#I need to write Ardyn's reunion with Cor

[charlottedabookworm]

The Cruellest Cut - Part 1

I’m bored and my mum won’t be home for another half hour, so.

@hamelin-born @sparklecryptid @distressedherbalist @luxroyalty @snappysprinkledog @theotherguysride

You are all giant enablers and I am blaming all of you for this. The title comes from @hamelin-born , who suggested it and it fits far better than the previous title that I’d thought up (oh father, tell me, did we get what we deserved) so I rolled with it. 

Under the cut, have the Cor & Nyx reunion in a verse where Cor is actually immortal and was Ardyn’s Shield. I want to write more for this - and I will, I have explanations and Regis’ POV planned, and Cor meeting Ardyn for the first time back in Solheim, and so much more because this is fun - but this is what I have so far. Scream about this AU with me.

Nyx had heard of Cor the Immortal. Of course, he had. He might never have met the man, might never have even seen him, but the Marshall of the Crownsguard was practically a celebrity in Insomnia. Everyone knew his name, everyone knew his deeds, everyone knew who he was. And he’d heard all of the stories – you couldn’t help but do so when the Guard was so proud of their Marshall. But Nyx hadn’t really cared. Why would he? Why would he care about someone who carried the title Immortal, simply because of his deeds? Nyx had scoffed, the first time that one of the Glaives had brought up Marshall Leonis and his title, had had to fight back the urge to laugh. Because immortal? Yeah, right. Nyx knew immortality – knew it down to his bones, knew it with every breathe he took and every beat of his heart, knew the truth of it in a way that so few did – and no one who truly understood what immortality meant would dare claim the title. People spoke of Cor Leonis with awe, due to his supposed immortality, and Nyx had to fight back his rage at their sheer ignorance. (Because immortality wasn’t great. It wasn’t awesome, it wasn’t venerable, it wasn’t something to aspire to. It wasn’t life. Immortality was everyone else dying. Immortality was watching everyone else fade away. It was war and disease and old age and losing everyone that you had ever cared for. It was funeral after funeral after funeral, battle after battle after battle. It was watching the world change until you no longer recognise it, it was longing to hear the language of your birth again – just the once. It was watching everything that you loved fall to pieces. It was a curse, and Nyx wanted to sneer at everyone who thought otherwise. Because immortality was a battlefield. And it was empty. Because everyone else had fallen) Still, humans – mortals – were idiots who couldn’t see the forest for the trees, who looked at immortality and thought life instead of wondering why. And he couldn’t kill them for that. Nyx pushed back his rage and did his best to ignore the topic every time that it came up – and the Galahdians were nice enough not to discuss it in front of him, especially since they knew that the name brought up far too many memories for their Chosen. Outside of the almost instinctive offence that his title caused him, Nyx didn’t particularly care about Cor Leonis. But he wasn’t expecting the man who swept into the King’s office without a care in the world. --- Nyx had been pulling a lot of guard duty recently – had been ever since he’d doubled back against orders to save Linus Bellum, one of the baby glaives, from a daemon. It was Drautos’ idea of a punishment – take him out of the field temporarily and give him something boring to do all day while surrounded by Lucians – and Nyx would probably complain more about it, but he’s mostly been shadowing the King recently, instead of guarding the wall. And, as much as he hates the Citadel – as much as he hates what it reminds him of, as much as he hates what it stands for (a monument to the being who had cursed his father, built by his uncles line) – Regis is a good man, a good King, and Nyx doesn’t mind guarding him so much. (No matter how much it pisses him off to have to listen to the Lucian nobles talk about his people as though there were lesser) So, he puts up with it – no matter how boring standing by the King’s office door watching him do paperwork all day was. Occasionally he’ll have to step outside for meetings, or the King will want to walk somewhere with Nyx shadowing him, but mostly Nyx spent his days acting as a well-paid door opener. (He’s had worse jobs) However, when Cor Leonis stalked into the Kings office and tossed a pile of paperwork onto his desk, Nyx stopped breathing. There was no way that this was happening. This was impossible. It couldn’t be him – it had been two thousand years. The man who had carried him on his shoulders and taught him to use a katana and who had looked at his father like he was his salvation was gone. Had fallen trying to buy them enough time to escape from the betrayal. Had been executed just as Nyx’s father had. He was dead. (“Go.” He stumbled as Cor shoved his father into his arms, the added weight forcing the two of them passed the boundary of the doorway. Swinging one of his father’s arms over his shoulders – and damn it, Uncle, how could you, the Scourge was already killing him anyway, what was the point in this? – he glanced back when he didn’t hear the tread of familiar boots behind him. Cor was standing with his back to them, sword out and held at the ready to defend them. Nyx swallowed, suddenly feeling like a young child again, being told his mother was dying. “Faeder?” “Go, Your Highness. Take His Majesty and be safe. I’ll hold them off.” The man who had been a second father to him his entire life said steadily, only a thread of heartbreak in his voice as he faced near-certain death at the hands of their own people to protect his King and Prince. He hesitated, knowing that he should go – that his father was depending on him – but unwilling to leave Cor behind. “Nyx!” He barked, and Nyx was turning away, reaching for the furthest warp-beacon that he could manage with his father’s dead weight – conditioned since childhood to respond to the command in that tone, even as he cursed fate and Bahamut and his uncle and the drugs that they had used on his father that kept him out of it. Just before the magic of the land carried them away, Nyx glanced back over his shoulder. “Faeder!” The scream tore itself from his throat, heartbreak and betrayal and grief and loss and rage mixing together, blood splashing across his face as one of his worst nightmares played itself out in real life. The last image he saw of Solheim’s crown city was of his Uncle standing over the body of his faeder, blade stained red with his blood) But the man in front of him was a familiar profile, unchanged from Nyx’s faded memories. His hair was a little shorter, his eyes darker and more shuttered, the way that he carried himself a little stiffer – but the voice was the same. The voice of the man who had talked him through his nightmares and helped him prank his father. “F-Faeder?” The word slipped off his numb tongue without permission, and from the corner of his eye he could see the way that the King had turned to look at him in confusion, but Nyx’s entire focus was on the man who froze at the almost-foreign word. His heart stutters in the silence of the room as the image of his faeder stares at him in shock and he can feel horrible, painful, hope growing in his chest. Please. Anyone, just, please. Let me be right. Let me have this, please. Just, give me this. Please. “Nyx?” And Cor was reaching out, exactly like he had always done when Nyx had come to him for comfort, and he couldn’t handle this. He looks his home in his eyes and shakes, falling apart at the seams even as he throws himself into the man’s arms. Nyx breaks. --- Cor swept into office, a scowl on his face and paperwork in hand. “We need to do something about the western border.” He’s started saying before the door has even swung fully shut, sending an absent nod to the glaive on duty as he stalked up to Regis’ desk and tossed the files he’s collected onto it. They spread out as they hit the desk, showing hints of the data that he had spent the past week compiling. Regis glanced down, keeping an absent eye on him even as the King began to peruse the files. “Daemon attacks are increasing and we’re still haemorrhaging resources. If we don’t do something soon then they’ll break through-” “F-Faeder?” A quiet, stuttering voice interrupted him. The moment that he recognised the word, he froze. The word, one almost foreign to his ears after all this time, made his heart stop. It had been so long since he had last heard that word spoken, last heard the title given to him by a young boy with bright eyes and an even brighter smile. And he had never heard it spoken like this. He’d heard it squealed during tickle attacks and yelled during battles and murmured late at night and yelped after embarrassing moments – he’d heard it screamed as an expression of raw grief and pain and anger and betrayal and loss, as the child that he had helped to raise, the boy who was his son in all but blood, had watched him be cut down by a man that they had all trusted absolutely – but he had never heard it like this. Never heard it tentative and disbelieving and pained and so full of heartbreak and with a thread of new-born desperate hope that it made him want to weep. Cor spun on his heel desperately – needing a proper look at the glaive who had spoken that word with a faint Solheim accent, ignoring the way that Regis tensed and half-rose from his chair at the look on his face – and then he stopped. And he was staring. He knows that he was staring. But standing there, in the black uniform of the Kingsglaive, is a ghost. (A ghost who looked exactly like his long dead son. Who had Ardyn’s facial structure and nose, who had flecks of gold in blue-grey eyes. Who wore the beads of a Chosen of Ramuh and the tattoos of a Galahdian hunter. A ghost who called him faeder and looked at him as though he couldn’t believe that Cor existed. A ghost who looked exactly like he had when Cor had last seen him) He swallowed past a sudden lump in his throat. “Nyx?” He asked, voice rife with emotions that he had rarely allowed himself to show over the years – rife with surprise and pain and old, unhealed grief and a growing desperate hope that hurt far more than the grief did. This isn’t possible. He wanted to say. You died. But he had never seen a body, had just trusted Somnus – trusted the man who had betrayed them – at his word. It’s been two thousand years. And it had been so long since he had heard that voice – Galahdian accent now far stronger than the Solheim one that he had used to sport – so long since he had seen his son, but he hadn’t changed. Cor couldn’t help but reach out – couldn’t stop himself from reaching for his son, for proof that he wasn’t some sort of illusion – and then he stumbled back a step when Nyx slammed into him. How did I not know? He thought, even as he brought his arms up to wrap them around his son – and this was his son, he was certain of that and even if he wasn’t then the way that the magic of the land was singing faintly in joy would be proof enough. Eyes shut against the burn of tears, he felt as though his heart had been ripped from his chest as he clutched at his shaking son – holding him as he sobbed silently into his chest. Never in his life had he ever felt like more of a failure of a father than in this moment – not even when he had been told that his son had died, alone and on the run and in the middle of nowhere. Standing there with his son – his son, the son of his King, who he hadn’t known was alive, who he hadn’t even seen in two thousand years, who was shattering into pieces in his arms – Cor was reminded of just how much he had failed, and it made the breath catch in his chest. Because this was his fault. He had sworn to protect them – sworn the oaths of a Shield to his King, the oaths of a man to those that he loved – and he had failed. Had failed in his duty, had failed to protect them, and because of that his King (his lover) had lost his life – had been murdered by his own brother – and his Prince (their son) had spent so long alone and broken. And Cor hadn’t been able to do anything – he’d failed them and broken the oaths that he had sworn as a child. Almost as though he could hear his thoughts, Nyx looked up at him through teary eyes – loosening his hold just enough that Cor was able to slide to his knees in front of Solheim’s lost prince. Regis made a noise of shock in the background, knowing him well enough to be surprised by his actions, but he didn’t look over at his friend. “My Prince,” he said, head bowed as he glanced up at the man who held his life in his hands through lowered lashes. “I have failed in my duties, failed the oaths that I swore, and it cost you your father’s life. Any punishment that you decree worthy-” “No.” Cor started in surprise as Nyx cut him off with a snarl. “No.” He said, yanking him to his feet again. “You do not get to do this, Faeder. You, of all people, do not call me that. You do not get to ask for punishment. Not when I watched you cut down so that your King could escape, not when I heard tell of your execution at His hands – mere days after my father’s. You gave your life for your King – just as the oaths you swore demanded, just as any Shield should – and what came after that was not your fault. And I will not have you blame yourself for it. Is that understood?” The words were accompanied by a fierce glare and royal bearing and, despite the red eyes and drying tear tracks, Nyx looked so much like his father at that moment that it made something in Cor ache. Still, at the command from his son – from the man who had never looked and sounded more like the Crown Prince of Solheim that he had once been than now – Cor could do naught but bow his head in submission. “Yes, Your Highness.” He met his sons’ eyes and waited for the other man to nod before he pulled him back in for another hug. Over Nyx’s shoulder, he could see Regis looking at them in surprise and confusion and intrigue, and he knew that he – they – would have to explain all of this to the King at some point but. But that could wait. For the first time in two thousand years – for the first time since they had been betrayed, since he had told his family to go, since their betrayer had come with words of his son’s death on his lips, since his king had been murdered – Cor was home.

[stephicness]

Fantasy Daddy Simulator -- Final Fantasy XV x Dream Daddy Headcanons (Part 2)

Heeey~ Making good progress on writing tonight. c: I think two parts is pretty good, though I wonder if I can power out one final part to finish off all them dere dads and all. These are all so fun to write, so I hope you guys are enjoying them too~ Speak of too, let’s move onto part two of the headcanons, introducing even more of those single dads. c;

PREGAME NOTES

Let’s add about 15-20 years on these boys. Give them time for the children to grow older.

Let’s also say they live in that cul-de-sac area just like from Dream Daddy.

And the children are just me throwing dumb thoughts your way. Because yay for thinking up of headcanons (and child characters unmentioned!).

FANTASY DADDY SIMULATOR – FFXV x Dream Daddy (Part 2)

Featuring: Ravus Nox Fleuret, Ardyn Izunia, Loqi Tummelt, and Cor Leonis

PART ONE -- Featuring Noctis, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio

Ravus Nox Fleuret – Widower, Father of One Girl and One Boy

Likes: Classical Music, Teaching His Children, Cake, Some Goddamn Peace and Quiet Dislikes: Socializing With People, Babysitting Other People’s Kids, The Screamo Death Metal That His Daughter Loves

Poor Ravus can’t catch a break, especially in terms of loss and tragedy in his life. His mother had died in an awful housefire that left he and his sister, Lunafreya, devastated. And then as time passed and he married to a beautiful woman and had two of the most darling children, she passed away during a car accident.

And worth of all for Ravus, he was the one who had been driving that night.

On the way home from a night out, their car was hit by another, Ravus swerving out of the way and unfortunately crashing head on with a tree. His wife was dead on arrival and Ravus was left with an injury that forced his arm to be amputated and left him going through months of extensive habilitation.

His children were left to stay with his sister until he was finally able to return home to recover, but things in the house were tense because of it all. Ravus was no stranger to grief, but the fact that his children lost their mother too was a heavy toll on them all.

But nevertheless, his kids did their best to be supportive of him, even if they were only nine and six years old at the time. And so, he pushed himself to make sure he was the best father to his kids. It’s what their mother would have wanted.

Despite his reputation as being the scary police commissioner, he’s really kind and compassionate towards his kids. Perhaps only his kids, but he shows them a side that very few get to see, especially because they bring out a sense of patience and kindness to them.

They’re his kids, after all. He doesn’t need to babysit anyone else besides his own children.

Unless, of course, he’s stuck babysitting the Caelum boys. Those little shitheads… But he and his eldest daughter do a good job in making sure that the boys stay in line and eat their goddamn vegetables for once. Ignis’s tips on making meals more ‘fun’ works wonders.

His son is the one that he usually has a hard time trying to figure out rather than his daughter, who is a splitting image of himself. His son took after his mother, a much more free-spirited soul. And one with a rather nasty vocabulary.

…Actually, he probably got that from his daughter. She REALLY needs to hold her tongue.

But despite his differing viewpoints with his son, he’s more than glad to support his son throughout whatever strange endeavor he’s pursuing. Painting or something, last Ravus recalled. Ravus could only sigh and curtly remind his son that they aren’t called ‘Starving Artists’ for nothing…

He loves his kids both to death, but he just wished that at least ONE OF THEM will give him grandchildren. Some way, somehow, considering that his daughter is exclusively a lesbian and his son eventually starts having a love-hate-bang relationship with both the Argentum boy.

Ravus just as to sigh and keep wishing to the Astrals that adoption is something one of his children will consider. 

Ardyn Izunia – Unmarried, One Known Daughter and One Known Son

Likes: Giving Sermons To People, Drinking, Gambling, Pretending He’s A Good Guy, Drinking More Dislikes: Responsibility, The Caelum Family – Especially That Runt Noctis, Being Called Old

Times change, time passes, and Ardyn had gone through quite a bit of mischief in his younger days. Well, not that he really looked that old to begin with even if he probably is old as dirt, but not everyone has been ‘blessed’ by the Astrals with eternally youthful skin.

In his time and prime, he’s had countless of lovers, men and women alike, but he always tried to forget them the next moment and move along with his life. C’est la vie, after all.

But it was high time his past decided to catch up to him and his antics to get back at the business that wrongly fired him for just trying to help make it better and causing Ardyn to go back to being a priest again. It had nothing to do with the business, he hoped.

So needless to say, when he continued his work as the local (crazy-ass) preacher of the Inferian church, he was surprised to see that after his sermon, a red-haired woman waited in the seats with her black-haired companion, as if anticipating getting Ardyn’s attention.

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yeah. You’re our father.”

“Well, yes. I preach at the church you go to, after all.”

The two groans that came from the town adults only got Ardyn to laugh more at his stupid joke. But he was surprised to see that they weren’t actually kidding about the fact that he was a legitimate father. In fact, he was there dad for about thirty years now.

Well, thirty-two since the sister was older than her brother by two years.

Ardyn had to rub his temples before trying to play it off as if he made his choices and his kids were better off without him, but they did little to let up. Especially as they delivered the news that their mother had died, so they wanted to at least invite him to the funeral.

He let out a small sigh and looked away solemnly. It seemed like he outlived far too many people. He never really was a funeral type of man (liking to celebrate the death of assholes in private and, you know, cry over the ones that weren’t assholes), but he at least agreed to dinner with the two children of his.

He was able to catch up and hear a bit in amidst the awkward tension of realizing that his kids were so old now. His daughter was a rising star in the movie industry, and his son was working to one day start his own health clinic as a doctor. How admirable of them both. It was too late for Ardyn, but it was good to see that his kids were doing well without him.

They still wanted to see Ardyn more, however, and thus invited him to a family reunion with the usual gossipy folks. Ardyn did love gossip, so it was tempting. But the suggestion that there was going to be a lot of booze there got Ardyn to immediately sign up. 

Perhaps trying to reunite with his kids wouldn’t be too bad after all.

Loqi Tummelt – Guardian, Guardian of Two Boys

Likes: Going Out, Clubbing, Fancy Cars, Texting Dumb Memes to People Dislikes: Keeping Promises, Fun-Suckers, That Asshole Teacher That Keeps Failing His Boy for Spelling ‘Immortal’ Wrong

By the words of everyone Loqi knew – and Loqi had to admit, he asked himself this too – why the hell did he even agree to this? With issues going around about a familial friend of his supposedly ‘dying’ and other drama back in his hometown of Gralea, Loqi was a bit confused on just what everything meant.

Was he going to get money? He hoped he was going to get money. Or at least a nicer car than his beat-up pinto. Seriously.

Nope. Instead he got kids. Well, teenagers, but since they were younger than he was, they were, in fact, kids. Hardly what you called a gift.

But as part of the will, he would be granted two million gil to help with child support if Loqi was able to provide the kids with a nice home for about a year. Stupid lawyers and their stupid deals.

So, he sort of just sat there across from the two twin teenage boys, having a staring contest with the two of them as they negotiated just what it would take for all three of them to get the gil and never deal with each other again as they both go off to college.

“If I have a date that I’m going to bring back here, you’re either in your room or you’re walking out of here at midnight to go do something else for awhile. Got it?”

“But what if we get stopped by the cops for being out at midnight?

“Then jump the fence and run from him! Not like he can do much with one arm anyways!”

Loqi was honestly easy to please, and he was okay in just living around the boys than having to deal with them. But as time passed, the little things that the boys did made living a lot more fun. And, you know, a lot less lonely.

They would cook dinner and make sure that Loqi ate before he went out on one of his various dates, they’d clean the house, and when evening hit and Loqi brought back one of his many boyfriends to the house, he’d see the two boys passed out on the couch together. Both were waiting for Loqi to return home.

Loqi would just let out a heavy sigh as he shooed his boyfriend, smiling at the two boys that were taking more care of him than he was of them. He’d end up grabbing a blanket and laying up with the two of them as he fell asleep too.

He eventually grows a better bond with the boys and becomes a bit more responsible for their well-being over the year of the agreement with the lawyer. And as the lawyer asked Loqi if he still wanted to keep the boys, Loqi just sort of shrugged and went, “I mean… They’re such troublemakers. I think I’m the only one who can keep them in line!”

The boys only laugh before they shake hands with the lawyer and load up into the dinky little pinto to go out to celebrate Loqi’s surviving an entire year with them and to discuss the idea of potentially adopting the boys as his own sons. 

Cor Leonis – Adoptive/Foster Father, Father of Two Girls and ‘Father’ of Four Dumbass Boys

Likes: Cherry Blossoms, Lecturing People, Learning About/Collecting/Using Swords Dislikes: Being The Only Dad That Knows What He’s Doing, Stupid Questions, Snakes

Most people just sort of consider him to be their dad because, let’s be real, everyone goes to Cor for dad advice about anything – boys, girls, how to change a tire, how to be a dad. Literally if you have a question about it, Cor knows the answer.

Or he’ll just tell you to figure it out yourself. That’s the answer he loves telling his four adopted dumbass boys.

In case you were wondering, it’s Prompto, Noctis, Ignis, and Gladio he’s talking about.

Prompto was the first one that he really ‘adopted’ when his father had abandoned the poor child. Cor was a part of child services trying to locate baby Prompto to a new home, but Cor just plain had a soft spot for Prompto and his chubby face.

Because, despite Cor wanting to have a married life with picket fences and all, his crazy changes of careers really lead him to so many places that left him unable to really, you know, mingle with the ladies.

That, and when you’re a school teacher, you kind of devote your life more to the kids than you do to your wife. Husband. Whatever you really prefer.

But nevertheless, he still applied to become a foster parent to kids who are looking for a home after he had worked and studied the art of child care (and swordplay, but that’s a hobby). He eventually became the foster dad of two beautiful girls because of it.

They were a bit older than Prompto around the time they were taken in by Cor, luckily mature enough to be more independent so Cor wouldn’t have to parent them as much. But not like he needed to do much with them cooing over their cute little ‘brother,’ Prompto.

He loves his daughters a lot, but sometimes he finds himself apologizing to them because he has four other sons to cater to apparently. Whenever something goes wrong, it’s always Prompto, Noctis, Gladio, and Ignis who calls him. In that order.

He just has to let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples as he asks one of his daughters to drop off some of her hand-me-down clothes to Gladio and the other daughter to help Noctis cook something other than frozen salmon for the fifth night in a row.

Kids… They’re all such a hassle and pain sometimes. Especially when he’s getting too old for this shit.

But nevertheless, they all love Cor as their father, foster dad, self-proclaimed adoptive dad, all of the like. Father’s day is always a treat because they really do shower Cor with random gifts of thanks that Cor never really turns down. About damn time he gets some appreciation.

At least he’ll never run out of coffee mugs that say ‘Best Dad’ on it, and he’ll never have to worry about losing his slippers because he’ll always have a back-up pair. 

[angelic-guardienne]

Order of Events

While I was doing my second playthrough of the game, I decided to jot down what happens when to aid in future canon-compliant fic writing. This is that list. It’s somewhat detailed but kinda brief all the same. It’s definitely more comprehensive than my paper notes.

I hope this helps anyone who is like me -- can���t find a detailed timeline of the game, not enough time to replay it or watch a full walkthrough, and a pretty terrible memory.

The bros leave Insomnia and their journey begins.

The Regalia breaks down. They head to Hammerhead. Meet: Cindy, Cid, Takka, Dave.

Short stop at Longwythe, then the bros arrive at Galdin Quay. Meet: Umbra, “Suspicious Stranger” (Ardyn), Dino.

They learn of Insomnia’s fall and attempt to return to the city. Regis is dead.

Quick stop at Hammerhead (speak with Cid), then head to the Prairie Outpost in search of Cor. Meet: Monica.

First Royal Tomb, Keycatrich Trench. Meet: Cor. Get: Sword of the Wise, Axe of the Conqueror.

Bust a small imperial base w/ Cor, open up the rest of the world; Noctis can drive now. Meet: Loqi.

Head into Duscae. Noctis gets a call from Iris, new objective - head to Lestallum.

Sidequest: Deadeye hunt, chocobos become available. Meet: Wiz.

Head to//Arrive in Lestallum. Noct’s strange headaches begin. Meet: Iris, Talcott, Jared.

Go through the Glacial Grotto. Get: Blades of the Wanderer. 

Return to Lestallum. Headaches are worse, begin inquiries about the Disc, start to head there. Meet: Ardyn.

Stay at the caravan w/ Ardyn, continue journey and arrive at the Disc. Ardyn leaves the party.

Fight Titan and gain blessing. Meet: Imperial Chancellor Ardyn Izunia. Get: Blade of the Mystic, Mark of the Archaean.

Stuck at the Chocobo Farm. New objective - wait for news from Cindy on the whereabouts of the Regalia and gain Ramuh’s blessing. Meet: Gentiana.

Touch the three runestones. Complete Fociaugh Hollow. Imperials begin tracking the party and attacking at random. Get: Mark of the Fulgarian.

Retrieve the Regalia from the Archeole Stronghold (Duscae), bust-a-base, summon Ramuh for the first time. Meet: Ravus.

Return to Lestallum, Jared is dead, Noct has the Omen nightmare. 

Begin the journey to Cape Caem. Drop Iris off at Old Lestallum, the bros move to bust-a-base again (Fort Vaullerey - Cleigne) to avenge Jared. Meet: Caligo, Aranea.

Sidequest: Malmalam Thicket. Optional stops at Lerity Seaside and the Spelcray Haven, all en route to Cape Caem. Get: Scepter of the Pious.

Arrive at Caem. Cindy tells the party that Cid needs mythril to fix the ship, Talcott directs everyone to the Vesperpool. Gladio leaves the party.

Party heads to the Vesperpool, runs into Ardyn there, teams up w/ Aranea to complete Steyliff Grove. Get: Mythril Ore.

Aranea drops the party off at Lestallum to get the ore refined at the power plant. Reunite with Gladio. Meet: Holly. Get: Refined Mythril.

Sidequest: The Perfect Cup. (meat - behemoth near Prairie Outpost; shrimp - karlabos near Caem; egg - climb the Rock of Ravatough) Possible Get: Mace of the Fierce.

Leave Caem and head to Altissia. Go to the Maagho, then head to the Leville for a stay. Now able to go back to the open world. Meet: Weskham, Secretary Camelia Claustra. Get: Messengers’ Amulet.

Discuss terms w/ Claustra. Lunafreya delivers her speech. Commence the rite of Leviathan. Summon Titan. Noctis falls unconscious. Get: Mark of the Hydraean.

Noctis wakes up, finds out Luna is dead and Ignis is blind. The party continues on to Nifleheim to get the Crystal back -- hop on the train. Get: Ring of the Lucii, Lovers’ Notebook, Ignis’ Cane.

Noctis and Gladio fight on the train. The party heads into Cartanica. Ignis delivers a powerful speech. Get: Katana of the Warrior.

Shorter days. Imperials attack train. Ardyn switches out with Prompto, Prompto falls off the train. Daemons attack, summon Leviathan, the party stops in Tenebrae. Meet: Biggs, Wedge, Maria.

Daemons attack train again in the Ghorovas Rift, Ardyn disables Noct’s powers. Gentiana reveals herself to be Shiva. Get: Trident of the Oracle, Mark of the Glacian.

Daemons attack the train once more, Regalia breaks down en route to Zegnautus Keep, Noctis gets separated from Ignis/Gladio, Noctis puts on the Ring and moves through the Keep.

Ravus dies. Noctis reunites with Ignis/Gladio, they rescue Prompto, fight daemon!Iedolas and daemon!Ravus. Get: Sword of the Father.

Noctis learns of Ardyn’s origins and gets absorbed into the crystal, where he learns of his mission from Bahamut. Meet: Ardyn Lucis Caelum. Get: Mark of the Draconian.

10 years of darkness.

Noctis awakens on Angelgard Island, picked up from Galdin by Talcott, reunion with the bros. They camp together one last time before heading to Insomnia.

Fight Ifrit, summon Bahamut and Shiva, then Noctis fights Ardyn. Noctis gives one final goodbye to his friends before sacrificing himself to end Ardyn. The sun rises. Get: Infernian’s Shard.

[lovehotelreservation]

The Most Beautiful Boogie Man

Summary: Ardyn knows you. But you don’t know him. Not anymore that is. In a life before, the two of you bathed in the light together, happy and earnestly in love with one another. Now, he can only watch you from the shadows, all the while his fantasies of you--so wretched yet longing--consume and tear at him.

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Reader/Ardyn 

[Previous Chapter*]

[Next Chapter**]

HELLO EVERYONE! As much as I like to tease my best friend for her being so enamored with Ardyn, I must admit that he’s a delight to write for~! We were talking about FFXV, and *SPOILERS* she brought up the idea of Izunia looking exactly like Noctis, all the while behaving the way how Ardyn currently does. Paired with the influence of Yasiin Bey’s “The Boogie Man Song”, I was greatly inspired to write and complete this following piece! 

It’s certainly different from what I usually write on this blog, but I am pleased with the result and I do sincerely hope you all enjoy it!

*Links to Chapter 5 of “I’ll Say ‘I Love You’ Until We Get Along”

**Links to the next follow-up chapter of “I’ll Say ‘I Love You’ Until We Get Along”

**Warning: this one-shot contains spoilers and themes of somnophilia

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To an immortal, sleep was a luxury, rather than a necessary function.

Whereas the world turned to slumber, those who resisted time were left wide awake, wondering how to best spend another meaningless second.

Boredom didn't even begin to describe Ardyn's immortality. Well, a more off-handed way of explaining his state, his inability to succumb to death.

Time to do anything and everything soon became worthless, a mere constant annoyance that nagged at him incessantly. To be surrounded by kings and the common folk who strived to somehow remain eternal made him laugh.

Loudly.

Maniacally.

Bitterly.

Fools. All of them.

Especially to those who would go so far as to sacrifice loved ones, or hell, even themselves.

A swing and a miss at its finest.

But tonight he finally had something to do.

Especially after centuries of searching for this particular new activity.

All this time, he spent his years, plotting for vengeance, desperate for release. Behind the smarmy yet charismatic facade he perfected was a hollow emptiness that had been festering within him all this time. For whatever was once there--that heart of his, he supposed--was ripped out of his chest and pierced right before his very eyes.

And yet, it was with a casual glance that he found reason to be fulfilled.

The surprise attack on Insomnia proved to be successful. With the Crystal pilfered, there was no reason to really linger around. Though, watching what would have been once his dear Lucians trying to flee and evacuate the city in a crazed terror filled him with satisfaction.

Mildly.

However, what truly caught his eye--and what lingered heavily in his mind throughout the day--was during the signing of the farce of a peace treaty between Lucis and Niflheim. It was for a brief moment, but as he and Emperor Aldercapt were escorted to the meeting room, for the first moment in a long time was Ardyn taken aback.

Around the vicinity of the Citadel, he could see members of the Crownsguard patrolling around the area. Though stoic, he could feel their contempt towards him and the rest of Niflheim's representatives. The glare that was sent his way by Cor the Immortal--god, what a joke--as he passed by made him grin and bow his head in mock-reverence.

But, what made him do a double-take was the person walking alongside Cor, quietly murmuring to him in a hushed tone.

You.

Here you were again.

If there was anything that he--in the entirety of his existence--ever wanted, it was you.

The one who gave the world any value. The one who made life worth living. The one who made death appealing.

How long had it been since the two of you were separated?

The question remained in his mind all throughout the his calm departure from Insomnia's burning ruins. He would've wanted to immediately approach you as soon as he laid eyes on you, stealing you away to make you his again, but that would've made all that he plotted to do in these past centuries all the more meaningless.

It would've made seeking vengeance upon your behalf worthless, and there was nothing that he hungered for quite as much.

At the very least, the stage was set and the actors were about to be shoved into the spotlight for the very first time. The show was to begin, albeit with an unexpected casting decision, a surprise revision to the script.

Though, at this point, he didn't really mind spoilers.

"An impatient traveler" was half a lie, half a truth.

He had been waiting to reveal himself to Noctis and his band of merry fools, but he was eager to speed the process, for he had to seek you out. With all the intel at his disposal--easily by Niflheim's power, even child's play by his power--he wouldn't have any issue with tracking you down, or even twist things along to have you come running into his arms without realizing you would be caged in.

Fate had a way to intervene and allow for the latter to happen before he could plan things fully.

He had been keeping tabs on you while plotting for your inevitable reunion. Cor and other top officials of the Crownsguard had survived, and were intending to have Noctis to go seek out the Royal Arms. Though, not only would Cor give Noctis direction on where to go next, he would have you join him and his friends as well.

The suggestion wasn't denied. You and Noctis were close, even if you apparently kept a low profile throughout your life, your interactions with the prince during high school inspiring you to enlist in the Crownsguard.

Things can work out so simply yet in the most asinine manner.

To Ardyn, you were in no position to be in the Crownsguard.

Royalty shouldn't be serving royalty.

From when he knew you, in the life you spent with him back then, you were his queen. In the time of when Starscourage went rampant and left the world in shambles, nothing brought more hope to all across the lands than the kind, gracious King and Queen of Lucis, whose unconditional love for one another was generously shared with all those who sought it.

With the slow yet undetected corruption of his body, you cradled him in your arms, murmuring nothing but gentle words of your heartfelt affection for him. After a long day's work spent healing the afflicted, even the most benevolent needed rest.

Thus was fitting that he visited you while you slept, exhausted after conquering one of Niflheim's imperial bases in Cleigne. Here, in the quiet stillness of this Lestallum hotel suite was you at your most vulnerable.

Admittedly, it was amusing to see his pacifist queen draw a weapon in order to fight for her kingdom. The way you handled yourself in battle was with a grace that was dazzling, and a fierceness that was fatal.

Even with the few encounters with you previously--all with Noctis and his friends in close attendance--he considered this moment to be your true reunion. After all, rather than him carrying on the facade of Chancellor and you of whatever this false identity that you had been tricked into possessing, he could speak to you--the Queen of Lucis--as your King Ardyn Lucis Caelum.

You wouldn't give him the time of day, so what better chance to approach you than at night, especially with the other four out in Lestallum to restock while relaxing after such a grueling excursion from the afternoon. The room was completely dark, save for the small lampstand on your bedside.

How one could sleep with the light on was beyond him, but given the context of the world as it was now, there was no question:

It was meant to keep monsters like him at bay.

Laughable.

"I wonder..." He broke the silence in the room, his voice hoarse from not speaking for a few long moments while he beheld you in your current state. "...what must you be dreaming of to give you such a peaceful expression, my love."

His lips quirked into a grin as he approached the bed, reaching for his coat and scarf to remove them. He intended on staying for a while, so he may as well get comfortable.

Lestallum was always brutally hot and humid, and even with the air conditioning in your hotel suite, you were still dressed down as minimally as possible. Rather than the most luxurious of silk to drape over your skin, instead you were in a pair of small sleeping shorts and a tank top that seemed to have gathered in the middle, your chest and stomach bared during your sleep.

To lick his lips or gulp at the sight?

It wasn't like him to feel conflicted.

Did he want to stare at you with reverence, or ogle you as he pleased?

The answer hung in the air as another option--to simply lay beside you--was added and selected. By now, he wasn't undressing to get comfortable, but rather to be able to take in as much of you as he could. His hands would do all the work, of course, but he wouldn't allow anything--especially clothes--to get in the way of his bare skin to feel your body heat radiate off of you.

Pitiful or depraved?

There was no one else who could draw out these questions, these emotions out of him.

He laid beside you, as exposed as he could be. All throughout your rest, he saw you as vulnerable, but now, beside you, the word seemed to describe him perfectly, even if he was succumbing to voyeurism.

Gingerly, he reached forward, grabbing the hem of your top before slowly tugging it down. While your stomach was covered, his knuckles brushed over the warmth of its surface. He let out a groan at the delicate heat before doing to same for the neckline of your top. Tugging it upward, he relished in the back of his fingers running against your chest.

You shivered.

"Was that me, or the air conditioning, my sweet?" He murmured after leaning forward to meet your ear. Teasing as his tone was, there was an unquestionable bittersweet tinge to it. "You know I know how to elicit all of those delightful little reactions from you--like no one ever could."

He wished you could answer back.

He wished you would talk to him.

He wished you returned to him.

Even when stricken with immortality, Ardyn was left exposed.

To rumor, to distrust, to hatred.

While seeking to rid the world of Starscourge, there was a king who wished to seize the throne, to take everything that the ever so benevolent king had to offer the world. Jealousy at its most rampant, there couldn't have been a better opportunity than to turn the very people who adored their ruler against him.

Izunia was the name.

But when all lost faith in him, who else but you, his beloved queen, to stay so stubbornly loyal to him.

He was only doing what was right for the world. Truly, he meant no harm. An outright twisted, unfortunate consequence for simply wishing happiness and peace to all.

That man was your husband and you would do anything for his sake.

But there were rumors, fears that if the queen was to remain by his side--and become inflicted with Starscourge--there was a possibility that some kind of new daemons would be born, albeit under the disguise of a human, one that could blend seamlessly into the world.

Separation.

Rip apart.

The mob was forming and there was only so much you could do when the world and its gods shunned you and the man you loved.

Ignorance never was so infuriating.

The immortality brought on by the Starscourge wasn't fully realized that day when Ardyn awoke to see you gone. For months, the two of you had been wandering across Lucis, wondering what to do, where to go. There was no immediate answer to those questions, but he never felt alone so as long as you were there.

But you could see his agony, his despair.

You just wanted to see your lover happy once more.

There was a note left beside him.

I will go to Tennebrae to seek an audience with the gods. When they see all that you've done for the world, my Ardyn, they will realize the error of the Crystal's judgment. I will make them see.

The very ones who were so cruel to allow a reunion like this to occur.

What had become of him, right now? What reduced him to the pathetic fool who could not rouse you from your sleep, instead to simply touch himself while lying beside you?

Did he want to indulge in fantasy where he could subject you to the depravity that he had sunken to, or think back that moment when he swore to himself that he would seek vengeance upon the world?

You never did make it to Tennebrae. The mob of ignorant, fearful Lucians were there instead, ready to cast out any blight of the Starscourge. Apparently, the King Izunia was quite the influential speaker.

And apparently, the Starscourge gave him more than just an accursed body, one that immediately turned hollow and void the moment he saw your still form slumped on the harbor floor.

But now here he was, next to you at your most tranquil state.

The sound of your steady breathing drew out euphoria, the rise and fall of your chest a pleasure that he thought was forever lost.

And yet, the you that was now beside him was different. You were the version that swore passionately to remain at the side of the True King, of that brat who was undeniably a carbon copy of Izunia.

Ardyn could hear the gods laughing away at his expense, their cackling rousing a silent but menacing fury that bubbled within him, which in turn was meant to mask the anguish he truly felt.

It was why, at least for tonight, he could indulge himself in your presence. There was no other place he'd rather be at this moment.

Ardyn was more than capable of making you his once again at this moment. The power to do so wasn't merely at his fingertips, but like that of muscle memory. He had grown fond in being the cause for corruption--especially pure, innocent things.

You shifted in your sleep, seemingly restless for a moment before you ended up facing him, even leaning slightly forward. The movement of your body caused your top to shift downwards yet again, breasts slightly spilling out. A moan escaped you as you continued to rest, falling back in near silent slumber at your newfound comfort.

With one hand still stroking his cock, Ardyn brought his face closer to yours. How he wished to fully close the gap between the two of you with a kiss.

"Since when were you so keen on teasing me, darling?" He purred huskily while eyeing your lips. What heightened arousal was either between the extremes of fucking your mouth, or hearing you breathlessly call out his name and how much you loved him. "Do you think I'm not onto your little plot? How naughty of you. You must know what you're doing to me now, yes? Don't think I'll be as nice to you as I was before~"

But could he bring himself to punish you?

On one hand, yes, for all the times he heard you utter his name with complete contempt, as though "Ardyn" was poison to your tongue. And yet, wouldn't he also be just rejoiced to have you pay attention to him with your love and affection?

His breathing grew labored while the wet strokes of his cock became more frantic, needy.

"Open your eyes, my love. Look at me."

Your eyes remained shut.

"Kiss me. Don't you miss your king?"

Your lips remained closed.

"Love me. Yield your heart and body to me."

Your body remained still.

A bitter smirk broke onto his features, sweat on his brow, his breath labored, "You wicked little thing..."

The opportunity to corrupt you left excited him just as much as repulsed.

Even if tainting things was all he was good for anyhow.

Ardyn pumped his cock furiously, your silence making him crave every fantasy as relief. He craved to touch you all over, but could only get himself to cup and stroke your cheek, the soft surface of your skin arousing him to no end. Oh how wonderful of a scene it would be to have Noctis and his Crownsguard return to the room, only to walk into you getting pounded right into the mattress by their most detested foe, all while you beg and cry for him to fuck you harder. Or, tear away your facade and your clothes, reawakening you with your true identity, just so he may whisk you off to Insomnia and have you ride his cock while he's seated at the throne—much like the days before, for even a kind-hearted and generous king loved to dabble in some thrilling naughtiness.

What thrilled--and relieved--him was just how possible either of those situations were and more.

And that's what helped him messily spill his release onto his hand and your bare thighs rather than tears down his face.

Come now, he wasn't that pathetic to weep.

Especially when he had no tears to offer whatsoever.

For the time being, he would savor this opportunity. He ended up breaking self-imposed rule of only touching you with his hands, given that he graciously cleaned the mess he made on your thighs with his tongue, eager to have a taste of your flesh.

You remained asleep all throughout, that peaceful demeanor still exuding from you.

Ardyn was reluctant to leave your side to dress himself up once more, but he'd rather save the dramatics of confronting you with Lucis's prince in attendance for another time.

For now, he would take his leave, biding for when the time was right. While his vengeance was set in stone--to pit Izunia against Izunia, he had developed a knack for theatrics--he could spare a few meaningless days to wait for your return to his arms.

Ardyn smiled bitterly.

It would be a dream come true.

The kind you wished to never wake from.

Here, he would depart from you, refraining from disturbing your peace, allowing you to bask in the small light by your nightstand.

Back to the shadows he went, to where he belonged, allowing you to slumber in presence of a never ceasing light.

[charlottedabookworm]

hamelin-born replied to your text post 

Yes, you ARE mean to Cor. But that just means his reunion with Nyx and Ardyn is going to be that much more poignant. 

Very good point, and I will totally use that as an excuse for hurting these characters thank you :D

(I really do need to get around to writing that reunion, but I have no idea where to start)