˚ʚ Suddenly, it was as if a dam burst. All the pent-up emotions, the months of silence, the questions left unasked, came rushing out at once.

The night was quiet, and the stars above were the only witnesses to your departure. The journey to Hammerhead was cold and lonely, the silence only broken by the crunch of gravel under your shoes.

You made your way along the path, the lights of Hammerhead growing closer with each step. The thought of leaving the group behind weighed heavily on your heart, but you had made your decision.

As you finally reached the base of Hammerhead, Cindy, who was working late into the night, noticed your arrival. She looked up from her project, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of you alone.

"Well, now, ain't that a sight," she remarked in her soft drawl, taking in your state. "What're you doin' here this late and by yourself, darlin'?"

"i left the guys."

Cindy's curious expression quickly turned to surprise. "Left the boys, huh? Ain't that somethin'. What happened there, if you don't mind me askin'?"

"just- realised i never belonged."

Cindy's brow furrowed at your words, a hint of concern in her eyes. "Never belonged? What makes you say that?"

"At the end of the day, we girls can't afford to stay with the boys." you chuckled.

Cindy raised an eyebrow at your chuckle, a puzzled look on her face. "Why's that, darlin'? Nothin' wrong with a girl hangin' with the fellas."

"i caught feelings." you said, gripping onto your belongings.

Understanding dawned in Cindy's eyes as you confessed. She looked at you with empathy, seeing the pain behind your words. She took a seat on a nearby crate and patted the spot next to her, gesturing for you to sit. "Come on, sit down. Let's talk."

You hesitantly joined her, sitting on the crate and placing your belongings beside you. The night air was still and quiet, the only noise coming from the faint sounds of machinery and distant crickets.

Cindy looked at you, her voice soft in the moonlight. "So, you been likin' one of the boys, huh? Can't blame ya, they're handsome fellas. Which one was it, if ya don't mind me askin'?"

"Prompto" The thought of him sent tingles down your spine as you spoke his name out loud.

"Ah, Prompto. He's a good kid. Real peppy, always crackin' jokes. Can't really blame ya for falling for him."

She paused, her eyes studying your face, "But somethin' tells me it ain't as simple as just likin' him, is it?"

You played with your bracelets as you spoke nervously, a bit worried for Cindy's judgement of the situation you put yourself in.

"I felt like my feelings could potentially ruin the group dynamic so i left, realising I don't belong."

Cindy chuckled with empathy, "Sounds like a bit of a mess, darlin'."

"But it ain't your feelings that's ruining things. You have a right to feel the way you feel.

Cindy shifted slightly, turning to face you directly. "You ain't ruined nothin' by likin' Prompto. That's just how the heart works, can't always control who you fall for."

"it's fine! I'll get over it..."

Cindy could sense the resignation in your voice, and it tugged at her heartstrings. "It's not gonna be that easy, darlin'. Feelings like that don't just go away, especially not overnight."

You held your head up, looking at her sheepishly. "That's why I came here to ask you... If i could stay here, work, get my mind off of them?"

Cindy's face brightened at your request. "You wanna work here, huh? Well, we could always use an extra pair of hands. Plus, keepin' busy is a good way to keep your mind occupied."

She patted your back with a warm smile. "Sure, darlin'. You can stay and work. I'll teach you the ropes, and before you know it, you'll be a regular mechanic here at Hammerhead."

"thanks"

Cindy gave your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "No need to thank me, darlin'. We all need a fresh start sometimes, and that's what Hammerhead's all about. New beginnings."

╴╴╴╴˚ೃ ╴╴

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. You found solace in the rhythm of the garage, the familiar hum of machines and the hum of the desert night lulling you into a sense of peace. Your days were filled with the scent of oil and the occasional banter with Cindy and Cid, the gruff yet affectionate owner of the garage.

The work was challenging at times, but you found comfort in the routine. The distance from Prompto and the guys allowed you time to process your feelings and come to terms with your new life. Despite the occasional pang of friendsickness, you found a sense of belonging in your new role at Hammerhead.

Over time, you adapted to the garage life, your hands becoming calloused and greasy, your laughter and skills familiar to the regular visitors of Hammerhead, who welcomed you as one of their own.

But every now and then, thoughts of Prompto and the group would creep into your mind, like a faint whisper in the wind. You pushed them aside, reminding yourself of the reasons you had left in the first place. Still, the ache in your chest was undeniable, the memories and what-ifs lingering like a bittersweet perfume. It was a constant struggle, balancing the tranquility of your new life with the lingering pull of the past.

As the familiar sound of the Regalia's engine echoed through the air, you looked up from your work on a nearby car, your heart skipping a beat. It was the chocobros, here for some vehicle upgrades.

Noctis led the charge, followed closely by Ignis, Gladiolus, and... Prompto. Seeing them all again, so casually together, sent a pang of nostalgia and longing through you.

Hiding your feelings behind a neutral expression, you quickly tried to push down the emotions welling up within you. You feigned distraction, continuing to tinker with the car in front of you, hoping they wouldn't notice your internal struggle.

Cindy, however, had a keen eye for reading people. She noticed the flicker of emotion in your eyes as the group approached. She sidled up beside you, a knowing look in her eyes.

"You all right, darlin'?" she whispered, her voice low and understanding. "They can't see it, but I can."

"I'll be alright." You said, wiping oil grease from your cheek, giving her a reassuring smirk.

Cindy gave you a supportive smile, patting your back gently. "You've got guts, holdin' it together like this. 'Course you'll be alright. Just remember, I'm here if you need to vent, scream, or just a shoulder to lean on."

The rest of the group had been engrossed in their conversation, oblivious to your momentary struggle. Prompto's laughter echoed in the background, causing your heart to clench slightly as you tried to focus on your work.

The urge to run towards them and hug them all while spilling so many sorry's went through your mind for a split second, but you knew that won't do.

The guys approached the garage, peeking in at your figure working on some badass vehicles.

Everyone had noticed the transformation. With your new outfit, your voice resembling Cindy's Southern drawl, and your mannerisms changing to match hers, you had become a bit of a chameleon, blending into the environment of the garage.

Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus glanced your way, their eyes widening slightly as they took in your appearance and demeanour. But it was Prompto's reaction that caught your attention.

He stood there, stunned for a moment, his eyes wide as he stared at you. The gears in his head were clearly turning as he tried to reconcile the 'new you' with the person he once knew.

He seemed to be at a loss for words, the familiar banter and jokes that usually flowed effortlessly from him were nowhere to be found.

As the group settled in and started discussing the upgrades they wanted for the Regalia, Cindy smoothly took charge. She launched into a friendly negotiation with Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus, while Prompto lingered in the background, his eyes still resting on you occasionally.

You, however, tried to keep your focus on your work, pretending not to notice his glances. The sounds of the garage faded into the background as you tried to keep your hands steady and your mind clear.

Every so often, you'd catch a glimpse of Prompto in your peripheral vision, his eyes meeting yours before quickly averting them, looking a bit flustered. The air between you both was heavy with unspoken emotions, an invisible thread of tension stretching tight.

Cindy, ever observant, noticed the silent communication between you and Prompto. She suppressed a slight grin, her eyes flickering between the two of you as she continued her negotiations with the guys.

As they finalized the details with Cindy, the conversation wrapped up, and they began to prepare to leave. Prompto lingered a moment longer, his eyes still on you, his expression a mix of longing and hesitation.

The group sauntered out of the garage, heading toward the nearby restaurant, their voices carrying on the warm evening air. Cindy watched them go, then turned to you with a knowing smile.

"You sure you don't wanna join them, darlin'?" she asked, her tone gentle but laced with encouragement.

"it's better this way."

Cindy nodded understandingly, her smile turning slightly bittersweet. "I get it, darlin'. Sometimes, what you want and what you need are two different things."

As you continued to work on the car, your thoughts were a tangle of emotions. Seeing Prompto and the guys again had stirred up feelings you had been trying to suppress, and their departure left you with a mix of relief and a strange pang of emptiness.

Your heart ached with an unspoken longing, a silent plea for just one more moment, one more look into his eyes. The familiar banter, the laughter, the bond you used to share - it all seemed like a lifetime ago.

The hum of the car under your hands was a temporary distraction, but it couldn't drown out the persistent pull in your chest, the deep-seated desire to see Prompto again, to hear his voice, to feel his presence.

The hours ticked by, the sun slowly descending towards the horizon. The guys finished their meal and emerged from the restaurant, their voices echoing through the still night air as they discussed their plans for the night.

Your eyes found Prompto amongst the group, his face illuminated by the soft glow of the sunset. His gaze roamed over the garage and, for a moment, seemed to linger on you.

Your heart skipped a beat as you saw Prompto's gaze fall on you for a moment. Reflexively, you ducked your head, using your long bangs and ponytail as a makeshift shield, hoping he hadn't noticed you watching him.

The sound of the guys' footsteps approaching sent a jolt through you, your senses hyper-alert to every sound and movement. You could hear them saying their goodbyes to Cindy.

Noctis sauntered over to you, an intrigued look in his eyes. He leaned against the hood of the car you were working on, observing you quietly for a moment before finally speaking.

"You've changed a lot, haven't you?" he noted, his voice nonchalant but his eyes studying you with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Still sharp, even in a new shell," he commented, his tone holding a hint of pride. "You're good at adapting."

You couldn't really speak up, although you felt like there was so much to say. You nodded in confirmation, getting back to work.

Noctis watched you silently for a moment, his expression a mix of confusion and a hint of frustration. It was clear he had more to say, but you had already shut him down. He gave a slight shrug, realizing that pushing further would be futile.

"Take care."

The guys climbed into the car, the Regalia's engine roaring to life as they pulled away from the garage, disappearing into the night.

The silence that settled over Hammerhead after they left felt deafening. The hum of the garage, the occasional rustle of the desert wind, and the beating of your own heart were the only sounds left in the stillness of the night.

The thought of them driving off into the night, continuing their adventures without you, stung more than you cared to admit. But you shook the thought away quickly, reminding yourself of the reasons you had left in the first place.

You turned your attention back to the car you were working on, determined to bury yourself in the familiar rhythm of the garage work. The sooner you lost yourself in the work, the sooner you could forget about the ache in your chest.

╴╴╴╴˚ೃ ╴╴

The days were filled with the hustle and bustle of the garage, and the nights were spent catching up over the dinner table with Cindy and Cid, listening to their stories and sharing a few laughs.

Time had flown by in a blur of car repair and tire changes. The days had been long but filled with the fulfilling sense of accomplishment and routine. 11 months had passed since you had left the group, the pain of separation slowly fading into a dull ache you had learned to live with.

The nights were the hardest, when the silence of the garage seemed deafening, and the memory of Prompto's face would surface in your mind, unbidden.

The sound of the Regalia's engine roaring into the garage was a welcome yet unwelcome intrusion one day. You looked up from the car you were working on to see Noctis, Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prompto stepping out of the car, looking a bit weary but no worse for the wear.

They looked more seasoned, their faces sporting a few more scars, but their eyes were still filled with the familiar determination and bond they had shared since the beginning of their journey.

Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus greeted Cindy and Cid with some casual banter, their voices familiar and almost comforting. Prompto lingered a bit behind the rest, his eyes scanning the garage until they landed on you, as if time was repeating.

Your gazes met, and that familiar rush of emotions washed over you both. The weight of the past six months hung heavy in the air, a silent conversation passing between you both through the brief exchange of looks.

A mix of surprise, relief, and something else you couldn't quite put your finger on flickered in Prompto's eyes, but it was gone in an instant as Gladiolus said something, drawing his attention away from you.

You returned your focus to the car, pretending to be busy with tuning, but your heart was racing in your chest. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Prompto stealing furtive glances in your direction.

Every glance sent a jolt of electricity through you, reminding you of the chemistry you had shared before you left. The silence between you both felt heavy, filled with unspoken words, emotions, and a thousand questions.

You returned to your work, but the ache in your chest grew more insistent.

The evening descended upon Hammerhead, bringing a gentle coolness to the air. The stars above glittered like diamonds against the inky black canvas of the night sky.

The sound of footsteps in the garage startled you, breaking the peaceful silence of the night. You looked up to see the unmistakable silhouette of Prompto, framed by the dim light spilling in from the outside.

Prompto stood at the entrance of the garage, his lean frame casually rested against the door frame. His eyes were fixed on you, studying you intently. He didn't say anything for a moment, just watched you silently.

The air between you was thick with unspoken words, a thousand emotions swirling in the silence. Prompto's eyes were unreadable, his expression a mixture of curiosity.

You couldn't breathe, you couldn't speak.

Your heart stuttered in your chest as you met Prompto's gaze, and suddenly, you found yourself at a loss for words. Your mouth felt dry, your thoughts a tangled mess. It was as if his presence had sucked all the oxygen from the air, leaving you in a state of breathlessness.

You tried to say something, anything, but no words came out. You stared back at him, your eyes wide, your heart thudding loudly in your ears. The silence between you was deafening.

Prompto's gaze had changed. His eyes shone with a new, more masculine air, his once boyish features now sharpened and matured, giving him a more rugged and handsome look.

His blue eyes were like twin pools of shimmering water, seemingly drawing you into him. You noticed the freckles that sprinkle his tan skin like stars on a night sky. His hair was messy yet attractive, falling effortlessly in shaggy layers around his face.

You noticed this change as he looked at you. His gaze was no longer the playful and innocent gaze you had grown to know.

His gaze held a confidence that hadn’t been there before, and it sent a shiver down your spine.

Prompto seemed to sense your inner turmoil, the way your breath hitched and your eyes widened. His gaze softened slightly, a flicker of concern crossing his face.

Prompto pushed away from the door frame and began slowly making his way towards you. Each step he took was measured, his eyes never leaving yours. With every step, the distance between you seemed to shrink, the tension building silently.

As he closed the gap between you, you could see the myriad of emotions playing out in his eyes. He came to a stop just a few steps away from you, his hands shoved in his pockets.

"h-hello again..."

Prompto's expression softened further, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Hey."

His voice was soft, almost hesitant, as if he was trying to gauge your response to his presence. He looked at you quietly for a moment more, his eyes searching your face.

The air was filled with a mix of uncertainty and anticipation, both of you teetering on the edge of something unspoken.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. You just stood there, watching each other. Prompto's eyes held an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine, and there was a vulnerability in his expression that you had never seen before.

Suddenly, it was as if a dam burst. All the pent-up emotions, the months of silence, the questions left unasked, they all came rushing out at once.

Without a word, Prompto closed the remaining distance between you, his hands reaching out to grasp your arms. He pulled you towards him, his grip firm but gentle, his eyes never leaving yours.

You stumbled slightly as he tugged you closer, your body colliding against his. His breath was warm against your face, and you could feel the rapid beat of his heart mirrored in your own chest.

He stood there, holding you tightly, his eyes roaming over your face, tracing the contours, studying your expression. His fingers started to rub small soothing circles on your skin, sending small frissons of electricity down your spine.

The kiss was sudden and intense, his lips claiming yours with a desperate hunger. It was as if months of pent-up frustration, longing, and unspoken words were poured into that single gesture.

Your mind went blank for a moment, surprised by the sudden contact. But then, a wave of desire washed over you, and your body responded on instinct. Your arms reached up to grip his shirt, pulling him closer, as you returned the kiss with equal fervor.

His hands moved from your arms and settled on the sides of your face, holding you as he deepened the kiss. It was as if the months apart had never happened, the chemistry between you still as strong as ever.

The sound of the boys calling out for Prompto shattered the moment, reminding you that the outside world existed.

Reluctantly, you both pulled away from each other, your breaths ragged and your eyes slightly dazed.

You looked into each other's eyes, both of you trying to regain your composure, the passion of the kiss still lingering on your lips. Prompto looked torn, his gaze reluctantly moving towards the sound of the guys' voices.

You could see the struggle on his face, the desire to stay with you and the pressure to return to the group. He gave your hand a gentle squeeze before letting go, taking a step back, putting some distance between you again.

Prompto gave you a small, almost rueful smile, his eyes locking with yours. "Yeah, I'll make sure I do more damage to the Regalia during our trips..." He said, indicating they were all here because of his little mischief.

He glanced back over his shoulder at the direction the guys' voices were coming from. "Duty calls," he said reluctantly, a hint of disappointment in his tone.

Taken by surprise, Prompto stumbled back towards you, his mouth forming a small 'o' as you pulled him in for another kiss. The unexpected gesture caught him off guard, but after a moment, he melted into the kiss, his arms encircling your waist as he held you tightly.

When you pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours, his breath still a bit ragged. "Wait for me?" he asked, his voice a soft whisper.

"like i always do."

Prompto's breath hitched at your words, and for a moment, he just held you tighter, his eyes searching yours. A mixture of emotions flickered across his face - surprise, hope, and a touch of disbelief.

He closed his eyes and let out a slow exhale. "Damn it," he muttered as if he was both frustrated and relieved. "I can't leave now knowing you need me, can I?"

Prompto pushed you against the garage wall, his body pressing against yours as he captured your lips in another fervent kiss. The cool night air was a contrast against the heat between you. His hands explored the curves of your body, his touch leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

The world around you seemed to fall away, the only thing that existed being the two of you, your bodies pressed together, your breaths mingling in the dark. His lips left kisses against your neck, tasting and teasing, igniting a fire that you thought had died months ago.

The moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps followed by a collective gasp. You looked up to see Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus staring at you two, their mouths hanging open.

They stood there, completely taken aback by the sight of you and Prompto locked together against the garage wall. You both froze, your eyes widening in surprise and slight embarrassment at being caught.

Noctis was the first to break the silence, a shocked and almost comical expression on his face as he looked between the two of you. "What the hell?" he blurted out.

Ignis and Gladiolus were both speechless, their eyes wide as they tried to process what they were witnessing. Gladiolus whistled low, breaking the silence with a low, appreciative "damn."

Prompto pulled away from you, his hands still holding onto your waist as he turned to face the others. He looked sheepish and a bit guilty, a flush creeping up his cheeks. "Uh, Hey guys..."

Noctis pinched his nose and you pushed Prompto lightly towards them. "You gotta go."

Prompto gave you an almost pleading look, as if he didn't want to leave, but seeing your insistence, he reluctantly let go of you, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

Noctis, still looking utterly bewildered, just shook his head slightly, mumbling something along the lines of "I can't believe this." Ignis, chuckled at the prince's comment.

Ignis and Gladiolus had similarly surprised expressions on their faces, though Gladiolus just looked amused and somewhat impressed. He clapped a hand on Prompto's shoulder as they started walking back to the Regalia, Prompto throwing one last glance back at you before disappearing into the night.

The ache in your chest was replaced by a feeling of affection as you anticipated your next encounter with Prompto, envisioning another good memory to cherish.

@drxcorelibre - do not steal, plagiarise or repost my posts on any other social media. This is my only account.

[xiema]

Ignis Scientia and Ravus Nox Fleuret dancing at the festivat of souls

This is from my fanfic "A New Light" I rewrite currently or at least try, since I draw more about it than write, but that counts for all my works so that's nothing new.