#ffxv departure

[rose-madder-gaze]

You have learned the beginning; Go from mine to the other.

Be together; eat, dance, despair, Sleep, be threatened, endure. You will know the way of that.

[chasingfigments]

Writing Meme: First Line Patterns

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (or however many you have) posted fics and see if there's a pattern!

I was tagged by @omgfloofy, @mathclasswarfare, and @avianscribe—I think that’s it!

Here we go:

“This late on a Tuesday night, the Wayne Enterprises parking garage should be all but empty.” [For Some Desperate Glory, Batman fic, 1/12 chapters] “Prompto hates the back seat.” [Departure, FFXV, oneshot] “From Ignis’s carefully selected seat on the couch, he has a perfect view of the moment when Noct’s bedroom door finally opens and Gladio slips out into the hallway.” [Aftermath, FFXV, oneshot (remix)] “Insomnia burns down below.” [under starless skies (we are lost), FFXV, 4/4 chapters] “It’s technically not breaking in if Ignis gave Prompto both the spare key and explicit permission to stop by, but it still feels like it might be a tiny bit illegal considering how sleek the apartment building looks from the outside and how not-dressed-up Prompto is right now.” [Permission, FFXV, oneshot (remix)] “It’s easy to spot Noctis in his silvery jacket, dark blue jeans, and black baseball cap, not that Noctis stands out too much in the late morning crowd.” [Confession, FFXV, oneshot] “The furniture store is one of the few places in this section of Insomnia that’s relatively intact.” [Respite, FFXV, oneshot] “Prompto is pretty damn sure his lap isn’t all that comfortable, but he’s tried twice to insist that Ignis would probably feel better if he had a proper pillow and Ignis had insisted he wouldn’t.” [Whisper, FFXV, oneshot] “Ignis knows they have arrived when Gentiana—Shiva—opens her eyes.” [What Fades Away, FFXV, 4/4 chapters] “The first minutes of sunrise cast the canyon in a red light and dark shadows.” [Naught in Return, FFXV, oneshot]

….apparently my pattern is that I need the reader to know the physical location/position we’re starting off with, even if it’s just implied. Which is—interesting? Huh. This is not a thing I would have identified as typical of my writing.

Tagging @ghost-bxrd, @gwynne-fics, @crazyloststar, and anyone else who is interested. :)

[inevitablesurrender]

Now, Tabata has finally revealed why he left Square Enix so abruptly. In a new interview reported by 4Gamer, the former Luminous Productions head joked that he departed the company so many years ago that the details have become a little hazy over the years. However, Tabata pointed to the philosophy of Yosuke Matsuda, who was Square Enix president at the time, as the main reason for his departure. The president and Tabata had "different" philosophies at the time, Tabata said, and since Square Enix would obviously proceed according to Matsuda's policies, Tabata departed. That wasn't as quick a decision as it sounds. Tabata revealed that the feeling had been brewing for several years, but it ultimately culminated in him leaving Square Enix in 2018. Tabata said he couldn't really be honest about his reason for leaving back in 2018, but he thinks it's alright to be honest in 2023.

Feels a little disingenuous not to mention that Tabata didn't actually announce his departure in the stream; he wasn't at all present and a letter of his was read out loud, heavily suggesting he was already long gone in spite of the resignation date. Which, uh. Gave a much different feel to the whole thing.

All that said... I still wonder if Mystery Disk will ever make it online. You know, the one that culminated in the boss fight with Yosuke Matsuda that was very deliberately worked on by the core FFXV team.

[serotoninwriteson]

FREELANCERS

“On The News”

Departure

Final Fantasy XV Soundtrack

There’s something haunting about seeing yourself in the news. Ellis leaned forward in her seat, mouth slightly open as if to say “how” though no sound would come out. They didn’t call her “Ellis” though. 

“Princess Ellysia Maria von Kendrick,” Benny read aloud, his voice soft as if unsure if his dyslexia was acting up again. “Missing princess of the empire of Ystoria.”

Nine lowered his shades from his face. “Can’t be,” he muttered. But he didn’t sound so sure of himself.

Caspian folded his hands in his lap. “I heard about this a while ago. She vanished ten years ago, some rival scheme of another country. They never found her, even after the war. Everyone thought her dead. And yet… they never gave up hope.”

Ellis admired the girl on the TV screen. She supposed they looked somewhat alike. Dark hair, check. Violet eyes, check. Fair skin, check. But they didn’t account for her short messy hair or the scar covering half her face. It was her, and it wasn’t quite her. It was Princess Ellysia, not Ellis of [insert name] Adventurer Guild.

She bit into her lip, brows furrowing. What was this about a search for her? Or, for the princess, anyways? The reporter said they were looking for the princess, alive or dead, to return to her kingdom. That it was the right thing to do if you had any information to pass it on to the government.

Her gaze fell to the ground. It made her sick to see that mirror image from a parallel world. That wasn’t her. Maybe at one point, it had been. But it wasn’t her anymore.

“What will you do?” she asked, her voice no louder than a whisper.

“What do you mean, what will we do? Isn’t it obvious?” Benny asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Her stomach churned at those words. So this was how it had to be. She didn’t want to go back. She wanted to stay here with the guys and live life as Ellis, not some princess she didn’t even recognize. And yet, what choice was there?

“Of course you’re staying with us, little princess,” Nine said and ruffled her hair. She looked up to see grins all around her. Nine had that scary smile he got when he tried to be reassuring. Caspian just chuckled to himself, as if unable to believe Ellis would ever believe otherwise. And Benny? Benny threw his arms around his best friend and sister-in-arms.

“Dude, you think we’re just gonna fork you over to ‘em? Hell no! We’re in it for the long haul.” Benny hesitated. “That is, as long as you want to stay with us. You do, right?” He had those puppy dog eyes.

It wasn’t like she could turn him down anyways. She didn’t want to.

“Of course I do. I want nothing more.”

If someone wanted her back, they’d have to try and take her. Because this was home. Here, with her friends, at the adventurer’s guild - this was where she was meant to be.

Hell be damned if any kingdom thought they could take her from her friends.

[colonel-ignis-and-faust-scientia]

I would sacrifice it all to protect you. -Ignis

[operationrainfall]

Final Fantasy XV - Hajime Tabata Departs, 3 of 4 DLCs Cancelled

Final Fantasy XV – Hajime Tabata Departs, 3 of 4 DLCs Cancelled

Square Enix delivered some very unfortunate news this evening in a special, 30-minute announcement video. Effective October 31st  of this year, Hajime Tabata, the director of Final Fantasy XVand long-time Square Enix veteran, formally resigned from the company. In the wake of this news, it was also revealed that 3 of the 4 planned DLC releases due to drop next Spring have been cancelled. Episodes

[tenshiscientia]

This is the future mission....i was playing as Ignis. I most likely posted this before, but I think it was in black and white.

[ivelostmyspectacles]

A Good Shot™

[idrellegames]

I'm considering changing "chapter" to "episode". I had a conversation with my partner last night about how different words have different implications and impressions, even if they essentially boil down to the same thing.

Because interactive fiction is so closely related to books, dividing sections of a game into chapters feels like a natural extension of that. But "chapter" also has a very specific feeling to it. Yes, some games do divide themselves into chapters (FFXV, FFVII: Remake, RDR2, Last of Us, etc), but the feeling is different with interactive fiction. Because IF is text-based, it's always going to be reminiscent of chapters in a book and imply that is has similar structuring, which isn't really what Wayfarer's chapters do.

"Episode", on the other hand, is a departure from books. The scale is different (thinking of how episodic TV shows can tell a complete story that resolves by the end of an episode or how narrative adventure games are sometimes released in episodes, like Tell Me Why or Life Is Strange). And that's much closer to what Wayfarer's narrative structure does. Each chapter has its own goal, quest, or subplot that furthers the player character's journey and resolves by the end of the chapter.

At the end of the day, it's all just a way to divide the story into smaller parts. But I've been feeling for a while that calling my game's chapters "chapters" doesn't really do the story content justice. It may be text, but you are playing a game, not reading a book, and the narrative design reflects that.

[noirbriar]

FFXV AU: Comrades 

Not me rewatching Kingsglaive and thinking how messed up this entire division is again on so many levels. Show us more of the loyal ones?? The Galahdians? And like, I need more lady glaives too? *shakes bars* Here is my desperate attempt still at weaving comrades and Nifleheim in :’D prompts: ( friendship / spies / wounds )

——

Nyx is wandering around the night market with a depressed Libertus when he notices he was being followed.

To tail a Kingsglaive in his domain in Little Galahd, its a gutsy thing to do, if not stupid. Not very sneaky either, when compared to his son’s skills, they are like amateurs.

The crowd in Little Galahd is sombre and quiet since the announcement of the treaty with the Empire. The Glaives are still reeling in from the fact that the Captain had declared Crowe had gone AWOL as well. His own husband was seething considering he, as the King’s Sword, have been shut out by the King and Shield in the discussions. To the point King Regis had pulled rank over his own Marshal and reassigned his duties to focus on civilians rather than the Crown itself. Deployed far away from the heart of the Crown City with minimal means of contact at its borders with a skeleton crew of Crownsguards. Whatever his given assignment was, there was an argument and Cor was furious. This all just seems wrong. But…who were they to go against orders as soldiers?

Even Prompto himself had noticed the sombre and tense atmosphere. For some reason, the boy had repeatedly made known he was afraid to leave his family behind. However, with Noctis heading out to Altissia to be wed, as part of the Prince’s retinue, Prompto naturally has to follow. With both fathers reassuring him before his departure that they will be alright.

It is clear that half of the glaives have become detached and showing signs of insubordination, which is saying something coming from Nyx himself. He knows a good portion are abandoning their post as well, according to Libertus who is also on the fence about the sudden drastic turn of events. The general atomosphere becoming dark as morale amongst the glaives dwindles rapidly. With both Cor and Prompto gone from Insomnia, there is little reason to be home with the silence and gloom. He chooses to join his kin back in Little Galahd after their duty at the party.

“Yo Libs, Imma going to grab some beer, meet you ahead? I think we all need a drink.” Nyx stretches and makes a vague sign with his hand.

“Sure, we all need it really. Get the good stuff and not the Goblin piss yeah? I don’t want to be sober for all this shit.” Libertus pauses for a minute seeing the gesture, and huffs out grumpily.

“And how would you know how Goblin piss tastes like?” Nyx raises a brow at his fellow kinsmen.

Libertus cusses in galah and attempts to kick his old friend while Nyx dodges with a laugh. He heads around the block, making a couple of turns to the quieter part of the district. Sure enough, the stranger took the bait and followed the Galahdian, who loses sight of his target as soon as he rounds around the lone corner.

Until the young boy feels the cold steel of a Kukri pressing up the skin of his neck.

“Lesson one. Don’t think your target is stupid to not know you are following him. It may work on beasts but not on an enemy with experience.” Nyx tells the young fair headed teen coldly.”Why are you following me, Sasha?”

“Sir.” Sasha starts.”I can explain. But. Please. Not here. We have little time, please!”

This gets Nyx’s attention but the glaive does not put away his blade. Sasha Volkov, one of the three new baby glaives who have been taken under Pelna’s wing. They are not granted the King’s magic but surprisingly know their way around technology and artillery very efficiently. The only Niflheimian glaives allowed in. Recruitment had been so bad that higher ups have expanded to allow defectors to join as regular foot soldiers should their background checks come clean. Drautos have been pissed by that order and displeased by the baby glaives for some reason that Nyx is unable to understand. Everyone is a refugee after all. Unless the Captain really thinks there really is a cause for concern regarding them?

Nyx himself had an inkling he knows who had recommended the expansion of the recruitment range, but keeps quiet. To go against the captain of the Kingsglaive and alter the usual hiring processes and protocols across the board, Cor must be on to something. After all, there was little reason for the head of the Crownsguard to interfere with Kingsglaive matters. Even though Cor had occasionally voiced his displeasure at the way Drautos handles the Kingsglaive and his opinions in the War Room. If there is one thing Nyx has to give to Cor after more than a decade of knowing him, is his ability to manoeuvre around the complicated Lucian politics.

Sasha, Ana, Yuri have been training with him and his team for not very long. However their rag tag group had gel together well quickly with the Glaives. Had performed well even under pressure during deployment out on their first mission as support where they encountered the Diamond Weapon.

“You have 1 minute. Convince me.” Nyx demands as Sasha breathes heavily and quickly steps away from the senior glaive. Nyx lets him but keeps it pointed at the teen. Dear Etro, he feels terrible, the kid is younger than his son! But he has to be extremely cautious in such dire times.

Sasha pauses before he pulls his ratty shirt overhead, turning around to show the hideous scar stretching down his spine and countless of needle marks. Nyx hisses quietly. Although he feels it looks oddly familiar…

“Mister Uodalrich? Do you remember there was a camp near Ghorovas Rift? A reformation camp where dissident Nifleheimians were kept?” The Niflehimian boy asks softly. “I remember. Along with my cousins. You and Mister Leonhart. Even after you both left us in the safety of Meldacio with the hunters.”

Uodalrich and Leonhart. The fake names Nyx and Cor had used on a joint mission years ago. There were families they had fished out from that terrible camp while blasting the place sky high, so this kid-

“Etro’s blessings.” Nyx breaths out in Galah.”What the fuck?”

——

What the fuck indeed.

“Cor did WHAT!?”

“Shit, calm down Nyx! Come on!” Oles Hali and Minos Denka, fellow Galahdians who had followed Nyx into Insomnia, pulls him back into his old dusty armchair. A lady quickly catches the fallen tablet before it meets its demise. If not for the several layers of sound barriers the mages had put up, they would probably have awaken the whole of Little Galahd by now. Their other electronics and comms are all safely tucked in a shoebox sealed with ice and magic as well.

“Yeah sure, calm down when I just hear that my husband had dropped spies into my division without telling me he suspects my own superior. With said spies that are younger than my son, sure! Now I have them telling me that my higher up and mentor is out to kill us and our boss! Great! Absolutely great!”

“Hus…band? Son?” Kaia Disa looks at Libertus curiously who tsks and quickly shakes his head at the woman.Now really is not the time to talk about it.

“To be fair…The Lord Marshal was against our wishes to join the Glaive but…what can I say, Sir?,” Sasha looks down, “ My cousins and I, our families have remained safe in Meldacio… we weren’t be here if not for the Lord Marshal and you back then. Would probably be buried under Shiva’s remains today. We want to do this. We’ll help Insomnia against the Empire no matter what.”

“We didn’t save you lot to throw it all for us! You are all what? 15!?”

“We are actually 18, but Yuri is 19, Sir.“ Sasha corrects the Galahdian and flinches a little when Nyx gives him a strangled look.

“Nyx, they are older than when we first started though. Heck, the Marshall himself was 13-” Libertus reasons but quickly shuts up once Nyx turns on his old friend.

“Thats not the entire point now is it?!”

“The Marshal knows something is wrong internally, but is uncertain where. Although we will be suspicious due to our race, its to be expected.  We are also familiar with what Niflheim tech and how to look for any. That is why Lord Marshal relented and let us enter Insomnia to join the Kingsglaive and follow you as support.” The young Niflheimian teen explains.“Lord Leonis also wants me to convey a message to you personally too, Sir, said he knows you will er, throw a fit once you find out.”

“What did the asshole say then?”

“Erm… Sir, he says its only for you-” Sasha trails off wearily.

“Anything you want to be said can be said in front of my people.” Nyx jabs a thumb at the crowd of Glaives huddled in his little apartment. Sasha fidgets uneasily and sighs.

“Lord Marshal had guessed as much and said, ‘don’t say I didn’t give you a chance, Nyx.’”

Nyx growls at that as Sasha coughs and continues, “ ‘Don’t be a dumbass, Nyx. I know they will be safe under you. I cannot and am unable to do anything away from the City, I don’t even know what is happening inside. Should things go south, at least I know you have another source of back up. I know you are angry about alot of things. We can fight about this later when I see you again.’ …erm…”

“And?” Nyx prompts dryly.

“…Baheayak Habyti…?” The young teen relays what seems to be a very broken and butchered galah in confusion. Silence fills the room enough to hear a can of beer drop loudly, before a few soft ‘dawww’ emerges somewhere from the back of the room. Nyx throws his hands up in resignation before running his palms across his burning face in frustration. That damn infuriating man…

“More importantly, if what you are saying is true then we have a big problem. It means aside the fact half of the glaives have turned their backs on the Crown… Our captain also happens to be the fucking General of Niflheim.” Pyrena, a fellow mage and Oles’ twin sister ponders aloud grimly. “That means they plan to destroy the Kingsglaive from inside and the Crown come tomorrow. They want Insomnia to fall.”

“Where’s the Oracle now?”

“Ana and Yuri had followed after her and Glauca, she has a tracker on and they are armed. We have modified some comms devices to only have a fixed frequency that is encrypted. It won’t be tapped.”

“Atta boy!”

“Do we know roughly how may traitors among us?”

“I assume a little over half based on what I have been hearing lately.”

“I bet my left nut that Axis and his gang are in it.”

“Can we even convince the Crown to let us save the Oracle?”

“We cannot have all the Glaives leave the Capital right?”

“All of you, stop.”

Nyx was no Ketua. He has yet to earn that title for himself despite being the last of his Clan. However, the crowd of his Glaives clustered and squished in his dingy apartment stops immediately at his stern command in galah. The silence drags on uncomfortably as Nyx leans back his chair, eyes closed in deep thought.

Damn, this is really happening. Nyx growls lowly as he stands on his feet and looks at all of his fellow comrades, tribesmen and friends.They had all sort of drifted apart after the move to Insomnia. Personal problems and grief on top of everything else. Who knows, in another life they probably would stray and become strangers over time. The wound of loss and grief too large to heal and slowly fester as they break apart.

It had only been after Prompto and Noctis’ kidnapping, their tribe have sort of banded together once more. Its makes Nyx feel relieved, to know that his people are still alright and standing by his side. Sure, they have lost plenty of their family and comrades over the years to the War, but as long as they survive, they will heal and keep on going. They have to.

Now, they will have to pull together and stop a shit storm it seems. They are really doing this, huh?

“My fellow brothers and sisters. It is neither in our blood nor our ways to turn our backs to those who have given us shelter. Who gave us a warm fire to rest our weary souls and food to nourish our young. We may not see eye to eye with people who do not share our ways, but we will not kick them down. Not when we share the land. It is not in our ways either to turn our blade on those that have given us refuge. We will not continue to let oppression and hate destroy us even more. Now, my kin. Will you let our pride as Galahdians forge the way forward, and come hunt with me together to stop this madness that plagues us?”

The Galahdians roars loudly chanting a battlecry as Sasha jumps, startled, as Pelna slaps a hand down at the young glaive’s shoulder heartily in encouragement. Nyx looks at his Glaives as they come forward and start shaping a plan to help evacuate the refugees and of a counter attack.

They will not let the Empire have their way this time. They had lost Galahd, this time, they will not let Insomnia be lost too.

——

“Nyx! Why are you here?! Quickly take Lunafreya-“

“With all the respect I have, I give absolutely zero fucks, your Majesty. Write me up, I don’t care but I’m not telling my husband I let his brothers die under my watch!” Nyx snaps at the King  while trying to stop Clarus from bleeding out. Kaia mutters a quick apology, using her sash to wrap up the King’s sliced hand, and summons a fire to cauterise the gaping wound where the Shield’s arm once was.

Lunafreya had slammed against her brother and makes a grab for the Ring of Lucii away from his madness. The Nox Fluerets proceeds to have a loud sibling dispute despite the chaos happening around them. Nyx cannot hear what is it about exactly over the screaming Daemon in the room before Glauca lunges at them.

Nyx quickly jumps in with a flying warp strike as his kukri meets Glauca’s blade head-on.

“‘sup, Captain? Fancy armor you got there huh?”

“Ulric-!?”

Nyx takes advantage of Galuca’s surprise to parry away before sending a thundaga at Glauca’s face. Which Glauca deflects quickly and charges on but was quickly intercepted by Libertus’ vicious body slam and a well aimed fire spell as the glaive cusses at the General in galah violently.

“Sir! This errr- isn’t in our Glaive training?!” Ana yells over the Ultro’s tentacles, jumping away from its attacks and tries to slice the creature with her circular saw. The other glaives dance around Glauca as their warps and spells strike relentlessly at their enemy. Until the daemon they had slammed into the Citadel with the airship catches the Imperial General by the leg and flings him aside like a toy somewhere far away. A rumbling roar, it then turns its attention towards the glaives.

“Just survive damnit!!” Nyx roars at the baby Niflheimian glaive as he rushes back to pull an injured Clarus along, with an exhausted Regis close behind with Lunafreya. The princess glances at her brother who have found himself shielding a stray Ultros tentacle from his sister. In moment, there was a strange sort of acknowledgement before she moves along and Ravus returns to face the gigantic daemon.

“Get them out Nyx!! Pelna, take Sasha and the rest and go cover them! The others are still outside clearing the area!” Libertus roars over the explosion of spells as he turns to block the daemon’s path.

“Roger that !” Pelna quickly warps over and takes over, carries the old Shield carefully on his back.

“I owe you one Libs! Stay alive my brother! You are my hero now!” Nyx grins at his childhood friend shielding them and blocking the Ultros.

“Fuck right off you sap! Go on ahead we’ll catch up at the rendezvous point!” Libertus grumbles as he shakes off the bitch slap from the Ultros and strengthens the barrier and holds, resisting under the weight of the protect spell and the pounding of the Daemon.

“There has to be an escape route out for only Royals, where?”Nyx snaps towards Regis, who struggles to keep up despite the help.

“The lift behind there, quickly!” Regis gestures to a hidden alcove. Their weapons raised with Sasha and the two other baby glaives keeping an eye out with their guns at ready.

The small crew escapes, leaving Libertus, Kaia and a handful of other loyal glaives against the Ultro. They take a breather as they take the lift down to the secret passage. All of them still high on adrenaline, reeling in from the sudden chaos.

“Nyx-“

“Cut your magic to all of us when I give a signal later, we need to catch those fucking rats out there unaware.” The Glaive tells Regis who is still struggling with Luna’s support. The King understands nods grimly at the given battle plan before letting the silence sit again as the elevator continues its descent.

“Do something stupid here on out and I swear I will let Cor rip you apart. And I won’t be sorry.” Nyx adds at long last. Regis gives a dry laugh at that.

——

“THEN WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO TELL COR, NYX?!!” Regis roars, clutching the Ring of Lucii tossed his way as the flames scream and the Kings of Yore decimates the enemies around them. Diamond Weapon screeches with the hordes of daemons unleashed. Libertus and the others trying to pull the struggling King and the Princess away to safety while dragging the fallen Shield along. Nyx takes no heed at Regis’ question but stares down at Glauca, no, Titus Drautos, approaching them steadily in his broken and foul armor.

Nyx smirks and without turning back, he raises his kukri. The magic from the Lucii crackles brightly with his blood trickling down his arm.

“Heh. Give babe a kiss from me.”

With that, he warps and his blade collides with Drautos’ sword.

——-

Song For this ficlet: FFXV Kingsglaive OST Nyx

A/N: Cor will not be having a good time *cackles and chokes*

[berrydoodleoo]

Two tarot for the price of one! Ardyn and Ifrit as the Devil (of course) and Aranea and Garuda as the six of swords. More about these choices beneath the cut:

So first, Ardyn. I was not super drawn to Ardyn on my first time through the game, I was busy yelling at the characters (specifically Iggy and Gladio) for making such bad decisions. Why on earth would you trust him even a little bit?!?!?! He is practically carrying a sign saying ‘I’m a bad guy’! You’re protecting the primary leader of your government AND your only hope of salvation! Obvs I’m still frustrated.

But moving past that, I think the connection between Ifrit and Ardyn is interesting. It’s probably the most obvious connection, as they appear together often, and Ardyn can control him through the Scourge. But I think they mirror each other well on a story level -- Ifrit was originally a kind and benevolent god, who gave humans the gift of fire and uplifted them (like Promotheus). Ardyn was originally a kind and benevolent healer/king, who wanted to save humans from the Scourge. But like Prometheus, they both end up in chains and tortured for millinea. In the end, they both decide to destroy humanity.

They also tie into the Devil nicely. Upright, the card symbolizes oppression, addiction, obsession, dependency, excess, powerlessness, limitations. Reversed, it’s independence, freedom, revelation, release, reclaiming power, reclaiming control. The card itself shows the Devil front and center, with two smaller figures enchained at his feet (in this case Somnus and Aera). I originally had something more complicated in mind, including both Scourge Ardyn and Healer Ardyn to emphasize the upright/reversed sides of the card, but between the additional two characters and the flames, there was just too much visual chaos. And I had to include the Bone Throne, of course. :)

Aranea! This card took F O R E V E R, mostly because I decided to be clever and create Aranea’s canceled DLC look and Solara, who used a few existing elements but needed a lot of customization. I really liked Aranea’s character in the game, but I feel like the chopped story between Aranea and Solara is a major missed opportunity. There are a growing number of video games that focus on fathers and their children, and I would love to see something similar with a mother and her child. Aranea and Solara traveling and training together during the apocalypse, with Solara’s potential destiny as the Empress of Niflheim, would have been a fascinating mirror to the Witcher 3.

My original idea was to put Aranea and Garuda together, even though Garuda isn’t one of the Six. They’re both linked to air and the sky, Garuda as an eagle and Aranea as a dragoon and airship commodore, and they both have a tendency to drop in and save Noct’s royal rear when he’s in danger. FFXV Garuda is a counterpart to FFXIV Garuda, who is screamy and tyrannical, which mirrors Aranea’s role as counterpart to invading and conquering Niflheim.

Given the air connection of the characters, I focused on the suit of swords, and the six of swords really captured some elements of Aranea’s character. Upright: moving on, departure, leaving behind, distance, accepting lessons, and reversed: stuck in past, returning to trouble, running away from problems, trapped. Aranea isn’t loyal to the Empire, although she does care about her country and countrymen. In DotF, she is very aware of how she is exploited as a mercenary and commoner, but also how the MTs have it worse. Underlying that is the reality that, despite how badly she and her men are treated, as Niflheim subjects they benefit from the exploitation of the MTs -- and we know that the MTs are just regular humans whose growth has been accelerated and who have been systematically abused by Niflheim. So the card’s themes of running from problems captures this element of avoidance of responsibility, and the themes of transition and accepting lessons capture her rejection of the Empire and its military and taking on a role as a leader.

The card itself is a really striking image of a woman and child on a boat, with six swords stacked in front of them. There is a man pushing the boat, but to me, he always reads as an outsider -- he is standing well above the woman and child, and is separated from them by several harsh lines. To me, the card symbolizes the act of fleeing from hardship into peril, and being surrounded by danger and bleakness on all sides.

Which led me to creating Solara’s model! I stuck to her concept art as closely as possible, and also gave her a stuffed Cait Sith. I started with an unused child mesh from the game and rigged it with Talcott’s armature and using the Data Transfer to get most of the weighting correct. It was definitely a learning experience! It’s not perfect, but for a simple pose like this it worked.

For the rest of the card, the six swords became a six-legged spider demon (also chosen because ‘aranea’ means ‘spider’). The boat is symbolized in Aranea’s ship, approaching in the distance with a little help from Garuda. I’m still not completely happy with the final image, especially the wheat and how busy the composition is, but eh. I do like how Aranea’s jacket and Solara turned out, so I’ll have to find a way to use them again.

[schattenlurch]

me, playing ffxv for the 4th time: god i hate this game

[kyzveryown]

Observations — Quadratum's Purpose

Verum Rex is one of the strangest, most bizarre additions to Kingdom Hearts we've seen over the course of its nearly two-decade run. And the main reason is because of its glaring similarities with Final Fantasy Versus XIII. This was a project Tetsuya Nomura had been working on since 2006 alongside Kingdom Hearts and The World Ends With You. Unfortunately, he was removed from the project and replaced with another director sometime after it was repurposed into FFXV. FFVXIII was a passion project for Nomura. It was intended be a heavier, much darker departure from Kingdom Hearts. VXIII was a highly anticipated project that, even till this day, people still want.

So, you can imagine the sheer excitement (and confusion) when a trailer for Verum Rex; a game that looked unmistakably like VXIII, appeared in KHIII. Yozora (the Noctis look-alike) even appeared in KHIII’s secret movie and was the secret boss in Re:Mind. Quadratum, the metropolis featured in Verum Rex and it’s universe (stupidly dubbed “Unreality” but I refuse to call it that) was the focal point of KH:MoM. It’s become increasingly clear that some form of VXIII will be integrated into the second phase of Kingdom Hearts. The questions that everyone’s asking now are “How?” and “Why?” but I think the more important question is, "What could possibly be its purpose?"

Those who’re caught up on KHUX know the Master of Masters’ goal is to defeat The Darkness. Everything that’s happened so far is part of his grand plan. But how does Quadratum and it’s universe factor into it? KH:MoM did a poor job of explaining what’s most likely a parallel universe, but there’s one major thing that stood out: this universe is devoid of light and darkness – unlike the KH universe. In “The Purpose” cutscene with ‘Darkness’, he confesses that the existence of Quadratum’s universe was foreign to him. Emphasis on ‘was’. He’s clearly known about it for a while, and based on his appearance in Quadratum, this universe is an important piece.

In KH:MoM, Yen Sid mentions ancient keyblade masters traveled to another universe. However, it isn’t specified which keyblade masters. The only ones who’ve successfully traversed world lines (that we know of) are the Union Leaders. Ava sent the Union Leaders to ‘another world’ where they stayed until the war ended. Strangely, it was never explained where this world was. During her speech to the Dandelions, she mentioned ‘a world made of dreams’. The Realm of Sleep? The Unchained realm that was never mentioned again? Maybe, but who knows.

The Foretellers could’ve gone to this world after the war. However, that’d depend on whether the Master of Masters told them about that world, and if that world is Quadratum’s universe. If anything he would’ve at least told Luxu and Ava about it since they’re integral to his plan. If so, then that’d explain why Ava was instructed to send the Union Leaders there. Maybe Luxu could’ve sent the Foretellers there after the war ended. He did summon them back (sans Ava) though from ‘where’ is never stated. If that’s the case, then its possible the Master of Masters has been using Quadratum’s universe as a safe haven and a rest stop. It’d make sense considering there’s no light or darkness there.

This is all conjecture though. It's possible that Quadratum’s purpose is to serve as a safe haven/rest stop for those who wish to escape The Darkness. It's a plausible albeit slightly far-fetched explanation. Interestingly enough, he did tell Luxu he wanted to chill for a while. What better place to rest and hide from The Darkness than in a universe devoid of it? But then, what could that mean in the grand scheme of things?

[promptistrash]

Your favourite title/song from the Final Fantasy XV Soundtrack.

Mine is “Departure” and “Magna Insomnia” ♥ and “Somnus” but everyone likes that song so it doesn’t count :3 (My Ultimate favourite is the song that was titled “Gratia Mundi” but then changed into “Valse di Fantastica”) What’s yours?  REBLOG WITH THE NAME 

[dramaticviolincrescendo]

I was tagged by @whaticameherefor - thank you!

Author Name: The_Asset6

Fandoms You Write For: 

[Currently] Shameless (US)

[Previously] Final Fantasy XV, Marvel Cinematic Universe/Captain America, Fullmetal Alchemist

[Occasional] Kingdom Hearts, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Where You Post:

[Currently] AO3

[Formerly] All stories from fandoms I wrote for before Shameless are on FFNet under TheAsset6. 

Most Popular One-Shot:

[Current Fandom] Unashamed - Post-s10, following a married Ian through a depressive episode

[By Views and Kudos] Paternity (FFXV)

Most Popular Multichapter Story:

[Current Fandom] The Seven Soulmate Commandments - Retelling Ian and Mickey’s story if soulmates existed and only Mickey knew that Ian was his

[By Views and Kudos] Somnus Ultima (FFXV)

Favorite Story You Wrote:

It’s my current work in progress, but In Pieces is already my favorite. I have felt very strongly about various characters over the years, but I think Ian Gallagher has to be one of the few who I’ve felt a certain kinship with. To see that there were no stories in the fandom that really handled this period of his life was disappointing, and I have put a lot of work into attempting to tell his story in a way that is authentic to his canon characterization, the writing of the show, and people with bipolar disorder. To do so, I’ve read multiple autobiographies by people who suffer from bipolar disorder, consulted those who would know better than me how to represent it, researched the army’s basic training programs step by step (including training documents), and cross-referenced timelines and dialogue in the show throughout multiple seasons. It’s a difficult story to tell and an even more difficult mindset to put myself in to write it, but as much as I’ve loved writing other stories in the past, I think this one is by far the most rewarding. 

Story You Were Nervous to Post:

That would be Living a Lie. For one thing, I spent a very short amount of time on it, and anyone who knows me is aware that unless I spend endless hours editing, I don’t feel comfortable with my final product. For another, there seems to be a great deal of polarization regarding how Ian handled the situation at the Alibi in 4x11, so I was nervous to address the way I interpreted it. Ultimately, I’m very glad I did. It was wonderful to draw a connection that others could also appreciate and consider. 

How Do You Pick Your Titles:

I do this thematically. As I am very attached to music and feel the mood of a scene based on the soundtrack or lack thereof, many of my titles are directly or indirectly related to the song playing in a related scene. (For example, Give it a Name explores how Ian’s departure would have looked to Mickey if he’d followed him, so I chose the name because of how I felt listening to “Give Her a Name” [instrumental] while Ian was preparing to run away.) With other stories, I usually use a play on words for the overall theme. For In Pieces, it has multiple contexts: Ian feeling shattered and as though he’s leaving pieces of himself at home, his sanity gradually shattering into pieces as the symptoms of his disorder take a firmer hold over time, and his original dreams falling to pieces while he isn’t in a mental state to realize or care about it. 

Do You Outline:

Excessively, yes. I make spreadsheets with tabs for relevant information: plotlines, timelines, original character profiles (if applicable), research (by topic), and character mental and perspective development throughout the story. It’s...a lot. 

How Many of Your Stories Are Complete: 

Of my 36 posted stories, 35 are complete and one is a work in progress. 

In-Progress:

In Pieces - Ian’s story from 3x12 through 4x08

Rewind [Status: Outlined] - a one-shot exploring what might have happened if Ian hadn’t gone to the baptism or the Alibi in 4x11

Coming Soon:

Part 1.6 of In Pieces [Planned Update: Saturday, 12/4 or Sunday, 12/5]

Do You Accept Prompts:

Certainly! Please note that I do not write any explicit sexual content or out of character material. Characterizations will be as close to canon as possible. 

Upcoming Story You’re the Most Excited For:

“Rewind” is my only upcoming new story at present, but I’m extremely excited to update In Pieces this weekend. 

Tag Five Fanfic Authors to Answer the Questions:

@mickeys-upset, @glon-morski, @sickness-health-all-that-shit, @mick-mikhailo, @dreamylyfe-x

[heartlessfujoshi]

reconnecting - a polyship roadtrip one shot

Title: Reconnecting  Fandom: FFXV Pairing: GladPromptis (Gladio Amicitia x Noctis Lucis Caelum x Prompto Argentum) / Polyship Roadtrip  Rating: Mature (NSFW - PWP)  Word Count: ~3575

Summary: Gladio has returned to the group after fighting Gilgamesh, but something was off between the four of them. Luckily, Ignis recognized what it was, and gave him the opportunity to correct it. 

A/N: This was written for a very close friend of mine. Please enjoy! :) 

For @commanderboxers 

***

Gladio has been back with them for a week now, and something still felt off. But he wasn’t sure how to address it, as he’d been gone and he suddenly felt like he was an outsider when he knew he was anything but. Seeing how Noctis, Prompto and Ignis all worked together to get rid of the Mesminir that they were fighting as if they were a well-oiled machine, and he was just the brute strength was a cruel realization that made him question what he was even doing here. Maybe he should have stayed with Cor, and helped out the Hunters instead of returning with the three, and fulfilling his duty as the crowned Prince’s Shield.

“Nice job, big guy!” Prompto came over to him, holding his hand up high as if to give him a high five. Gladio took the offer, and slammed his palm against his, smirking as he saw him wince and then shake his hand. “Guh - I’d forgotten how strong you were when you do that.” 

“Sorry, chocobo.” He wasn’t. Alright, maybe he was a little, but still. Seeing the three of them work together while he stood off to the side had brought a feeling he hadn’t bothered to let fester in years, and now it seemed it was back with a vengeance. “Hey, Specs - how much fuel do we have in the Regalia?” 

“A full tank.” Ignis adjusted his glasses, and looked over at him. “Why? Do we have somewhere we need to be?” 

Gladio shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. Princess?” 

“No.” Noctis shook his head. “We’re just doing more hunts.” 

“Then, why are you asking?” Ignis asked, as the four of them began to walk back over to where their chocobos were grazing. “Did you have somewhere in mind that you’d like to head to?” 

He hopped up on the back of his chocobo and listened to it warble as he adjusted his weight on the back of it. “Why don’t we head down to Galdin for the weekend? Take a little bit of time off? We’ve been going going going since I came back.” 

“The beach sounds perfect!” Prompto quickly agreed with him as his chocobo warbled loudly. “Please, Iggy? It’d be nice to sleep in a bed for a bit too.” 

“I’m not sure if we have that much saved.” 

“We do.” Noctis brought his chocobo over to them. “This last hunt should give us enough money to spend at least two nights in the suite at Galdin. Unless you want to camp, Gladio?” 

He always wanted to camp, but he knew that the others would probably prefer to sleep in a bed. “I’m good for a night or two in a hotel.” He smiled, happy that his suggestion was met with such approval. “Let’s head back to Lestallum, turn in our hunt, and then we can drive down there? There’s still plenty of light.” 

“Yes, that sounds good.” Ignis agreed. “Excellent idea, Gladiolus.” 

“Thanks, Specs. Sometimes I have them.” 

“You do.” 

They headed back to Lestallum, Gladio getting their things together in the hotel as the others turned in their hunt. He met them at the Regalia, everyone seeming to be in a good mood. He sat in the back with Noctis, who immediately came closer to him, which made him breathe a little easier. Again, Gladio had been afraid that with his time away, Noctis would have gravitated towards the other two men, which he was okay with - the four of them did like to have their fun together on occasion. But since he’d been back, they all had kept to one another - as if waiting for the right moment to return to how it had been before his departure. When Gladio wanted it to always be like that, but apparently that wasn’t going to be the case. Sleeping in separate beds, while at one time he would have welcomed it, now felt strange. 

He ran his fingers through Noctis’ ebony locks as the Prince rested his head against his thigh, the warm breeze blowing as they made their way down the highway. Gladio saw Prompto snap a picture with his camera from the front seat, smiling softly as he met his gaze. Prompto returned his smile with a bigger one of his own, which made Gladio laugh. That woke up the sleeping beauty on his lap, who grunted then was quick to fall back asleep after he gently ran his fingers through his hair some more, and saw Noctis shift to have his face pointed towards his body rather than the two front seats. 

The ocean appeared on the horizon, the temperature dropping ten degrees from where they had been in Lestallum, Gladio happy that everyone had agreed to come here. Ignis parked the car, and soon they were walking on the pier, heading towards the hotel to check in for the night. 

“Gladiolus.” He turned towards Ignis, who was walking towards him after they had put their things down in their shared room in the suite. “I know things are different, and I think you were right in suggesting we come here for the night.” 

Scratching the back of his neck, he released a nervous laugh. “Is it that obvious? I’m sorry, Ignis. I’m trying - I really am. But I don’t know what’s changed.” 

“A lot.” A hand touched his forehead, and then the fresh scar that was continuing to heal running diagonally on his chest. “I think they’re afraid that you might not want them anymore.” 

“You know that’s not true. How long have we been out here? Why would a few weeks apart change that?” 

“I do not know.”

Gladio looked at him, and saw a thoughtful look on Ignis’ face. “What are you suggesting?” 

“The three of you enjoy yourselves tonight.” Ignis returned his hand to his face, Gladio turning his head to rest it comfortably against the palm of his hand. “I’ll go and visit with Cid and Cindy. I’m sure there are things I can do over there with Taka too to keep myself occupied while the three of you catch up.” 

“What about you?” His voice dropped, as he stepped closer to Ignis. “I want you there too, Ignis.” 

The smile on his oldest friend’s face made his stomach do somersaults. “I’ll join you three tomorrow night. Tonight, you need to reconnect with them. I’ve kept them entertained while you were gone, but we both know that I’m not the same as you.” The smirk on his lips brought a flush to Gladio’s cheeks.  

“You’re sure?” 

“Yes, Gladiolus.” Ignis pulled his head down, Gladio going willingly as their lips came together for a soft, tender kiss. “Tell them I had to go run an errand, and don’t know when I’ll be back.” 

“They’re going to know.” 

“They might.” His lover pulled away, then began to walk over towards the door. “Or, they might not. You three have fun tonight.” Ignis blew a kiss towards him, then left the suite. 

Gladio knew that Ignis was right - he’d probably been keeping the two of them occupied while he’d been off fighting with Gilgamesh. And while it made him feel good to know that the three of them had been well off without him, now he had to remember how to be with them in a way that he had been before he’d left. I can do this. He took a deep breath and went over to the room that Noctis and Prompto had declared their own, and knocked on the door. 

“Come in!” He heard Prompto call out, which made him smile. Putting his hand on the doorknob, he gave it a twist and walked in. “Gladio!” The blond jumped up from the bed and walked over to him with a big smile on his face. “What’re you doing in here? I figured you and Iggy would be taking a rest together.” 

He looked over at the bed and saw that Noctis was sitting up, looking at his phone, no doubt playing another round of King’s Knight. “Well, funny story. Looks like Taka needed some help in his kitchen, so Ignis decided to go and take care of that on his own.” The excuse sounded so lame, and he knew that the two of them would see through it in a heartbeat, but he secretly hoped that they would just accept it at face value. 

“Does that mean we can eat whatever we want for dinner?” Noctis asked. 

“If you’re suggesting that I’m not going to make sure you eat something that’s a vegetable, well - I guess you’re right.” Gladio hated to see Noctis upset because of the food, and he figured he could let it slip for one night. “Prompto? What do you say? How about we go eat in the restaurant tonight?” 

“That sounds like a lot of fun, big guy!” 

He breathed a little easier, happy to hear that they were on board with the idea. “Alright. Meet me out in the living room in fifteen minutes?” 

“Sounds good.” Noctis nodded his head, then looked back down at his phone. 

Gladio walked out of the room, and grabbed a clean shirt out of his bag. He slipped the ribbed tank top over his head, wanting to hide his new scar, not wanting the other two to have to look at it and wonder why it was even a thing. He’d told them about what had happened, and while he would be happy to answer any question they had, he wanted tonight to be a rekindling of sorts. They didn’t need to have the reminder that he’d been away from them for a lot longer than he would have liked. What mattered now was that he was here with them. 

Fifteen minutes later, the two men walked out of their room together. Gladio stood up, feeling more nervous than he had in a very long time. “You guys ready to go and get some good seafood?” 

“We are.” Noctis approached him, and stood right in front of him. “Gladio.” 

“What is it, Princess?” He asked, staring down at him, trying to figure out the expression on his face. 

A hand touched the hem of his tank top, and soon he was being brought down to Noctis’ level, and felt the Prince press a kiss to his lips. “You’re an idiot, you know that, right?” 

“I beg your pardon?” He tried to play it off, but Noctis’ words had a profound effect on his body. “What do you mean?” 

“We know what you’re doing.” Noctis said, as he pressed another kiss to his lips, Gladio moaning low as this kiss lasted a bit longer than the last. “You know that we love you.” 

Something warm pressed against his back as two arms snaked their way around his stomach. “Noct is right, Gladdy. We love you a lot, and we’re sorry if things have been a little...off.” 

He exhaled, not realizing he’d been holding his breath as he found himself sandwiched between the two younger men. “Was it that obvious?” He could feel the tension slowly leaving his body as he pushed back against the warmth of Prompto’s chest, keeping Noctis close to his own body. “Because I’ve been trying to figure out why things have been weird, and I couldn’t figure it out. I don’t want you guys to be upset with me.” 

“We’re not.” The Prince touched his face, drawing his attention to his royal blue eyes. “We’re just as nervous about this as you are. You were gone a long time, Gladio.” 

“Not that long.” 

“Long enough that I can’t remember what your cock looks like.” Prompto said, which caused his cheeks to heat up while Noctis snorted. “What? It’s the truth!” 

“You could have said anything else, chocobo.” He teased, as he put his hand on top of Prompto’s arm. “Fine. Can we skip dinner, and just go back into your bedroom?” 

“I think that’s a good idea.” Noctis replied, as the two men moved away from him. “Prom?” 

“Sounds great to me!” 

Gladio felt the two of them take his hands and lead him back to their shared bedroom in the suite. Any fear that had been lingering in his mind as he tried to figure out how to reconnect with these two disappeared as soon as the three of them fell onto the bed together as one. He felt Noctis’ lips touch his with a starved kiss, his mouth opening willingly for his Prince as the warm wet muscle of Noctis’ tongue was pushed against his own. He felt Prompto’s lips touch the back of his neck, his teeth dragging along the nape, drawing a deep moan out of Gladio as he struggled to figure out where to put his own hands first. He found purchase on Noctis’ hip, pulling him flush against his body as their kiss continued to deepen, then grabbed Prompto’s hand and put it on his own cock as he wanted the blond to touch the both of them at the same time. All three men released different pitched moans as they got caught up in the moment, Gladio breaking off the kiss with Noctis to find Prompto’s mouth and devoured it with his own needy kiss. 

A pair of hands touched his shirt, and soon he was struggling to get Prompto’s shirt off of his body, then was quick to give the same attention to Noctis. The three wound up taking off their own pants, Noctis pulling a bottle of lube from the Armiger, the satisfied smirk on his lips making Glaido roll his eyes but a deep laugh left his chest. “When did you start keeping that in there?” He asked, as he watched Prompto kiss his new scar, slowly making his way down to his cock. Gladio moaned low the moment that Prompto’s lips touched the tip of his cock, his hand going to his soft hair, curling his fingers into the blond locks as he nudged more of his cock into Prompto’s mouth. “Gods, your mouth is so good, chocobo…” 

“Turn on your side.” Noctis requested, Gladio’s stomach falling as he gave a nod of his head. He knew what this meant, and if that’s how Noctis wanted this to start, then he wasn’t going to argue. “And I’ve been keeping it there for awhile now.” Warm breath touched his ear, as Noctis settled behind him, two wet fingers now beginning to stroke his entrance with teasing touches. “Relax, big guy…” 

Closing his eyes, he moaned lower as one of Noctis’ fingers slipped into his tight channel. “E-Easy for you to say, Princess…” Another low moan left his throat as he felt Prompto push his mouth all the way down to the base of his cock. His fingers tightened their grip on his hair, the keening whine that the blond made let him know that he was okay with his hard grip. A second finger slipped into his body, Gladio’s eyes rolling back as Noctis took his time to get him to slowly spread open for him. 

“We’ve missed you so much, Gladio.” The words were spoken into his ear, a soft whimper leaving his own throat as he was overcome with emotion. Noctis’ fingers were no longer inside of his body, and instead the tip of his cock was now pushing up against Gladio’s loosened entrance. “Haven’t we, Prom?” 

Violet eyes stared up at him, Gladio losing all sense of himself as he stared into his lover’s eyes, Prompto’s lips wrapped firmly around his girthy cock. The small nod of his head was enough of a reply that he needed, as he dropped his head back against Noctis’ shoulder. “Y-You two…” A soft moan left his throat as he felt Noctis push into his body, heat traveling from head to toe as he relaxed into his thrust. “Gods, you both…” 

“We shouldn’t have waited this long.” Noctis spoke softly, his lips brushing over the shell of his ear. Gladio shuddered hard as he felt Noctis’ breath touch the side of his face as more of his cock sank into his body. “That was an error on our part.” 

The pressure around his cock disappeared as Prompto lifted his head, now moving to turn around so that his ass was now right up against Gladio’s cock. Gladio moaned low as he pushed the tip right up against his wet entrance, pleased to see that Prompto had gotten himself ready at some point. “We didn’t know if you wanted us to come to your room, or just wait until we all camped together. But this - this was a really good idea, big guy.” 

“I’m glad you think so, chocobo…” His body was teetering on the pleasure that was slowly coursing through his body. Noctis’ cock slid in and out of him, the pace agonizingly slow but damn did it feel good. “You ready for my cock, baby…?” He pulled Prompto to be flush against his chest, as he nudged more of his cock into the blond’s body. “Noct - give me a sec.” 

Noctis listened to his request, his cock staying perfectly still inside of his body. Gladio took a few minutes to tease Prompto, and then began to slip his cock into his body. Gods, did it feel good to be connected to these two again like this. This is what he’d been missing while apart from them. This familiarity - this dance that they had been sharing together for so many weeks on the road, and then having to starve himself of it - that had proven to be a mistake. Because now - now everything felt right, and everything was back to normal. The way that Noctis pushed into him had him following his lead, his own cock sinking deeper into Prompto, the Prince controlling the two of them like they were meant specifically for him. And they were. Gods, they really were. 

“G-Gladio…” Prompto’s voice called to him, as he felt his hand grab onto his. Gladio knew what he needed, and was quick to follow the path that Prompto’s hand was leading him towards. The palm of his hand connected to the blond’s cock, and was quick to make a fist around it, as he pushed his hips back to grind his own ass against Noctis’ cock. “N-Nooooct…” 

“We come….together….” Noctis moaned low, the snaps of his hips turning into a frenzied one, Gladio matching his movements without pause. He pumped his hand up and down on Prompto’s cock, moving at the same speed that Noctis was setting as his cock slipped in and out of the blond’s body. “Prom….G-Gladio…” 

“Chocobo….Y-Your Highness…” He moaned low, turning his head to kiss Noctis as he began to spill his seed deep inside Prompto’s body, his own cock caught in the vice of Prompto’s inner walls clinging tight around him. He felt Noctis moan into his mouth, and then a warm heat began to spread through the lower half of his body as he felt the Prince come deep inside of him. It was soul-satisfying. 

They all laid together in a heap for a few moments before Gladio carefully pulled his cock out of Prompto, and then released a grunt of his own when Noctis pulled out of him. Rather than shy away from either of them, he kissed both on the lips, and then positions were switched with the Prince now in the middle, giving Gladio the opportunity to become connected to him again. 

Sex was on the menu for the next couple of hours, until hunger forced them to take a break, even though none of them really wanted to. After enjoying room service, they went right back at it, not stopping until they all reached the point of exhaustion. Prompto fell asleep first, snuggled up against Noctis, who was now resting comfortably in his own arms, Gladio happy to have him there. 

“You’re not going to leave us again, right?” Moonlight shone into their room, Noctis’ royal blue eyes looking like they were glowing as he stared up at him. “Promise me, Gladio.” 

“I’m not going anywhere, Noctis. Not without you.” He stared right back at him, knowing that the Prince needed to hear those words. “My place is by your side.” 

“Good. I don’t want you anywhere else.” 

“You have nothing to worry about, Your Highness.” 

That brought a smile to the Prince’s face, which made him chuckle softly. “Is Specs coming back in the morning?” 

“He is.” 

“Can we have more sex when he shows up?” 

“You honestly think I’m going to say no to that?” He asked, his lips curling up into a smile. “We’d better get some rest if that’s what you want.” 

A soft kiss to his lips made him groan softly. “It is. Love you, Gladio.” 

“I love you too, Princess.” He whispered against Noctis’ lips, kissing him again before getting settled in for the night. 

In the morning, Ignis returned with breakfast for the four of them, but rather than eat, he took off his clothes and joined them in bed together where Noctis got his wish. Gladio finally felt like this were right again - this reconnection was all he really needed to remind himself that these three men were his, and no one else’s. They all were in this together, for better or for worse. 

XxX

Cross-posted to AO3