#somehow the ''painting'' devolved into them flinging paint at each other

[and-stir-the-stars]

i just think. one of Evan's deaths in Lonely Children au should be Evan crawling to get away and Fredbear curb stomping his head. (don't look at tags if graphic/gorey content upsets you)

[ignis-sassentia]

Sincerely, Me Chapter 80

Title: Sincerely, Me Authors: @ignis-sassentia, @kwehkwehmotherfucker Fandom: Final Fantasy xv Pairings: Gladnoct, Promnis, building to OT4 Summary: Ignis (7:55 p.m.): I remember why we rarely have these little group chats. Ignis (7:57 p.m.): Every single one of you is incorrigible and inappropriate to the extreme.

What started off as a fic of Noct and Gladio sending fake emails to Prompto and Ignis in order to try to get them together has somehow devolved into this monstrosity of ridiculous group chats, dick pics, and endless shenanigans.In which Noct is a spoiled brat and likes to stir shit up, Prompto is a beautiful cinnamon roll and way too obsessed with emojis, Gladio is just along for the ride and trying to keep the other three from getting themselves killed, and Ignis is way beyond done with all of his friends and wishing he could text Prompto without making a complete fool of himself.

Told mostly through texts and emails, with prose interludes every five chapters.

Chapter 80 Summary: In which Prompto kicks ass, Noct and Gladio make an announcement, and Ignis proves he is actually human.

It’s best not to argue with him, darling,” Ignis sighed as he grabbed a bucket of yellow balloons and offered them to his boyfriend.

Prompto accepted the bucket and gave Ignis a quick kiss in thanks.

“Hey!” Noct said with a pout. “Hands off each other! That was the deal!”

“Apologies.” Ignis cleared his throat and snatched up a bucket of balloons filled with light blue paint. Then he smiled and tilted his chin toward the door. “Shall we?”

Noct grabbed the bucket of pink balloons before he stepped through the door. The moment he was through, he smashed a balloon over the top of Ignis’ head, immediately turning and sprinting across the arena, laughing maniacally as if he were driving a giant monster truck and flinging it off of a cliff.

Start from Chapter 1

Chapter 80

[celestial-leaves]

Meet me on the other side

               He was known as the Dragon Slayer. A tall dark-skinned creature with hair as pale as grass stained snow and eyes as red as poppies. He was rumored to have destroyed hundreds of dragons, and devastated several cities with his rampages. A seraph no human could bind, not even the most legendary of shepherds. He was also supposed to have died centuries ago. Sorey looked down at the book, looked up at the seraph, looked down, and then back up again. There could be no doubt it was the drawing personified. The only significant difference was that the seraph before him was wearing a long trench coat and his hair was braided back in a long tail.

               “Ew… a shepherd,” the stranger said.

               “If you don’t like it, you can get lost,” Edna snapped from where she was crouched beside the bed. The stranger hummed and stepped further into the cave, he walked past the boys and leaned against the wall.

               “Your brother know that you’ve got humans in here?”

               Sorey glanced over in time to see Edna’s normally impassive faced devolve into a snarl, the Dragon Slayer laughed. It wasn’t a particularly pretty nor happy laugh. Mikleo scooted closer to Sorey, leaning into his side to peer at the book. His head snapped up a moment later, his eyes wide. The Dragon Slayer stepped up to the bed, Edna moving away from him. He stared down for a few minutes, his face blank but for the downturn of his lips. When he did look up again, a small, mocking, smile had bloomed. “She won’t be pleased when she wakes up,” he said.

               “Just see to it that she does wake up,” Edna replied, she sat down on a nearby bench and twirled her umbrella. The Wind Seraph took a seat on the mattress, and resumed his perusal of his patient.

               “What are you planning?” Sorey asked, taking a few steps closer. “Hey!” The Seraph waved a hand, and Sorey saw something glittery appear in front of his face, a breeze whistled by his ears. He went to take another step only to be dragged back by Mikleo’s hand on his arm. His foot bounced off something, sending sharp shards of pain radiating through his toes.

               “There’s a barrier,” Mikleo spoke then, trying to maneuver his friend away from it. Sorey reached around him, extending an arm and until his fingers touched a hard surface. The glitter like substance had faded, leaving no tell that there was now a barrier blocking his both. Without thinking, Sorey flung his full weight against it, but that only served to draw an amused snort from Edna, exasperation from Mikleo, and pain from his shoulder. He watched with nervous eyes, as the Slayer shrugged out of his coat, leaving it to pool on the ground, and revealed a sleeveless tunic and skin marred by white tattoos. “Seals,” Sorey heard Mikleo mutter, followed shortly by the book pages rustling. The loss of the coat, also revealed a gap where a left arm should have been. The book had failed to mention that as well.

               The Slayer reached out, placing the tips of his fingers on Lailah’s forehead. The tattoos came to life, wriggling over the skin and spiraling down towards the sweat soaked Fire Seraph. Sorey felt an uncomfortable feeling grow in his stomach, sending shivers racking through to his extremities. It was the same feeling he had had the night the raiders struck, resulting in their present dilemma.

               “What’s he doing? Why is his domain…?” From behind him, Mikleo’s voice had risen in alarm. Sorey turned towards him, intending to ask for an elaboration.

               Lailah screamed.

               Sorey whipped back around in time to see her arch off the bed, white tendrils painting themselves onto her skin. Her domain erupted in little spurts, the air seeming to shimmer on the other side of the barrier. The Dragon Slayer appeared unbothered, only shifting slightly to exert more pressure. Sorey exchanged a panicked glanced with Mikleo before flinging himself at the barrier. But fists, feet, words, and even water jets did nothing.

               “Don’t bother.” Edna’s voice was monotone. “Go catch dinner instead.”

               “How can you be so calm?!” Mikleo demanded, spinning towards her. “He’s hurting her!”

               “Purging,” Edna corrected, she rose sedately and brushed off her dress. “Like you asked him too.” Her boots, large and bulky as they were left no trace on the dusty ground. Mikleo chased after her, vehement protests bubbling out. The need to follow Mikleo was real, but the idea of leaving Lailah to the tender mercies of the Slayer sent hot bile rising his throat. He settled for a compromise, walking to the front of the cave, and peering out. Mikleo and Edna were just disappearing around a turn in the road. He walked back to the barrier, the screaming had devolved into whimpering. The Dragon Slayer looked up then, sweat dripping down his brow and his eyes like frozen blood. The bearer of the Shepard’s light, spun on his heels and fled.

               **********************************************************************************

               “Promise me. Promise me that you will do everything in your power to keep them safe.” The old man’s voice had been strong, steady, and calm despite the tempest beating all around the small hut. Weathered hands had rested gently upon two sleeping bodies, bundled up safe and warm in their Grandfather’s lap. “Promise me that when the time comes…”

               His voice had trailed off and Lailah had heard hers rise, falling short of the warm but professional tone she’d been aiming for. It had come out instead sounding strangled, shaky, and just as cold as her insides were at the thought of a future where Zenrus was not there to guide them. Back then, despite the weight if the words resting between them, his domain had embraced her, bringing warmth to her chilled limbs. A decade later when two children had shown up on her doorstep smelling of ozone, fear, and naivety, the bells of time had rung out once again.

               Another domain reached out to greet her now, just as ancient, and familiar. It spoke of rushing gales, and somehow brought the scent of rain washed earth. Lailah opened her eyes, a dark vaulted ceiling stared back at her. It took a few moments, but she eventually recognized it as Edna’s Cave. It remained empty as she looked around, noticing the displaced soil and banked fire. She stretched out her senses, but the domain seemed to recede, falling away when she pressed. Sorey’s light shown faintly in her mind’s eye. She drew a deep breath, a twinge made itself known in her side, but it was nothing compared to the pain she had felt earlier. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she eased herself upright, resting her head against her knees until the nausea faded somewhat. A few breaths later and she was standing up, using the wall as a support to make her way outside. The clouds that she vaguely remembered darkening the sky had been blown back to reveal a few stars. Lailah felt a sense of relief blossom in her stomach, there was only one Seraph that she knew of powerful enough to lighten the skies of Rayfalke.

               The kids were gathered on a hillside, seated on blocks of stone tall enough that even Sorey’s feet did not touch the ground. Across the fire from them, ripping into a slab of meat, a familiar being was seated. Lailah approached, not quite able to subdue all the joyous relief bubbling up inside her. She addressed a swift smile to her charges, weathered their immediate questions, thanked Edna, and finally turned her gaze on Zaveid. The seraph looked up at her, pale hair pulled out of his face and back into an elegantly braided bun. She had no doubt as to who the creator was, and another trill of pleasure went through her body. “You’re not dead,” Lailah said.

               Zaveid blinked at her, amusement curling his lips and softening his eyes. “No, not yet,” he replied. Edna made a disparaging noise at that, but Lailah found her smile growing. Without hesitation she knelt and wrapped her old friend into a hug, looping arms around his broad shoulders, and resting her forehead against his for a beat. She withdrew, not quite fast enough to dodge the kiss he pressed to her cheek, and took a seat on a low boulder, bringing her legs up primly.

               “You know him?” Sorey’s voice reached her, dubious at best, and filled with an undercurrent of concern.

               Lailah waited until a mug of soup had found its way into her hand, before she replied, “Zaveid would visit sometimes when I was younger. It has been several years since we’ve encountered each other.”

               “A couple hundred?” There was a sarcastic lilt to Mikleo’s voice, and he leaned forwards now a book cradled in his arms. Lailah decided that the safest answer was to smile, whilst Edna pretended innocence, and Zaveid grinned as if the air surrounding them had not just chilled. Mikleo glared at them, “Are you the supposedly dead Dragon Slayer, or not?”

               “I don’t recall having died recently,” Zaveid answered, he laughed when the water seraph let out a frustrated growl. “Mikkyboy was it? You wouldn’t happen to be related to old man Zenrus, would you?” Sorey and Mikleo exchanged glances, concerned frowns growing on their faces.

               “He’s our grandfather,” Mikleo eventually said, he titled his head as if expecting an answer in return. Lailah almost felt badly for him, but his pout was just too cute.

               “That would explain a lot,” Zaveid said, he finished off his meat and stood with hardly a wobble. “Thanks for the meal, kiddos. I’ll be off now.”

“Stay the night,” Lailah said, the words rushing out before she could swallow them. Zaveid blinked at her, and then his lips curled up into a Cheshire like smirk.

“Aww, Lailah dear, you should have said something, I would have visited you earlier.” Lailah mustered a blank smile, to hide the concern she felt. Exhaustion was seeping out of the Slayer’s domain, enough that she was sure Edna and soon Mikleo would notice.

“You’ve been busy I’m sure,” she said, but Zaveid only grinned, unrepentant as could be. Edna muttered something, and he turned to look at her, hand slipping into his pocket. She said something else, lips barely parting, and he shrugged, “two months from now, as planned.”

“What’s two months from now? And what was that you did? Lailah, did he heal you? And would someone explain what’s going on?” Sorey demanded, exasperation, concern, and fear blending together into what was almost a whine. Lailah hesitated, as she had the previous time Sorey had demanded explanations, but she couldn’t bring herself to outright deny the boy.

“Yes, the wound is closed, I believe that I will be fit for travel by noon tomorrow. I’m sorry, Sorey, until I’ve gathered more information I cannot explain why you were sent to me by such a method,” she said, and offered a tentative smile.

“Method?”

“Yeah, method!” Mikleo outright snapped, glaring at Zaveid. “You were screaming Lailah, and your domain was heavily affected. There was smoke drifting out of the cave, and he,” he motioned roughly at Zaveid, “kicked us out without an explanation.”

Water is easiest to corrupt. “That is a question I can address,” Lailah replied forcing cheer into her voice to mitigate the growing tension. She clapped her hands together and hopped to her feet. “When two powerful domains of opposing elements clash, there is always going to be a physical manifestation. What you saw was probably the corruption from my injury being burned away. It is not an easy task to perform or to witness.”

“He could have just said that,” the boy sounded petulant now but the water that had been gathering in the air was dissipating. Lailah wondered if he had even been aware that he was summoning.

“As entertaining as this is, I do need to go, Lailah.”

Lailah huffed internally, unwilling to cause strife by beleaguering the point. As if reading her thoughts, Zaveid let out an amused sound. “I’ll be fine, truly. Patching you up is nothing compared to the effort it takes to keep Eizen or Roku in one piece.”

“That is an unfair comparison,” Lailah answered, “be off with you then, and do give my greetings to your cohort.” She couldn’t fight the smile when Zaveid mock saluted, spun twice for comedic effect and wind stepped away. To the unpracticed eye he had disappeared, but Lailah felt him land just around the bend in the road and set off at a more reasonable pace.

[galysh]

TOZ Dragon Slayer! AU

            He was known as the Dragon Slayer. A tall dark-skinned creature with hair as pale as grass stained snow and eyes as red as poppies. He was rumored to have destroyed hundreds of dragons, and devastated several cities with his rampages. A seraph no human could bind, not even the most legendary of shepherds. He was also supposed to have died centuries ago. Sorey looked down at the book, looked up at the seraph, looked down, and then back up again. There could be no doubt it was the drawing personified. The only significant difference was that the seraph before him was wearing a long trench coat and his hair was braided back in a long tail.

               “Ew… a shepherd,” the stranger said.

               “If you don’t like it, you can get lost,” Edna snapped from where she was crouched beside the bed. The stranger hummed and stepped further into the cave, he walked past the boys and leaned against the wall.

               “Your brother know that you’ve got humans in here?”

               Sorey glanced over in time to see Edna’s normally impassive faced devolve into a snarl, the Dragon Slayer laughed. It wasn’t a particularly pretty nor happy laugh. Mikleo scooted closer to Sorey, leaning into his side to peer at the book. His head snapped up a moment later, his eyes wide. The Dragon Slayer stepped up to the bed, Edna moving away from him. He stared down for a few minutes, his face blank but for the downturn of his lips. When he did look up again, a small, mocking, smile had bloomed. “She won’t be pleased when she wakes up,” he said.

               “Just see to it that she does wake up,” Edna replied, she sat down on a nearby bench and twirled her umbrella. The Wind Seraph took a seat on the mattress, and resumed his perusal of his patient.

               “What are you planning?” Sorey asked, taking a few steps closer. “Hey!” The Seraph waved a hand, and Sorey saw something glittery appear in front of his face, a breeze whistled by his ears. He went to take another step only to be dragged back by Mikleo’s hand on his arm. His foot bounced off something, sending sharp shards of pain radiating through his toes.

               “There’s a barrier,” Mikleo spoke then, trying to maneuver his friend away from it. Sorey reached around him, extending an arm and until his fingers touched a hard surface. The glitter like substance had faded, leaving no tell that there was now a barrier blocking his both. Without thinking, Sorey flung his full weight against it, but that only served to draw an amused snort from Edna, exasperation from Mikleo, and pain from his shoulder. He watched with nervous eyes, as the Slayer shrugged out of his coat, leaving it to pool on the ground, and revealed a sleeveless tunic and skin marred by white tattoos. “Seals,” Sorey heard Mikleo mutter, followed shortly by the book pages rustling. The loss of the coat, also revealed a gap where a left arm should have been. The book had failed to mention that as well.

               The Slayer reached out, placing the tips of his fingers on Lailah’s forehead. The tattoos came to life, wriggling over the skin and spiraling down towards the sweat soaked Fire Seraph. Sorey felt an uncomfortable feeling grow in his stomach, sending shivers racking through to his extremities. It was the same feeling he had had the night the raiders struck, resulting in their present dilemma.

               “What’s he doing? Why is his domain…?” From behind him, Mikleo’s voice had risen in alarm. Sorey turned towards him, intending to ask for an elaboration.

               Lailah screamed.

               Sorey whipped back around in time to see her arch off the bed, white tendrils painting themselves onto her skin. Her domain erupted in little spurts, the air seeming to shimmer on the other side of the barrier. The Dragon Slayer appeared unbothered, only shifting slightly to exert more pressure. Sorey exchanged a panicked glanced with Mikleo before flinging himself at the barrier. But fists, feet, words, and even water jets did nothing.

               “Don’t bother.” Edna’s voice was monotone. “Go catch dinner instead.”

               “How can you be so calm?!” Mikleo demanded, spinning towards her. “He’s hurting her!”

               “Purging,” Edna corrected, she rose sedately and brushed off her dress. “Like you asked him too.” Her boots, large and bulky as they were left no trace on the dusty ground. Mikleo chased after her, vehement protests bubbling out. The need to follow Mikleo was real, but the idea of leaving Lailah to the tender mercies of the Slayer sent hot bile rising his throat. He settled for a compromise, walking to the front of the cave, and peering out. Mikleo and Edna were just disappearing around a turn in the road. He walked back to the barrier, the screaming had devolved into whimpering. The Dragon Slayer looked up then, sweat dripping down his brow and his eyes like frozen blood. The bearer of the Shepard’s light, spun on his heels and fled.

               **********************************************************************************

               “Promise me. Promise me that you will do everything in your power to keep them safe.” The old man’s voice had been strong, steady, and calm despite the tempest beating all around the small hut. Weathered hands had rested gently upon two sleeping bodies, bundled up safe and warm in their Grandfather’s lap. “Promise me that when the time comes…”

               His voice had trailed off and Lailah had heard hers rise, falling short of the warm but professional tone she’d been aiming for. It had come out instead sounding strangled, shaky, and just as cold as her insides were at the thought of a future where Zenrus was not there to guide them. Back then, despite the weight if the words resting between them, his domain had embraced her, bringing warmth to her chilled limbs. A decade later when two children had shown up on her doorstep smelling of ozone, fear, and naivety, the bells of time had rung out once again.

               Another domain reached out to greet her now, just as ancient, and familiar. It spoke of rushing gales, and somehow brought the scent of rain washed earth. Lailah opened her eyes, a dark vaulted ceiling stared back at her. It took a few moments, but she eventually recognized it as Edna’s Cave. It remained empty as she looked around, noticing the displaced soil and banked fire. She stretched out her senses, but the domain seemed to recede, falling away when she pressed. Sorey’s light shown faintly in her mind’s eye. She drew a deep breath, a twinge made itself known in her side, but it was nothing compared to the pain she had felt earlier. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she eased herself upright, resting her head against her knees until the nausea faded somewhat. A few breaths later and she was standing up, using the wall as a support to make her way outside. The clouds that she vaguely remembered darkening the sky had been blown back to reveal a few stars. Lailah felt a sense of relief blossom in her stomach, there was only one Seraph that she knew of powerful enough to lighten the skies of Rayfalke.

               The kids were gathered on a hillside, seated on blocks of stone tall enough that even Sorey’s feet did not touch the ground. Across the fire from them, ripping into a slab of meat, a familiar being was seated. Lailah approached, not quite able to subdue all the joyous relief bubbling up inside her. She addressed a swift smile to her charges, weathered their immediate questions, thanked Edna, and finally turned her gaze on Zaveid. The seraph looked up at her, pale hair pulled out of his face and back into an elegantly braided bun. She had no doubt as to who the creator was, and another trill of pleasure went through her body. “You’re not dead,” Lailah said.

               Zaveid blinked at her, amusement curling his lips and softening his eyes. “No. not yet,” he replied. Edna made a disparaging noise at that, but Lailah found her smile growing. Without hesitation she knelt and wrapped her old friend into a hug, looping arms around his broad shoulders, and resting her forehead against his for a beat. She withdrew, not quite fast enough to dodge the kiss he pressed to her cheek, and took a seat on a low boulder, bringing her legs up primly.

               “You know him?” Sorey’s voice reached her, dubious at best, and filled with an undercurrent of concern.

               Lailah waited until a mug of soup had found its way into her hand, before she replied, “Zaveid would visit sometimes when I was younger. It has been several years since we’ve encountered each other.”

               “A couple hundred?” There was a sarcastic lilt to Mikleo’s voice, and he leaned forwards now a book cradled in his arms. Lailah decided that the safest answer was to smile, whilst Edna pretended innocence, and Zaveid grinned as if the air surrounding them had not just chilled. Mikleo glared at them, “Are you the supposedly dead Dragon Slayer, or not?”

               “I don’t recall having died recently,” Zaveid answered, he laughed when the water seraph let out a frustrated growl. “Mikkyboy was it? You wouldn’t happen to be related to old man Zenrus, would you?” Sorey and Mikleo exchanged glances, concerned frowns growing on their faces.

               “He’s our grandfather,” Mikleo eventually said, he titled his head as if expecting an answer in return. Lailah almost felt badly for him, but his pout was just too cute.

               “That would explain a lot,” Zaveid said, he finished off his meat and stood with hardly a wobble. “Thanks for the meal, kiddos. I’ll be off now.”

“Stay the night,” Lailah said, the words rushing out before she could swallow them. Zaveid blinked at her, and then his lips curled up into a Cheshire like smirk.

“Aww, Lailah dear, you should have said something, I would have visited you earlier.” Lailah mustered a blank smile, to hide the concern she felt. Exhaustion was seeping out of the Slayer’s domain, enough that she was sure Edna and soon Mikleo would notice.

“You’ve been busy I’m sure,” she said, but Zaveid only grinned, unrepentant as could be. Edna muttered something, and he turned to look at her, hand slipping into his pocket. She said something else, lips barely parting, and he shrugged, “two months from now, as planned.”

“What’s two months from now? And what was that you did? Lailah, did he heal you? And would someone explain what’s going on?” Sorey demanded, exasperation, concern, and fear blending together into what was almost a whine. Lailah hesitated, as she had the previous time Sorey had demanded explanations, but she couldn’t bring herself to outright deny the boy.

“Yes, the wound is closed, I believe that I will be fit for travel by noon tomorrow. I’m sorry, Sorey, until I’ve gathered more information I cannot explain why you were sent to me by such a method,” she said, and offered a tentative smile.

“Method?”

“Yeah, method!” Mikleo outright snapped, glaring at Zaveid. “You were screaming Lailah, and your domain was heavily affected. There was smoke drifting out of the cave, and he,” he motioned roughly at Zaveid, “kicked us out without an explanation.”

Water is easiest to corrupt. “That is a question I can address,” Lailah replied forcing cheer into her voice too mitigate the growing tension. She clapped her hands together and hopped to her feet. “When two powerful domains of opposing elements clash, there is always going to be a physical manifestation. What you saw was probably the corruption from my injury being burned away. It is not an easy task to perform or to witness.”

“He could have just said that,” the boy sounded petulant now but the water that had been gathering in the air was dissipating. Lailah wondered if he had even been aware that he was summoning.

“As entertaining as this is, I do need to go, Lailah.”

Lailah huffed internally, unwilling to cause strife by beleaguering the point. As if reading her thoughts, Zaveid let out an amused sound. “I’ll be fine, truly. Patching you up is nothing compared to the effort it takes to keep Eizen or Roku in one piece.”

“That. Is an unfair comparison,” Lailah answered, “be off with you then, and do give my greetings to your cohort.” She couldn’t fight the smile when Zaveid mock saluted, spun twice for comedic effect and wind stepped away. To the unpracticed eye he had disappeared, but Lailah felt him land just around the bend in the road and set off at a more reasonable pace.