schnato

[blustersquall]

Drabble Prompt from @ffxv-ocs-unite Your OC’s vehicle breaks down a few miles away from Hammerhead…at night. Haven’t filled a prompt in a while so... Also tagging @ffxvhoe and @mp938368 if you still would like to beeee....

Isla was on the verge of a breakdown. Both mental and mechanical. She’d been paying more attention to the fuel gauge for the last ten miles than the road. Between that, the rattle of the engine, and the occasional groan of a daemon nearby she knew she was pushing her luck in trying to reach Hammerhead. It wasn’t much further. Twenty miles, that was it. 

But, luck was not on her side. As the car grumbled and choked, the last fumes of fuel dispersing into the ether, she guided it to the side of the road, cursing under her breath. 

“Shit,” she muttered, turning the key in the ignition and resting her forehead against the steering wheel. “Shitshitshit.” 

Behind her, she could hear the steady, rumbling footsteps of an iron giant pacing a set path. It wasn’t right on top of her, but any daemon within hearing distance was too close for comfort. 

“Okay, don’t panic. Don’t panic...” she hunkered down in the driver's seat, hoping if she stayed perfectly still then the daemons of the night would leave her alone. Why hadn’t she refilled the tank at the last petrol station? Why had she decided to travel now, knowing when she set off that darkness would set in a few hours later. Why? Because she was a gods damned idiot, that was why.

She grabbed her phone from the cup holder where she kept it for ease of reach in case someone called, Isla skimmed through the numbers she had, hoping she’d been smart enough to take down Cindy’s or at the very least, Takka’s. 

Relief flooded through her when she saw Cindy’s name in her list of contacts. She tapped the “call” button and put the phone to her ear, waiting. The rings were like agony, teasing chimes just dragging on, and on taunting Isla with the ���will-she-pickup-won’t-she-pick-up” of a pendulum. 

“Howdy, Isla? What can Ah do y’for?”

“Cindy!” Isla wanted to cry. “My car’s broken down, no fuel. About twenty miles from Hammerhead. There are daemons!”

“Say n’more!” Cindy had a way of taking charge that immediately put Isla at ease. “The Prince is here and Ah’ve just fixed his girl with some pretty new headlights that spook those daemons somethin’ fierce! He can get t’ya faster than me in the truck, an’ get you here to safety. But I can tow y’car t’morrow. D’ya know where y’are?”

“Somewhere between Longwythe Peak and-- ohshit--” Isla ducked down further into her seat, catching sight of several flaming bombs floating by not thirty feet from the hood of her car. “SomewherebetweenLongwythePeakandThreeValleys. Tell Noctis to hurry, okay? The daemons are getting curious.”

“Ah’ll tell ‘em where ya are. Sit tight, ‘n stay low!”

Cindy hung up, leaving Isla in silence watching in the rearview mirror the floating orbs of fire bobbing around aimlessly while the iron giant thundered across the road, blade swinging at nothing in the air. She checked the time on her phone, hoping that she might hear the purr of the Regalia’s engine when she looked up. 

She didn’t. Isla closed her eyes, covering her phone with her hands so the light didn’t attract any unwanted attention. Did daemons attack stationary cars? Were they curious about machines, or things that were just... there? She’d seen more than her fair share or burnt out or rusted cars sitting on the side of the road, or in small, out-of-the-way car parks, but had never stopped to think of how the cars got like that. Or what happened to the owners. What if daemons had their own version of garula tipping, and it involved parked cars? What if the owners of those burnt out vehicles were just like her? Someone stranded on the side of the road and the daemons took an interest. 

Could daemons smell humans? Could they smell fear?

Being fatalistic wasn’t going to help her. She had to stay still, and quiet and hopeful... 

Had the Regalia appeared yet? She cracked open an eye to see. Still dark outside, no headlights appearing through the black of night. On the other hand, no bombs surrounding the car. No iron giant about to step on it, either. Isla released a slow breath, trying to stay calm. Her heart was racing, her whole body caught somewhere between the automatic fight and flight responses. She could fight. She knew how. She had taken down a few daemons before. Never a lot, and never anything of the magnitude of an iron giant on her own. Part of her wanted to get out of the car and run to Hammerhead, but the more logical side of her knew that was a deathwish. If she was caught by daemons they would tear her to shreds in seconds. 

No. Stay calm. Stay still. Don’t talk. Don’t move. Don’t breathe.

It felt like days before she heard the rumble of a car’s engine approaching. A smooth sound, that might well have been the most beautiful symphony ever written, given the fact hearing it made her begin to tear up. When she leaned up in the driver’s seat, she could see a pair of blinding headlights speeding towards her. As the Regalia drew closer, the lights causing Isla to shield her eyes, she noticed the daemons disappearing, fleeing from the bright beams as if they were sunlight.

Cindy hadn’t been kidding. She had kitted the Regalia out with something every car needed. Those headlights would be lifesavers.

The car came to a screeching halt about five feet from her car, and one person leapt out over the driver’s door, quickly running towards her. She knew the gait, the long steps and Isla sobbed, pushing her car door open.

“Sunshine!” Gladio’s voice was strained with worry as he pulled her into his arms and cradled her against his chest. “I’m sorry, I got turned ‘round lookin’ for you--”

“Don’t care.” Isla shook her head, burying her face in his shirt. “You’re here, that’s what matters.” She noticed they were standing right in the beams of the headlights, and their bodies were making impossibly long shadows on the ground. It would have been romantic if she wasn’t still terrified.

“You’re shaking.” He ran his hands up and down her arms. “You must be freezing.”

Isla realised for the first time just how cold she was. She had been so distracted by her fear, that she hadn’t noticed the chill biting at her fingertips or her nose. As if to make it more apparent, a shudder rippled through her entire body causing Gladio to tighten his hold.

“Let’s get back to Hammerhead. Get you safe, an’ warm.” His tone was rough and left no room for argument, but Isla heard the strains of worry he tried to keep from his voice. 

“I’m really glad you found me.” Isla curled her hands into Gladio’s shirt. “I was...”

Gladio kissed her forehead. “Yeah, me too.” He replied, his words gruff and thick with emotion and things going unsaid. He pressed his forehead to hers, leaning own to do so, and cradled her face in his hands. “No more driving at night, okay? There’s no telling what couldda happened to you.”

“‘Kay.” Isla agreed, blinking back tears of relief. “I’m sorry.”

“No apologies. Nothin’ to apologize for.” Gladio quickly kissed her, leaving Isla wanting to do nothing more than simply melt into him. “I’m just relieved you’re safe. We’ll talk more when we get back to Hammerhead.”

Gladio slid one arm around Isla’s shoulders and guided her to the passenger side of the car. He stood and waited for her to get in and closed the door securely behind her. She watched him cross in front, alert and aware of any potential danger, any daemons getting too close for comfort. Gladio climbed into the driver’s seat and kicked he Regalia into reverse so he could turn on the road. 

As her car disappeared in the rearview mirror, and daemons scattered from the beam of the headlights, Isla watched and waited for the familiarity of Hammerhead to come into view.

God this is cheesy. And it got long. Isla’s not a damsel in distress, but what, exactly, is one person meant to do in Eos, at night, around daemons? I’d be freakin’ terrified!

Also, never written Cindy before. Her accent is fun to try and translate into the written word. 

Anyway. Short prompt got long. But I hope you liked it. Comments/tags/reblogs appreciated. <3

[eldritchlittleblackdragon]

Fluff 4 - Gladio x Joey Mcgill

Prompt: “You’re adorable, and I can’t believe I have you all to myself.”

Pairing: Gladio/OC (Joey Mcgill)

Warnings: None

A/N: This has been sitting in my inbox for 5 months and that is unacceptable. I’m so sorry Rachel! 

Tagging: @ffxv-ocs-unite

Ignis had been kind enough to take Noctis and Prompto out and about Lestallum that evening. It was really a win-win for everyone, although that wasn’t really what either Gladio or Joey were thinking about at that moment. For the evening the two of them had time to be truly alone together, which was certainly something to be savored.

Joey looked up from her soda, having gotten lost in looking at the scenery out the window for a moment. She hadn’t really noticed the contented smile that had painted itself on her face, and how for the first time in a while she was genuinely relaxed and without worry. 

Gladio on the other hand had taken notice, and to him it was definitely a sight to see. When she was happy and content, it was infectious, and he couldn’t help cracking a smile in response. 

Joey however hadn’t quite connected her behavior to his, and found his smile curious.

“What’s on your mind?” 

By now Gladio was well aware that body language could be something of an issue, and that she wasn’t always necessarily aware of her own. He shifted slightly in his chair, expression shifting to a more playful one. 

“Just thinkin’ you look adorable right now,” he answered, “And how I can’t believe I have you all to myself.”

Joey found a laugh escaping her as the lightest blush crept up on her face. Even as things were, his compliments still had that effect on her. Perhaps it was simply out of habit and reflex she reacted that way. 

“I was thinking nearly the same,” she confessed. “... I love you. I hope I don’t wear it out by saying it too much.”

[strongheartmaid]

Drabble drop

@expectogladiolus @ffxvsoul @blind-bae @nifwrites

in case you’re interested - all drabbles from the FFXV OC Unite tumblr prompts. Behind a read more so it’s not this huge monster post, heh.

Prompt: Iris gives OC a moogle doll

Aurore smiled softly at Iris, holding the stuffed doll carefully. “Thanks,” she said. “I could use all the luck I can get.” She studied the doll, her dark eyes taking in the small personalized details that went into the crafting of the doll. Little poinsettias stitched into the wings, a small snowflake painted onto the red orb. She gently bopped the orb, watching it spring back and forth - with the soft ring of bells inside it. She gave a gentle laugh. “Santa Mog,” she said before setting down on the table and giving Iris a hug. “Thank you, Iris, thank you.”

Psyche blinked a moment, unsure what to think. Growing up, her parents couldn’t usually afford luxuries like this so to be given this by a friend.. Slowly, she pulled the moogle doll close, hugging it tightly as small tears slipped down her cheeks. “Thank you,” she breathed, “thank you.” She loosened her grip on the doll so she could examine it. A peal of laughter escaped her as she noticed that the moogle was dressed in clothes one would wear if they were going to do some gardening. “Looks like he’s ready to help me in the shop,” she said. “I could use all the extra help I could get.”

Rosalia quirked a brow at Iris. Stuffed moogle? Well, if Gladio’s little sister wanted to give her one, then, well, she’d take it. “Thanks, Lady Amicitia,” she said, bobbing her head at the younger girl, ignoring her protests that she could just call her Iris. She glanced down at the moogle then up at Iris, a flat ‘really?’ expression crossing the young Crownsguardswoman’s face. Okay, so maybe she did need some luck in dealing with Gladio (Astrals knew how often the two of them butted heads) - but did Iris really have to give her a Gladigle? Moogilous? She mentally shook herself, dismissing the names. No sense driving herself crazy trying to figure out what to call it. Still, Rosalia thought, the little moogle doll did look cute with Gladio’s scar and tattoo.

Prompt: “You haven’t had the ultimate flavor experience?!”

Rosalia looked over at Gladio, her left eyebrow arched. “No, I haven’t had the ultimate flavor experience,” she said, picking up a container of his precious cup noodles and examined it. She could feel her other eyebrow arching as she read the nutrition (such as it was) facts. “Sweetie,” she began, fighting down the urge to pluck his cup out of his hand and feed it to some daemon. “This meal before you add in whatever makes it the ultimate flavor experience makes up 50% of your daily allowance of sodium.” She put the cup down on the table and plucked his out of his hand. “C'mon, baby, too much sodium isn’t good for you. I’d like to keep you around for a few more years.”

[cherryblossomcheesecake]

God & His Priests & His Kings: Chapter 9 - A FFXV OC Fanfic

Hey guys, long time no see! I'm sorry this took so long but here's the finale of GAHPAHK! So just a few things to note: I will be going away this coming week so I won't be able to answer your lovely review right away but don't let that deter you from commenting on what you loved/hated. Since I'm going away, I'll try to work on the next portion of the story but I am also working on another fic rn so it kinda depends on how i feel in the end. Also after I get back, I probably won't be able to just hope right back in with updates cuz I start my new job the day after I get back. But I'll try to give y'all something shortly after I get back.

Words: 3,892 Uploaded: 07.15.18 Master List Previous Chapter

The End of Innocence - Alexandre Desplat

Nyx POV

Nyx side-eyed Crowe from his position on the floor of the fishing boat, watching as the mage stared out into the darkness where Goryeo was. The two of them definitely had their reservations about going into Nifelheim territory so soon after the area had been conquered. The place was bound to be crawling with Nifs and magitek. Hell from what they heard, people were evacuating the islands pretty quickly after the council of princesses fell, and since the land wasn’t Lucian, it was unclear as to why the Kingsglaive was being sent in.

It wasn’t until they hit Galdin that they picked up on the murmurs of the refugees. Whispers of a girl barely older than the Crown Prince being tortured by the agents of Nifelheim, for no reason other than that she was the only remaining princess of the country.

The rumours from Goryeo didn’t clarify why she was being tortured and to what end, but the thought of a young girl, someone younger thanSelena, experiencing those horrors was enough for him to board the fishing boat in determination. Nyx couldn’t save his sister from the empire, but he’d be damned if he let them kill another innocent girl in their sick thirst for power.

Movement from the ship’s cabin drew Nyx’s gaze over to the shadowed figure of Luche, the man stepping out onto the open deck. The man’s footsteps also drew the attention of Crowe, the younger woman turning to fix her brown eyes on the mission team’s leader.

“Pelna’s got the location of the target, just where the informant said she would be. Goryeo has the same blessings as the havens in Lucis so daemons are not an issue. The goal is to get in and out with as minimal interaction with occupying forces, only engage if necessary.” Luche announced to the pair, adjusting his gloves as he looked between them.

Nyx pulled himself up off the floor of the boat, nodding to the other man before checking his gear one last time.

“Got it. In and out, minimal open combat.”

Crowe huffed as she pushed herself away from the edge of the boat, “What could possibly go wrong?”

“Well now you jinxed it.” Pelna said over the comms from his position in the cabin.

“Shut up, Khara. We’ll be fine and we’ll get the girl out in one piece.” The brunette snipped back, a grin dancing on her lips as the boat drew closer to the cliff that the royal palace rested on.

“Let’s get this show on the road then.” Nyx stated, pulling his kukuris from their sheathes as the boat came to a slow stop at the foot of the cliff face.

“Last one to the top is a smelly coeurl!” the young mage whispered over the comms before warping up the cliffs, reappearing a few feet up in a burst of crystalline light before continuing the process.

Nyx shook his head at the younger glaive’s antics before following her in a similar manner, Luche only a second behind him as they climbed the cliff.

The king’s magic made it easy for them to reach the top of the palace walls, the trio crouching above the gardens before dropping among the bushes as a Nifelheim patrol walked past.

The garden was dark save for the faint flicker of torches and the lights of the guards’ guns. The trio stuck to the shadows, waiting for Pelna’s directions over the comms.

“So Goryeo is essentially one big technological blackout due to the limitations placed on importing foreign tech, but aside from the flagships grounded across the island and the MT units, there’s only two main sources of power on the island.” Pelna said, pausing as papers shuffled in the background, “According to the informant's maps, both sources are located in the council’s apartment complex.”

“So our target is likely in one of the apartments.” Luche replied over the comms, waiting for the tech’s confirmation.

“It’s our best bet, especially since one of them is more heavily guarded by MTs. I’m sending the coordinates for both locations but my money is on the one that’s got the most guards.” the man confirmed, their tech gear blinking with the newly received coordinates.

“Alright, comms offline until we’ve reached the target. We’ll check back in once we’ve got the girl, Pelna.” Luche ordered, looking to Nyx and Crowe for their nods of confirmation.

“Alright, I’ll be waiting for check in.” the tech replied before the comms shut down, the frequency dropping and leaving the trio in silence.

“Let’s move out. The complex is located in the center of the rear portion of the palace, so we have a lot of ground to cover.”

“Right behind you.” Nyx answered as Crowe nodded over his shoulder before they crept through the garden with ease.

They silently warped up onto the rooftops, stepping lightly to avoid drawing the attention of the MTs and guards patrolling the area. The natural silence that enveloped the island was disrupted by the whirring of the empire’s magitek, the pairing of the two setting Nyx on edge as they warped from rooftop to rooftop.

The trio waiting for another patrol to pass by before dropping down into one of the courtyards located outside the complex, Crowe slipping into the area of the palace quickly with the two men close behind her.

The three glaives quietly followed the blinking coordinates of their target, peering around corners before proceeding with caution. When they came to the hall where the guard was most heavy, Crowe silently warped up into the shadows of the rafters as Nyx and Luche used the king’s magic to pass across the hall, unseen and undetected, into the next hall covered by darkness.

There was a man’s voice that traveled out from the apartment, the tone both frustrated and pleading before silence took over. It wasn’t long until a blonde dressed in the white uniform of the imperial military strode out the door, anger radiating off him.

A portion of the MTs guarding the door followed him, only two remaining at their post.

Luche signaled to Crowe up in the rafters, receiving a quick thumbs up before silently moving across the rafters towards the guards. The mage pulled out her kukuris with a near silent hiss before dropping between the two MTs, her blades finding purchase in a gap between the neck armor.

Nyx threw his kukuri into the chest of one of the MTs, warping fluidly as Luche followed with a high level Thunder spell aimed at the other. Crowe pulled her kukuri from the two magitek soldiers, choosing to hit the one MT with her own Thunder spell before turning to slash at the other alongside Nyx.

Both opponents eventually dropped to the floor, sparking and smoking respectively where their wiring had been damaged by blades and overheated with electricity.

The trio of glaives sheathed their weapons before glancing at each other.

“Didn’t even break a sweat.” Crowe boasted quietly, turning to open the wooden door carefully and leading the way into the apartment.

The room itself was lavish and decorated, with bright fabrics hanging as curtains in the doorways, beautiful rugs covering the wooden floor, and the furniture being made of a dark wood inlaid with gold. The only thing out of place was the obvious Nifelheim tech taking up most of the space in what could only be a former sitting room, a large metal operating table placed at the center.

“Pelna, we got some strange Niff tech in the apartment that’s probably the source of power you’re picking up.” Luche reported over the comms as Nyx and Crowe slowly worked their way further into the apartment.

Nyx crouched down to examine a rather large bloodstain on one of the carpets in the room.

“There’s enough blood here to warrant that somebody died of blood loss in here.” the glaive reported, his gray eyes meeting Luche’s, the other man frowning before turning back to the tech.

“What’s it look like?” Pelna questioned, prompting him to approach the set up.

“Looks like a power generator that’s connected to a massive dinosaur of a computer. There’s also a bunch of wires coming out of it that have some sort of weird attachment of some kind.” The dirty blonde responded, eyes darting around to check for any missed details.

“Okay, I’m gonna guide you to see if we can’t get any of the files or whatever that’s stored on there.” Pelna said, waiting for the confirmation.

“Alright, Nyx. Crowe. Go ahead and see if you can find the target further in.” Luche ordered, turning back to the computer to start it up.

Crowe lead the way, light on her feet as they entered different rooms meant for a variety of things. She carefully opened one of the rice paper doors, wincing slightly at the sound of the wood scraping together before stepping into the room.

Nyx barely got a foot in the door before he ran into the younger woman’s back, the mage hardly budging as she gaped at the sight across the room.

“Holy fuck.”

Soo’s POV

I could hear Ravus’ voice, he was agitated by something. Somebody grabbed my hand, causing me to finch and squirm further away on the bed.

“If you just give them what they want, we can leave right away for Tenebrae, Eun-Byeol. Just give Izunia and Besithia what they want, and the torture will end.”

I could hear him but none of what he said made sense to me. It was like I was under water, and everything he said was muffled.

“If you don’t tell them what they want to hear soon, they will break you.”

Joke’s on him, I think they had already broken me by that point.

I could tell by the elongated silence that my guest had left me, allowing me to rest for the remainder of the night before the scientists would return and the torture would start again.

I rested fitfully for what felt like hours before jolting out of my daze as fingers brushed against my forehead. I shot up and scrambled across the bed, my eyes looking fearfully around the room before locking on the strange man crouching by the edge of the bed.

His hand hovered where my head had been resting, frozen in shock as I trembled against the wall. My eyes darted to the left as movement caught my vision.

A woman stood across the room with her hands raised in surrender, slowly approaching the bedside.

“Hey, we’re not here to hurt you.” the woman, who was barely old enough to be called an adult, said quietly, big brown eyes shining with concern.

I shuddered like a leaf against the wall as she approached, trying to calm me like I was a skittish cat.

“We’re from Lucis, His Majesty, King Regis, sent us on behalf of Princess Eun-Byeol. We’re here to get you out.” the woman said calmly, extending a hand to me as she reached the edge of the bed, “I’m Crowe, the idiot who touched you without asking is Nyx, and we have our mission leader Luche waiting outside. One of our tech guys, Pelna, is waiting for us on a boat at the foot of the cliff. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. We won’t let you get hurt anymore.”

Crowe’s voice was calming….it was understanding. My eyes fluttered nervously between her extended hand and her face, conflicted about the odds that it was a trick before shuffling toward the brunette. I placed my small hand in her gloved one, feeling her squeeze it gently as she helped me stand.

“Getting those cuffs off will have to wait until we get back to Pelna. You alright to walk?” the man, Nyx, questioned, gray eyes flicking over me in worry.

I nodded once, leaning against Crowe for support and allowing her to guide me out of the bedroom. We walked into the sitting room, my eyes immediately locking on the bloodstain on the rugg that was the only reminder of what happened here.

“You found the target.” I flinched at the sound of a new voice coming from over by Besithia’s computer, looking at the serious-faced man as he fiddled with the device.

“Yeah, she’s a little skittish and really roughed up, but she’s alive.” Nyx replied, poking his head outside the third princess’ apartment to check the hall, “You almost finished with that?”

“Just about. Pelna wants as many files as possible to examine and send off to the crownsguard and council.” the man, Luche I guessed due to the process of elimination, replied. He pulled a memory stick free of the computer before shutting it down.

“Okay let’s move out. We’re going to have to move a little more slowly and stick to the ground shadows since we have her with us.” the dirty blonde ordered, pulling his hood up and covering his face with his visor, “Crowe, stay by her side, Nyx will take up the rear.”

Both of them nodded as they pulled up their own hoods, Crowe guiding me along as we crept out into the hallway. We stuck to the shadows as planned, creeping in the darkness between buildings as we avoided guard patrols carefully.

We managed to make it to the gardens before the sound of the magitek grew louder suddenly, causing the group to pause.

“They know she’s missing. We need to get her over the wall before the MTs get here!” Luche hissed at the other two, causing me to tremble against Crowe’s side. The mage’s hand came up to stroke my hair lightly in an almost soothing motion as she waited for directions.

“You two should take her over the wall, between the you two, you’ll be able to warp with her easily. I’ll deal with the MTs and meet you down there.” Nyx insisted, looking to Luche for approval.

The dirty blonde narrowed his gaze, his mouth set in a firm line as he contemplated for a brief second before nodding in approval.

“Good luck, Ulric.” he said, Crowe nodding as well before looking back to her superior, “Crowe, I want you two in front of me and take the memory drive. If anything happens to either me or Nyx, you make sure both the girl and the drive get on that boat headed for Galdin.”

“Got it.” the brunette responded, taking the drive and placing it in her pocket before guiding me through the garden towards the wall.

I could hear the telltale sounds of gunfire behind us before Crowe pulled out her kukuri and looked at me.

“I need you to hold on to me as tightly as possible. Side-along warping is usually unpleasant.” the woman told me, brown eyes staring at me from under her hood.

I gripped her tightly, nodding in confirmation and shutting my eyes as she literally worked her magic.

It was a strange sensation to suddenly become nothing and then reappear elsewhere. Luche was right behind us, landing on top of the wall before looking back to where Nyx was still fighting off some magitek soldiers.

“Get her to the boat, Crowe. I’ll wait for Nyx.” the older man ordered, the mage nodding again before pulling me along to the edge of the wall to gaze down the cliffside.

The ocean crashed against the rocks but the shape of a boat could faintly be made out in the moonlight, bobbing cautiously at the foot of the cliff.

Crowe pulled me tightly against her side before throwing her kukuri down towards the deck of the ship and warping us after it. It felt like I had left my stomach up on the wall, my legs crumpling underneath me as we hit the deck.

“Crowe?!” A man’s voice called from somewhere to the left.

“I got the girl and the drive, Pelna. Luche and Nyx are just dealing with some MTs before coming down.” the woman shouted back before turning to me, “You’re safe now. They can’t get you anymore.”

I nodded tiredly in response, allowing her to guide me over to a sheltered section of the deck.

“You can stay here for now. Once we get far enough out to sea, I’ll have Pelna check you out, alright?”

I nodded again, my eyes drooping as the sound of people warping onto the deck drew the mage’s attention away from me, allowing me to fall into a dreamless slumber.

I slowly came to, feeling incredibly well-rested for once. There was no way Besithia let me rest for more than two days and recover, prompting me to open my eyes and look around.

The room was white and everything smelled like bleach and antiseptic, leading me to the conclusion that I was in a hospital. But there were no hospitals in Goryeo.

I sat up in a panic, thinking that the empire had moved me to Gralea while I was unconscious before my gaze fell on an older man dressed in all black sitting quietly in the corner.

“It’s good to see you awake child. We were unsure if you would come back to us.” the man said calmly, choosing his words carefully in order to avoid frightening me further.

“Where am I?” I asked timidly, staring openly at the stranger.

“You are in Insomnia, Soo-Min. You have nothing to fear here, the empire can no longer touch you.” he assured me, rising from his seat and walking towards me slowly with the assistance of a cane.

“How do you know my name? Not even the glaive who rescued me knew who I was.” I questioned, shifting slightly as he drew closer.

“How could I not recognize Myung-Hee’s daughter? Especially when you’re the best friend of my son.”

All the pieces suddenly fell into place, my brown gaze locking onto his green eyes.

“King Regis….” I whispered, looking up at him in a mix of awe and shock.

The king nodded in confirmation, smiling gently at me before settling into the chair next to the bed.

“You’re on track to a speedy recovery according to your doctor. They estimated you’d only be staying for a week after you woke.” Regis stated, relaxing into his chair, “But your recovery isn’t the only thing we need to discuss.”

His face became more serious suddenly, his green eyes piercing.

“My closest advisors and I have reviewed the memory disk containing the information retrieved from the Nifelheim technology found in the palace.”

I froze at his words, dread filling the pit of my stomach.

“What are they?” he asked quietly, his tone a double edged blade in terms of calm and danger.

I cleared my throat before speaking, “My memories, sir. From before.”

“Before?” the king questioned, clearly needing more.

“From before I died.”

Regis remained silent for a long moment, analyzing my body language before folding into himself slightly.

“I was afraid it was you after all these years….” the king said, more to himself than me, “Something was changed about the world shortly before you and Noctis met, but it was so minor that I simply believed it to be the gods preparing for the coming of the chosen. But when you and Noctis had the encounter with the demon, something changed about the crystal in the aftermath. Like it had extended itself beyond the royal family, which it has never done before. I couldn’t figure it out and after all these years, it was you the whole time. The crystal and the draconian were extending themselves to you. Why?”

I looked up from the plain white bed sheets to look into the kings green eyes once more, trying to find the words he wanted to hear.

“Because I wanted to save him. He was my only friend and I would give anything to get him back. I gave the draconian my servitude in exchange for the power to bring him back.” I smiled lightly as I thought of the benefits of my choice, “It allowed me to watch and take care of him even when we were apart.”

“Does he know?” Regis questioned patiently.

“No. I only used my previous form around him. It was too much for him to understand as a child and now it’s too late to explain it without repercussions.” I admitted, looking back down at the sheets.

“And was this gift the only thing the draconian granted you?”

“No, I have unrestricted access to the power of the crystal.” I answered, looking up to take in his shocked expression, “I’ve never used anything other than my gift to look out for Noctis, I tried casting a spell once and it was exhausting.”

The king sighed tiredly, looking up at the ceiling, “Well, we can’t have an untrained girl running around with the power of the Lucis Caelums at her fingertips. You are seventeen, correct?”

I nodded in response.

“Good, as soon as your living arrangements and guardianship is sorted out by immigrations and customs, you’ll be inducted as a trainee with the Kingsglaive. It’ll be an excellent cover and a quiet way for you to work on harnessing your magic, and you’ll be able to learn some combat skills even though you’re too young to be deployed.” the king continued, standing from his chair.

I nodded again, accepting his decision easily considering he didn’t want me executed for essentially stealing the power of the royal family.

The king’s face slipped into a more lighter expression, smiling gently at me.

“Now, I do believe you have a long awaited reunion waiting for you. I shall fetch Noctis for you.”

My heart fluttered happily at the mention of the prince, overjoyed at the chance to see him again.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I said quietly, both for the lack of execution and for allowing Noct to visit.

“Of course.” the king replied smoothly before slowly exiting the room.

My hospital room was calm and quiet for about ten minutes, allowing me to come down from my emotional high for a few moments before the door opened again.

A black head of hair peaked around the door, sapphire blue eyes widening as they locked on my own brown ones.

“Soo…?” Noctis whispered, stepping into the room further, his behaviour causing me to smile lightly.

“Hey Noct….” I replied, tears slowly making their escape down my cheeks, “It’s been a while….”

My voice seemed to break the teenage boy out of his trance, lanky limbs tripping over each other as he ran towards my hospital bed and pulled me into a tight hug.

“I was so fucking worried when I heard about Goryeo….I thought you were dead….” he mumbled, his voice cracking slightly due to his tears.

“Hey, I’m alright. I came back….I told you, 'The Gods themselves would have to order me from your side if you do not do it yourself’. I may have gone away, but I’ll always come back to you.” I assured the younger boy, allowing him to squeeze me a little bit tighter in his hug.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again.” Noctis whispered, tucking his head against my neck.

“I won’t. I’m not going anywhere.” I promised, running my fingers through his ebony coloured hair as we basked in each other’s presence.

[blustersquall]

Drabble prompt from @ffxv-ocs-unite Gladiolus gifts your OC a book. - these are fun. 

Set during the World of Darkness period.   @mp938368 @ffxvhoe

It was well over a fortnight since Gladio had set foot in Lestallum. Hunting with the Marshall sent him all over Eos, rounding up refugees and fending off daemons from the few outposts still in operation. It didn’t matter how long he was away, his feelings on returning were always the same.

First, a sense of dread before the city came into view. Was it still standing? Was the power plant still able to run? Once he was able to see the city was alive and as well as could be expected, the dread receded and was replaced by eagerness. 

Eagerness to get out of the car and find familiar faces. Eager for a bath, clean clothes, a soft bed. Simple pleasures. Eager to not have to be looking over his shoulder at all times. Eager to not have to feel the weight of his blade or his shield in his hands. Eager to be enveloped in familiar arms, and to reaffirm that he was more than a killing machine with the woman those arms belonged to.

Gladio was the first out of the back of the truck when it came to halt. He bid the Marshall, and the other hunters goodbye, flinging his bag onto his back and making his way into the city. While not as busy as it used to be, Lestallum was definitely the most populated place still running. It was nice to see people and faces. To hear laughter and conversation. A simple, but powerful reminder of why he and so many others fought so hard in this punishing world they found themselves in.

‘The Shield’s Respite’ was the only bar in town, and what kept Isla busy most days and nights now it was up and running. A decent size place kitted out with whatever bits and pieces Isla was able to scavenge and trade to decorate. Not a large selection of beer, but enough to keep people happy. It acted more as a place for hunters to unwind and try to relax between jobs and had been a welcome addition since it opened a year ago. 

When Gladio entered, he was not surprised to see a handful of patrons inside. Some sitting at tables, alone or in small groups talking quietly to each other. Isla had managed to convince Cid to build her a pool table, and every time Gladio went to the bar, it was occupied. Now was no exception.

Isla was behind the bar, stacking mismatched glasses along the top shelf, reaching up on her toes to do so. Gladio’s whole body relaxed at the sight of her. The tightness that always remained until he knew she was safe, fluttering away to be replaced by a warmth in his stomach. He hoisted his bag further onto his shoulder and let the door close behind him as he walked further into the bar. 

He reached the bar and sat heavily on a stool. “Whaddya got?” He rest his chin in his palm, elbow on the bar top. Immediately, Isla stopped what she was doing, putting the two glasses in her hands to one side as she turned.

“Huh,” she leaned her head to one side, hand on her hip as she looked him over, “you kind of look like my boyfriend.”

A lazy smile curled the corners of Gladio’s lips. He watched her come around the bar and welcomed her into his arms when she reached him. “Hey, Sunshine.”

“Hey, Stranger.” When she kissed him, it was brief but heartfelt. Their public displays were always short and sweet, the two of them preferring to keep certain aspects of their affection private. They would have a more in-depth and intense reunion later. “You just got back?”

“Mhm-hm.” Gladio slipped both arms around her waist. “Came straight here.”

“Aren’t I lucky?” Isla ran her fingers back through his hair. It was getting longer, she commented on it all the time. “You need to do something with this mess...” She mumbled, pulling a stray twig away between her fingers and flicking it to the floor. “At least a ponytail.”

“We’ll talk about it.” Gladio sighed, “can you come up?” He glanced upwards, indicating to the apartment above the bar where they lived. 

“Sure.” Isla glanced around. “Maddie,” she called to one of the women she worked with. “I’m going upstairs with Gladio. Give me a yell if you need anything.”

Gladio laced his fingers through Isla’s when she took his hand and carried his bag in the other. Walking into the apartment was always the best bit of coming home. Until that moment, it never truly felt like home, until he was in the environment. Their apartment wasn’t a palace. It was tiny by comparison to the Citadel, or compared to Amicitia mansion in Insomnia - if that was even still standing - but it was theirs and it had so many little nuances that made it their home. 

That’s what Gladio liked best about it.

He followed Isla into the bedroom and sank down onto the edge of the bed to start taking off his soiled clothes. 

“You want me to run you a bath?” Isla asked, lifting his bag up onto a dresser and starting to unzip it. “I’ll get some laundry done while you soak.”

“Hold on, hold on...” Gladio sighed heavily and rose to his feet. He crossed towards where she was at the dresser and started to dig through the contents of the bag, moving dirty clothes out and dropping them to the floor. He found what he was looking for wrapped it what was probably his last, clean shirt. “I found something for you.” He explained, unwrapping it from the clothes.

“A gift?” Isla queried, “what’s the occasion?”

“No occasion,” Gladio replied. “You remember back in Insomnia, at your apartment you showed me that book of Lucian fairytales? You said your gran’ma used t’read ‘em to you when you were a kid?”

Isla lifted a brow. “Yeees... I lost it, along with everything else, when Insomnia fell.”

“Well,” Gladio offered the book to her. A thick tome, bound in a scarlet, hardback cover, with gold edging on the pages. “I found this at one of the abandoned outposts when we stopped to refuel. It’s in pretty good condition. I doubt it’s the same one, but...” He waited, watching Isla look over the cover and turn the object over in her hands. 

“Fairytales of Lucis: An Anthology.” Isla read the title on the slightly scuffed spine. She wore a wide smile, dimples denting her cheeks while she looked over the pages inside, flicking through them a few at a time. Some of the pages had illustrations that Gladio had only glanced at. She chuckled for a moment, clasping her hand to her mouth to stifle the sound of her inhaling sharply. Gladio’s chest swelled. A reaction like this, her cheeks turning red, eyes watering and a smile that big? He’d done good.

“This is...” Isla closed the cover, put the book to one side and hugged him to her, tight. “You never cease to surprise and amaze me.” She sighed, her face turned and tucked into Gladio’s neck. He returned the embrace, clutching her tightly to him, enjoying both the feel of her - another essence of home - and the smell of her hair that replaced the scent of daemon blood he was sure was soaked into his skin. 

“You like it?”

“Yes, I do!” Isla leaned away a little, “I can’t believe you remember that book. That was... years ago."

“I remember everything that’s important to you,” Gladio said, his smile growing. “You told me your gran’ma readin’ to you was one of your fondest childhood memories.”

“It was... It is.” Isla picked the book up again. “Thank you.” The look she gave him, cobalt eyes glassy and her lips in a sincere but small smile was almost painful in its honesty and vulnerability. 

Gladio pushed his fingers back through her hair, tilting her head back and kissing her soundly so she didn’t feel as though she needed to say anything else. Isla reciprocated, her free hand rising to curl around the back of his neck, deepening the kiss and causing it to lengthen. This was home. When they did this. Shared souls for a few moments, allowed themselves to be raw with the other for a bit. 

When Isla pulled away, she did so only to brush her nose against Gladio’s and nuzzle her forehead to his. “Bath now? Or later?”

“Now,” Gladio swallowed thickly. He plucked the book from her hands. “Maybe you could read one of these to me while I’m in the tub?”

Isla took the book back. “I could do that.”

I just realised, this should probably be written from Isla’s POV to qualify? But... I didn’t think about that at the time. I will never learn to write short stuff.  Again: you will pry affectionate, caring, and deeply in love Gladio from my cold, dead fingers.

Thoughts/comments/reblogs etc. all appreciated and encouraged. Support your local writers.

Donate to me on Ko-fi

For reference: here’s what Isla looks like:

[blustersquall]

I asked for some prompts about a week ago, and @bohemiantea-scorpiocoffee (seriously tumblr?? why won’t you tag?!) suggested:  “I’m sorry that I woke you.” on the post itself. So, this is what I came up with. I’m in a really Gladio/Isla mood at the moment, so... aha... n_n;;;

@ffxvhoe @ffxv-ocs-unite @mp938368

The trek up to the house at Caem always felt like the longest part of the journey to Gladiolus. Weeks on the road and the walk up the hill seemed to take an age, the house never getting closer and the distance going for miles. Of course, that was just the tiredness talking. The tiredness, the aching muscles, the longing for a hot bath, and a soft bed. As much as he enjoyed camping, sometimes even he wanted some basic luxuries.

Given the late hour, he didn't talk much with Noctis, Ignis, or Prompto as they entered the house, stepping quietly and closing things softly so not to awaken the other occupants. The kitchen smelled of Monica's cooking, and the three Cactuar figurines already in Talcott's possession stood in pride-of-place at the end of the table.

"Give 'im the new one in the morning," Prompto suggested, watching Noctis turn the one they found at the Imperial Garrison over and over in his hands. "It'll be a nice surprise!"

"Yeah..." Noctis returned the figure to his pocket. "I'm turning in."

"Same."

"An excellent idea," Ignis pushed his glasses onto his nose. 

“No early wake-up calls, Iggy. Please?” Whined Prompto, following both Ignis and Noctis towards the stairs. No reply came from Ignis.

The four of them retired to their various rooms in almost total silence, except for a few brief ‘see you in the mornings’ exchanged. Gladiolus walked past the room Iris had adopted as her own, and further down the hall to the last room on the landing. There was a low light spilling out from underneath the door, the tell-tale sign that Isla was in there. Since Insomnia she struggled to sleep without a light on. He didn't mind it so much. It helped with keeping her terrors at bay.

Pulling his shoes off before entering, he opened and closed the door behind him making as little noise as possible. He put his shoes to one side, stripped out of his trousers and his jacket and draped them over the vacant chair in the corner. 

Isla was asleep on what she dubbed her side of the bed: the left, furthest from the door. Curled up on her side, her back facing him, she slept apparently undisturbed by his arrival. He climbed into the bed beside her, leaning over to at least lower the brightness of the table lamp. As he moved to settle in beside her, skimming a hand over her waist so he could spoon around her, Isla stirred, eyes scrunching up briefly, relaxing, and then she rolled over.

She blinked slowly, blue eyes unfocused for a few moments as she woke. When her gaze found him, a slow smile slid into view and she reached her hands towards him, stretching.

"Hey," Gladiolus kept his voice low and invited her into his embrace. An invitation she took, sliding her arms around him and shifting for comfort. After burying his face in her hair, Gladiolus took a deep breath, something that was becoming a ritual whenever they were reunited. The smell of her was enough to settle some of his anxiety. Caem wasn't exactly a secret place, the Niffs could find it easily enough, but those worries somehow lessened when Isla was close by. "You smell good."

She did. She smelled of sea spray, which made sense given Caem's coastal location. She smelled of the rich black dirt in the gardens, and of Cid's workshop, of the oil and grease used to fix up the royal barge.

"You just got back?" Isla asked, hands lazily winding down Gladiolus's back and his arms. 

"Yeah," he rolled onto his back, taking her with him so she was kneeling above. Her hands came to rest beside his head, fingers winding through knotted and sweat clumped strands of his hair. "Maybe ten minutes ago."

"Hmm..." she hummed, both thoughtful and sleepy in tone. Gladiolus began to run his hands up and down her back underneath the t-shirt she wore to bed. He could feel the texture of the burn scar under his palm, and his fingers slipped over the divet in her back from the gunshot wound. Stark and painful reminders of what she witnessed, what she put herself through to get out of Insomnia.

In moments like this, in the quiet and the sanctuary of this room, he could pretend they were normal people. He could pretend, for a few seconds, that she hadn't barely survived Insomnia's fall by the skin of her teeth. He could pretend the Niffs weren't around every corner, and their dreadnoughts weren't patrolling the sky looking for them. He could pretend everything was fine, and this was just for them. That they were a normal couple, indulging in a normal ritual of pillow talk.

Of course, that wasn't true. The whole world was falling apart. Nights were growing longer, daemons were more numerous, the Niffs were everywhere, King Regis was dead... So much was wrong, but it was nice to simply try and pretend. Even if that never lasted for long. 

"Missed you," Isla interrupted his thoughts, gently tapping the end of his nose with her finger. 

Gladiolus sighed, "missed you, too." 

She kissed him after that, warm and heartfelt, carding her fingers back through his hair and humming contentedly into the kiss. Gladiolus returned it, tilting his head back, lifting one hand to cradle Isla's jaw, winding his fingers back through her hair. Isla broke the kiss and flopped onto her side, her eyes still just barely open by sheer force of will. She nestled closer, all but burrowing into Gladiolus’s neck and shoulder while leaving her top arm to rest over his chest, fingertips tracing the inked feathers on his skin. 

“I’m sorry I woke you,” Gladiolus said, kissing her forehead. “I was trying to be quiet.”

Isla shook her head a little, “I prefer when you wake me. It means I get to see you sooner.”

Touched by the sentiment in her words, Gladiolus smiled to himself. He cuddled her closer, allowing his eyes to slip closed and welcoming what he hoped would be a restful sleep.

UGHHH endings. Shameless fluff because I can and I will. 

[eldritchlittleblackdragon]

Fluff 22 - Ignis

Send me a number and I will write a drabble based on the prompt corresponding to that number. 

22 - “If you’re so cold, why didn’t you say something? Come here.”

(Totally not using this as an excuse to write Ignis/Joey Romance  AU shenanigans.Nope.)

Also tagging: @antiloquist, @ffxv-ocs-unite

Chilled (Ignis/Joey (OC) - SFW)

Gentiana’s words had lingered in his mind since Joey had left for the Temple of Eventide to retrieve the seal of Leviathan. Perhaps it was her return that prompted the words to come to the forefront of his mind. 

He knew perfectly well how long they would all need to wait. Even though they needed to survive and work needed to be done, it still left him with time. Time to truly reflect and search the depths of his soul. 

I must put my duty to my King above all else. I cannot return your feelings, no matter how much I might desire to. 

He hadn’t moved from that mindset, those fateful words he spoke to her on the train to Gralea. Despite the fact he indeed had developed feelings, that had  grown like a gnarled vine that crept along the walls of his mind, reaching over into the very seat of his soul. His devotion to Noctis, to his King would always take precedence. 

That part hadn’t changed.

But what Gentiana had said had given him pause when it came to his former stance that his duty to his King precluded other pursuits. That an envoy of the six would actively encourage him otherwise, even saying it was necessary... 

He heard the rustling of papers as Joey shifted her weight on the couch. She had been reading him some documents about where the next seal might be, and the two of them had been going over them and trying to put their heads together.

Yet, as he heard the noise, he found himself shift in just the right way that he felt his hand brush against hers. He was surprised by the sensation, though not entirely from the contact on its own.

“Joey-” He gently interrupted her reading. “Your hands are ice cold.”

Joey stopped. She could certainly feel a chill in the room, she admitted. Since the darkness came warm days were fewer and the cold days felt even more biting. But, she had been trying to brush it off in favor of getting the task at hand accomplished- the location of the next seal.

“Oh, are they?” She asked. “I guess it is pretty cold in here.”

Ignis shook his head. “If you’re so cold, then why didn’t you say anything?”

“Well... I didn’t think it was that important. We need to focus on finding this next seal, right?”

Ignis had to restrain himself from a sigh. He understood too well ignoring one’s own needs in favor of other people and other things. But, at the same time, it bothered him when others did not look after themselves. Plus... he was perhaps a little more sensitive at this particular moment, considering where his mind had wandered for but a moment. 

“I understand. I agree we need to put ourselves into this as much as we can if it will help Noctis, but I ask that you please try to stay warm.”

He felt the tug of a blanket that was behind them, originally just draped over the back of the couch. He paused for a moment, considering a sudden impulse that came to him. 

He started to pull the blanket, turning back to his companion. 

“Come here.” He voice was gentle, beckoning rather than scolding or commanding. 

Joey was confused a moment, but started to scoot a little closer. At that moment, he pulled the blanket up and draped it over her shoulders, gently wrapping the edges around her arms and the backs of her hands. 

“Thank you...that’s... very thoughtful of you, Ignis.”

Still gripping the paper in one hand, she looked at him feeling a tug on her own heart. She felt how his hands lingered on her a moment before pulling away. Joey tried not too think too much of it though- he had made it clear nothing was going to happen. Her feelings had not faded since that one day, but she had gotten more comfortable with the idea that her feelings would probably not be reciprocated.

Little did she realize what was actually going on in his head.