#ff15 reader insert

Growing up within the walls of House Nox Fleuret was a privilege that not many were privy to. Luckily for you, your family maintained close ties to the royal family of Tenebrae, thus granting you access to the more personal side of the Nox Fleuret family.

Though you were shy, your parents insisted that you befriend the Nox Fleuret siblings as a show of goodwill. Something about “maintaining peace,” or whatever it was the adults often talked about.

When you were first brought to Tenebrae to meet the nation’s royal family, you were in awe of the region’s majestic architecture — was that an actual castle? — and its signature blue flora, the sylleblossom. Fenestala Manor blew you away in particular, so you were all the more enlivened when your parents explained that this would be your new living quarters.

It was a long time coming, your move to the Manor. After all, you were being groomed to become the Royal Advisor to rising generation of Nox Fleurets.

Upon your arrival at the Manor, Queen Sylva had greeted you personally with the warmest of receptions. She even offered you a brief hug after you clumsily bowed before her. The queen’s friendliness took you aback, but it made you feel all fuzzy on the inside. She was nice.

With Queen Sylva were her two children, a boy and a girl. The female of the two siblings gravitated towards you naturally. She called herself Lunafreya, and she had the sweetest eyes and kindest smile. You regarded her with awe of her beauty.

“This is my brother, Ravus,” Lunafreya introduced as she gestured for you to step closer towards her sibling.

“Welcome to Tenebrae,” Ravus greeted with a friendly smile. “I do hope you enjoy your stay here.”

The different hues in Ravus’ eyes helped you maintain eye contact with him. “H-Hello,” you mumbled timidly. “I’m (Name).”

“What a lovely name!” Lunafreya clapped her hands excitedly as she looked to Ravus. “Wouldn’t you agree, Brother?”

Ravus nodded. “Indeed it is.”

You immediately blushed under their compliments. “Thank you,” you managed to let out, feeling the last of your discomfort crawl away from your skin. These two were good people, you could tell. Even though they were royalty, they welcomed you into their home — into their lives — with open arms.

That was the start of your allegiance to the royal family of Tenebrae.

*

“Princess,” you called. “It’s time for your lessons.”

“Oh (Name),” Lunafreya hummed from her bedroom. “Can’t we skip for once? Please?”

It had been several years since your life had first become interwoven with that of House Nox Fleuret’s. Since your initial meeting, you had only grown closer to both Lunafreya and Ravus at varying degrees.

Lunafreya was almost always attached to your hip. If she wasn’t busy with her duties, she was accompanied by Gentiana. Otherwise, she was often around you. You had come to love her like a sister and would do anything to keep that divine smile on her face.

On the other hand, you had also forged a very formidable friendship with the elder Nox Fleuret. You were closer to Ravus in age, so naturally, the two of you found a lot of things in common. In the years you had spent getting to know him, you had come to realize that Ravus was very much like his mother.

Unbelievably kind.

Incredibly accommodating.

So, so warm.

You were honored that Ravus felt safe enough around you to let his guard down and not just be himself, but also show his softer side to you.

You wanted to think that you were at least somewhat special to him in that regard.

These days, you weren’t sure what to make of the butterflies that went wild in your tummy whenever you were around Ravus, but spending time with him always made you giddy and caused your heart to race. It was hard not to smile in his presence.

“Your mother would have my head if I allowed another absence, Princess.”

“She would not!” the young blonde retorted as she fixed her fringe in place. “Mother is much too nice for such barbaric extremes.”

“Perhaps not,” you replied, a teasing smile sneaking its way onto your face, “but if Her Highness won’t have my head, then it will be your brother who may scold me if I continue to be soft on you.”

“That won’t happen,” Lunafreya assured you, a knowing smirk on her otherwise delicate face. “Ravus adores you.”

You immediately flushed at her statement. “H-He…! He does not!”

“Oh, but he does. In fact, Ravus-”

“Are you speaking ill of me again, dearest sister?” Ravus’ voice interrupted from the doorway.

You spun around to face him, feeling embarrassed that he had nearly caught onto what his sister had been insinuating. “My Prince!” You bowed before him, trying to keep the warmth in your cheeks at bay.

“At ease,” he said, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder to set you upright again. “How many times must I insist that ‘Ravus’ is enough?”

“My apologies.”

“And how many times must I defend my honor in front of you, brother dearest?” Lunafreya challenged teasingly, staring indignantly at her older sibling with her hands on her hips. “When have I ever spoken ill of you?”

“If we count all the instances,” he said, “then you will most surely miss your lessons, and we cannot allow that, now can we?”

Ravus glanced at you then, his dual-colored eyes holding a playful glint. You took this as a sign to usher your charge out the door and off to her obligations.

“I-Indeed, we cannot!”

Lunafreya threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. “Ah, I can only take so much when the two of you bully me together! Off I go, then.”

“We-! We weren’t bullying you, Lady Luna-” Your impending apology was cut short with the realization that Lunafreya had already left. Flustered, you turned to Ravus and asked, “She’s not… She’s not angry with me, is she?”

Ravus chuckled, waving his hand to dismiss your fears. “Fret not, dear (Name). My sister merely jests.”

You let out a sigh of relief. “Lady Lunafreya will be the death of me one of these days.”

“As she will be for me, as well.”

His reply caused a few giggles to escape your lips. Once your small bout of laughter tapered, you found Ravus to be looking at you with what appeared to be fondness in his eyes. His gaze made you blush, so you opted to break the silence by bringing the attention back to him.

“So how may I be of service of you today, my Prince?” you asked, returning to your well-mannered front.

Ravus sighed at your ignorance of his name yet again. “Yes, I’ve come to you in need of a favor, actually.”

“Oh? A favor?” You looked at him questioningly, your curiosity piqued. “I will do my best to be of assistance to you, my-”

“Ravus,” he repeated sternly, though his eyes remained tender. “When we are in private, kindly refer to me by my name.”

‘I take it back,’ you thought, feeling your cheeks burn all the more thanks to Ravus’ sweet plea. ‘It is the prince who will be the death of me, not the princess.’

“R-Ravus,” you tested, feeling lighter at the sight of elation on the prince’s face upon the utterance of his name from your mouth.

“Much better.”

You had to keep it together to stop yourself from swooning at his dazzling smile. At the age of 15, Ravus had grown well into his body, and by the looks of it, he would only continue to grow as the years go by. His face had matured some from the time when you first met as children, and while his features sharpened, his kindness had not wavered.

Especially not around you.

“U-Um… Ravus. Ahem. What is this favor you speak of?”

“You have heard of the upcoming ball, have you not?”

“Ah, yes.” You nodded, thinking back on the invitations you had glossed over just a few days prior. “The one celebrating our nation, correct?”

“That is the one. May I ask if you will be preoccupied then?”

You did a mental scan of your duties and responsibilities leading up to the ball. “I may need to assist Lady Lunafreya,” you answered, “but otherwise, I will be present at the sidelines in the event that my aid is needed for the remainder of the night.”

“I don’t suppose you would like to attend as a guest of the family?” Ravus quietly proposed.

Your brows furrowed. What need of Ravus required you to attend as a guest of House Nox Fleuret? You would already be present at the ball anyhow, so the invitation seemed odd as it was rather unnecessary.

Regardless, attending as a guest of House Nox Fleuret meant that the festivities would at least be a little more entertaining, what with the company of Lunafreya and Ravus making everything a little more enjoyable.

It also meant that you would by their side for most of the night, and that alone seemed more appealing than having to lurk in the shadows by yourself.

“That is a very generous offer, my- Ravus.” You winced at how your correction made it sound like you had referred to the prince as ‘yours,’ but you trudged on, hoping he hadn’t taken notice of your slip up. “I would be honored to-”

You were stopped by Ravus clearing his throat. “I’m afraid I failed to clarify.” Dusting off imaginary dirt from his sleeve, he added, “Would you be willing to attend the ball as my guest?”

You blinked up at him, caught off guard at the offer. “A-As…? As your…?”

He huffed a little uncharacteristically. “As my date.”

“Ah.”

An awkward silence enveloped the room. On your part, you were unsure as to how to respond to Ravus’ request. While there was no denying that you would be more than happy to accompany him to the ball — as his date, no less — when it came right down to it, you were torn between your personal sentiments towards the prince and what was expected of you as his Royal Advisor.

Perhaps it was because you were in your teenage years — being just a year younger than Ravus — but it was quite evident to you that you had begun to develop some feelings for your charge. It was a bit of a pickle for you, because it became a challenge having to keep your feelings at bay without crossing the line of what was considered proper.

Though your relationship with the Nox Fleuret family was definitely friendly and familiar, it was still encased in decorum and your respective obligations not just to each other, but to the nation of Tenebrae as well.

Thus, Ravus’ proposal practically blindsided you. You weren’t so naive as to presume he harbored some sort of romantic feelings for you as well, but you could hope, couldn’t you? He wasn’t required to bring a date to the ball; you knew, because you helped piece the occasion together. So what was he doing here, asking you of all people to come with him?

Your nerves and apprehension over how to approach Ravus’ offer must have shown on your face, as he immediately backtracked, saying, “You are not obligated to accept, of course.” Was he worried that you would only say yes because you thought you had to? “I am well aware that such gatherings are not to your taste. Thus, my request may be more of a nuisance than anything, so-”

“Yes.”

Ravus’ rambling came to a halt. “I… beg your pardon?”

“Yes, Ravus.” You gave him a bright smile, hoping it would convey enough of your feelings for him to understand. “I would be delighted to accompany you to the ball, if it won’t be too much trouble for you.”

His shoulders practically sagged in utmost relief. “No, never,” he said as a small smile began to bloom on his face. “You are not an inconvenience in the slightest.”

“So…” You looked away, feeling bashful over the how things had unfolded. “I shall see you then, my Prince?”

“You do me the greatest honor.” Ravus reached out to you and delicately grasped your hand in order to lay a soft kiss on it. “I shall see you then, my (Name).”

“Ex-Excuse me?” you blubbered, feeling your cheeks grow even warmer. “Your (Name)?”

“It’s only fair, is it not?” he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice. “I am your Ravus, and so in return, you are my (Name).”

“Th-That’s-!”

“I shall see you at the ball, dearest heart. Good day.”

And with that, Ravus not only left you a flustered mess, he took with him the rest of your heart as well.

You didn’t really mind, though.

*

You often look back on that time with much fondness and love. The ball was boring as expected, but being by Ravus’ side for the entirety of the night made it much, much more tolerable. Lunafreya sending the two of you some smug smiles also made for some amusement that night.

Despite the fact that you came as Ravus’ date, neither of you initiated the step to further your friendship into a romance. Both of you merely skirted around your feelings, too shy to do anything beyond the confines of your personal and professional lives together.

Lunafreya often urged you to take the initiative and allow the love between you and her brother to prosper, but you always evaded her prodding. In spite of Lunafreya’s unabashed approval and support, you believed that you were in no position to present your feelings to Ravus and expect some sort of reciprocation in the form of a romantic relationship.

No, you wanted it to come from him. You were merely his advisor and a childhood friend at best. There was no way you were going to burden him with your feelings, not when you were unsure if this was what he really wanted with you. If he was not going to take the step forward, then you would adjust to his pace, as you have done all these years.

You were content with remaining by his side. Whether it be as his advisor, his friend, or his lover… so long as you were with him, then that was more than enough for you.

Things changed just a year later with the death of Queen Sylva and the imperial control of Niflheim over Tenebrae.

*

Now, years later, you still remain by Ravus’ side. Many things have since changed, such as Lunafreya’s appointment as the new Oracle, as well as Ravus’ new occupation under Niflheim’s invasion.

No longer was he the prince of Tenebrae. Now, he was known as Ravus Nox Fleuret, the High Commander of the Imperial Army.

You still referred to him as your prince, though. Ravus would merely ignore the title as if you had never said it in the first place.

After the death of Queen Sylva, Lunafreya had pleaded with you to place your focus on her brother rather than on herself. You had objected, arguing that both she and Ravus were your responsibility. However, the young girl proved to you just how mature she was beyond her years when she countered that Ravus needed you more than she did.

“There is only so much that I can do for him,” she had admitted to you tearfully. “But you… you are his heart. Please, (Name), I beg of you. Please do not leave my brother’s side.”

“Lady Lunafreya…” You had held onto her as she fell apart in your arms. Right then and there, you swore that you would remain steadfast in your devotion to Ravus regardless of what life would throw at you.

“I promise.”

If only it were so easy.

At present, the young boy you came to know and love was nonexistent in the Ravus that stood before you today. Gone were the warm smiles and gentle eyes, now replaced by hardened glares and permanent scowls.

The death of his mother had clearly changed Ravus. Though you held him close to your heart, you struggled to reach him beyond the icy walls he had put up around his own heart. Still, you stood by him and remained at his side amidst all the changes he went through.

“My Prince,” you murmured timidly, stepping into Ravus’ office. “Your sister requests your presence for supper.”

“Tell her to proceed with her meal,” replied Ravus from a pile of papers he had not looked up from.

“My Prince, if I may.” Shutting the door behind you, you made your way across the room and settled in front of his desk. “It’s been several days since you last shared a meal with Lady Lunafreya. She merely misses your company, and-”

“How many times must I tell you?” Ravus abruptly stood up and sent you a cold glare. Though you had become used to such painful gazes, you had to admit that they still pierced at your heart rather agonizingly. “I am no longer a prince, and you must address me accordingly by my new title instead.”

It was hard to keep your face neutral when the sadness in your heart overflowed for Ravus.

“My apologies, High Commander,” you muttered softly, offering a bow. “Old habits die hard, I suppose.”

“If only some would die easier than others,” you heard him grumble under his breath.

His harsh tone made you wince, but you did nothing to address his statement. Sending him an affirmative nod, you said, “I bid you a good evening, then, High Commander.”

Noticing your wounded look, Ravus softened his voice and called out to you almost apologetically. “Have you forgotten?” He combed a hand through his hair, which had grown much longer over the years. “I am Ravus to you in private.”

So there was still a bit of the old Ravus somewhere in there. The thought made you smile, albeit a bit sadly.

“Please don’t forget to eat something, Ravus.” Your eyes softened as they met his. “Feel free to summon me if my help is required.”

At that, you made yourself scarce, unaware of the look of longing in Ravus’ eyes as he stared after you.

*

Just a few hours later, Ravus had called for you once more, requesting for dinner. You delivered his meal to his office without a word, only to be stopped by him as he requested that you join him and have a bite as well.

“I’ve already eaten, Ravus.”

“Would you do me the honor of gracing me with your company, then?” He pulled out a chair for you, the hard strain in his eyes growing tender for a few moments.

Only you still got to see this side of Ravus. Only you could do this to him.

“It would be my pleasure.”

The two of you sat there in his office, basking in the quiet. Though no words were shared, the company you offered each other made for a fairly pleasant night.

*

When word of Lunafreya’s imminent union with Prince Noctis of Insomnia came to light, you grew worried. Not just for Lunafreya, but for Ravus as well. Ever since the death of his mother, he had come to loathe the Caelum line and, in effect, Noctis himself.

His bitterness and rage towards the Lucian royal family had consumed him over the years. You had seen firsthand how such dark thoughts and feelings had changed Ravus, so with the announcement of his sister’s engagement to the Crown Prince, you became distraught over how your own prince would handle the news.

One day, you noticed the younger Nox Fleuret carrying a suitcase as she made her way across Fenestala Manor. She appeared to be dressed for travel, prompting you to wonder what her intentions were. As far as you knew, Lunafreya had no meetings scheduled for today. She made no mention of going out, either.

With your brows furrowed, you caught up to her and asked, “Princess, where are you off to?”

“(Name)!” she squeaked in surprise. “I am in need of your help, kind (Name). Please, allow me to leave as I must speak to King Regis immediately!”

“King Regis…?” you repeated, trying to process the growing urgency on her face. “Is this about your engagement to Prince Noctis?”

“It is more than that.” Lunafreya nodded, taking ahold of your hand. “Please, (Name), I must make my way to Insomnia as soon as possible. Will you assist me?”

Your mind scrambled to sort out your thoughts. “I… I cannot, my Princess,” you informed her regretfully, feeling a pang at the frown that took residence on her face. “But it is only because I swore that I would remain by your brother’s side. You remember, do you not?”

“Of course I do. I am eternally grateful for your honor and devotion to Ravus.”

You bit your lip, sending a prayer to the gods above that all would work well. “Still, I cannot simply abandon you in your time of need.” You pulled her to the side and stealthily made your way to the lower floors of the manor. “I may not be able to escort you to Lucis, but I can at least ensure that you find your way out of Tenebrae.”

Lunafreya’s expression brightened at your words. “Thank you, (Name). I owe you.”

“You owe me nothing. Now come, we must make haste.”

Both you and Lunafreya had evaded the imperial guards that monitored the hallways of the manor. Just as you were nearly at the door, the two of you were stopped by none other than Ravus himself.

Snatching Lunafreya from your grasp, he dragged her towards a nearby room, but not before sending you a scathing look.

“And you,” he snarled, “I will have a word with you once I have settled things with my sister.”

The dread that churned at the pit of your stomach almost hurt as more as the pain in your heart due to Ravus’ anger directed towards you.

*

“What were you thinking?!” he barked, slamming the door of his office.

You opted to create a small distance between you and Ravus, growing cautious of his boiling rage. Drawing closer to his desk, you answered, “I merely offered my assistance where it was needed, Ravus. It is as I have done for you and your family all these years.”

Ravus sneered at your response. “Were you foolish enough to allow Lunafreya into the clutches of our mother’s murderer?”

The neutral mask you wore began to crumble with the beginnings of a frown. “Ravus, I understand that you blame King Regis for the death of our queen, but-”

“Understand? You think you understand?”

This was the first time you had ever truly been on the receiving end of Ravus’ fury. It wounded you deeply, causing you to wither away at his spiteful voice. His build, which had grown sturdier even more, now felt menacing as he towered over you.

Still, you reminded yourself of your promise to Lunafreya, no matter how much Ravus was now hurting you.

“You think you understand what my sister and I have been through?” he continued with a scoff. “Are you so stupid to believe that you are so special simply due to our history together?”

Your eyes began to water by then, but you remained rooted in your spot. “I-I…”

“If that is what you believe,” he snapped, “then you are much more idiotic than I thought you to be.”

This time, you flinched. You kept your head bowed in order to hide the steady stream of tears that rolled down your face. “R-Ravus, please…” you hiccuped, “I know you are hurting, but please…”

“YOU KNOW NOTHING!”

A sob threatened to escape your throat, but you slapped a hand over your mouth to keep it in. “Please,” you whimpered pathetically, “do not hurt me like this, Ravus.”

Your plea seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, for Ravus broke you down even further with one simple but cruel statement.

“I do not need you any longer.”

“Wh-What?”

“You are hereby dismissed of your duties,” he continued, voice devoid of emotion. “Until a more suitable role for you can be found, you will remain at the manor for the time being.”

You were openly weeping by now. “Ravus, you cannot mean this.”

“I do,” he retaliated coldly. “Now get out.”

You lifted your pain-stricken gaze, only to pull away the moment your eyes met Ravus’ seething glare. Where was the Ravus you loved? This wasn’t him. The Ravus you loved wouldn’t hurt you so brutally without any heed to your sensitive emotions. The Ravus you loved wouldn’t strip you of the one thing that gave your life meaning throughout the years.

What were you to do now, if you could not remain by his side?

Sniffling, you shuffled your way towards the doorway where Ravus stood. You lowered your head once more as you bumped against him. But, before taking your leave, you offered some parting words to Ravus that would haunt him forevermore.

“You… You will always be my heart, dear Ravus. I pray that you find peace and happiness.”

*

In the days leading to Lunafreya’s escort to Lucis, you steered clear of both her and Ravus. Ultimately, you were no longer bound to them, at least by Ravus’ words.

‘I have failed you, my Princess,’ you thought glumly, looking up at the night sky. ‘How can I remain by your brother’s side if he no longer wants me there?’

Soon, Fenestala Manor grew quiet with the departure of the remaining Nox Fleurets as they traversed to Insomnia. It didn’t take long before news of the nation’s fall reached your region, causing you to plunge into a pit of despair as the tragedy sent a blow to your very core.

King Regis, dead. Even the sweet Prince Noctis was said to have passed on. But what truly broke you was the news that your dearest Lunafreya was gone as well.

Maria, who had remained in your company the past few days, could do little to console you as you drowned in your hysteria. This couldn’t be true. You refused to believe it. No, Lunafreya was still alive. She had to be.

And what of Ravus? Where was he now? Had he fallen amidst Niflheim’s betrayal as well?

You didn’t know what to do with yourself.

‘Please,’ you begged to the heavens above, ‘please, keep them safe. They’re all I have.’

*

Some of your worries had been eased at the return of Ravus. Though he retained his cold demeanor, he brought with him a new prosthetic — one that you couldn’t help but marvel at as you stood before him in his office yet again.

Though news of his arrival had reached you, you had forced yourself to remain at your quarters and not seek him out. With the memory of your last conversation still painfully fresh, you chose not to look for Ravus, providing him the space and privacy he had forcefully set between the two of you.

Your efforts were put to rest when Ravus himself summoned you. Here you now were, avoiding his gaze as you fidgeted nervously in front of him.

The silence was incredibly overbearing, but you feared that if you spoke, he would only lash out at you again. Thus, you kept mum, giving Ravus the floor to voice his thoughts, whatever they may be.

At first, he sighed. Then, with a few careful steps, he approached you. Raising a hand — from his flesh limb, notably — he caressed the side of your cheek in a motion so affectionate, you had to question if this was really the same Ravus you had last perceived before the blatant dismissal of your obligations to him.

“You appear well,” he commented softly, his hand leaving your face.

You couldn’t help but long for his touch. Still, all you could do was nod, feeling as if your voice and words would merely betray you if you tried to speak.

“I…” You could hear his fists clench. “Will you look at me? Please?”

At this, you lifted your gaze to meet his eyes. Based on the memory of your last meeting, you had expected to see bitter rage in his stare. You were proven wrong, however, as you found nothing but throbbing emotion looking back at you.

There it was. The same fondness he used to look at you with. The same tenderness and affection his dual-colored eyes had always revered you in.

There was also one other thing you found in his soft gaze, but you dared not voice your thoughts in fear that you were simply dreaming.

In his eyes, you found love.

“I am sorry.” His voice broke. The last time you were a witness to Ravus’ tears was shortly after the death of his mother. Now, such waterworks were making a return, though you found it hard to fathom that these tears were due to his own grieving for you.

“I was wrong,” Ravus went on, reaching out to you but stopping short, as if he was afraid you would reject him. You eased his fears by meeting him halfway, reaching up on your heels to hold his face in your hands. “I do need you, (Name). I will always need you.”

His hands enveloped yours as you both cried for each other. “Ravus…”

“I meant none of it. Not a single word I had uttered that day held any truth. Please, believe me.”

“I know, Ravus,” you sobbed. “I know.”

You don’t know what it was that had happened to him in Insomnia to cause this sudden turnaround in Ravus, but you weren’t going to question it. All that mattered was that he was here now, with you.

“I realize now that it was I who was the foolish one. It was always me. Never, ever you.” This large man, whose mere presence held a threatening aura towards his foes, was now a snivelling mess in your hands. “I beg for your forgiveness.”

“There is nothing to forgive,” you assured him tenderly, wiping away the tears that had leaked during your exchange of words. “I am relieved that you, too, are well.”

“I will never forgive myself for hurting you that day,” he admitted, pulling you closer. You felt your lip quiver as you recalled the relentless words he had directed to you back then.

You shook your head, trying to rid yourself of such memories. “None of that,” you told both Ravus and yourself. “What matters is that you are here now.”

“There is so much that has been lost, but I will not allow you to be lost to me as well. Not anymore.” He paused for a bit, moving his grasp from your hands to your face, albeit hesitantly. “What you said then, did you mean it?”

“Mean what?”

“You… You own my heart, (Name),” he confessed at last, leaning his forehead on yours. “I would like to know if your sentiments remain the same, though I know I am undeserving of them.”

A sweet smile began to surface amidst your tears. Carefully bringing your face closer to his, you whispered against his lips, “You are my dearest heart, Ravus, as you have been and always will be. Nothing will change that.”

What lay ahead seemed bleak, what with Niflheim’s rise and the still unknown whereabouts of Lunafreya. But, as you remained glued to Ravus, your mouth locked with his in a passionate exchange, all you could do was melt into him and allow your feelings of love to come undone once and for all.

Come what may, you would remain by his side until the very end. What made it easier this time around was the knowledge that he would do the same for you.

Ignis Scientia was a man known for many things. To those who frequented the Citadel, he was known as the young retainer of Prince Noctis. To some of the staff serving the royal family, Ignis was known for having a magic touch when it came to the kitchen. To his peers, the young man was regarded as hardworking, refined, and immaculately patient.

He had to be, if he was dealing with the stubborn prince, after all.

But, if there was one thing Ignis Scientia wasn’t known for, it was for losing his composed front in public. You, however, were an exception.

As a relative of Prince Noctis, you were a frequent — though not necessarily unwelcome — presence at the Citadel. Every summer, without fail, you would pay a visit to your “Uncle Reggie” — who would always welcome you with “the best hug in all of Eos” — and play with your cousin Noctis.

Though not much for socializing, Noctis — for the most part, at least — often looked forward to your visits, if only because you could get him out of his tutoring sessions and other princely obligations. “I have to go entertain the princess,” he would say whenever you arrived. “Duty calls.”

Having Noctis avoid his lectures was a headache enough for Ignis on any normal day, but with you in the picture? It was nothing short of a nightmare for the young Scientia.

You were hard-headed (more so than Noct, which was a feat in itself), obnoxiously loud, and awfully careless in a palace such as the Citadel. Noctis would argue that you “lit up the place” with your endless supply of energy, but if Ignis were to be frank, he thought you were a bit too much for him.

Though you had no bearing on the throne, you were still royalty under the Lucis Caelum line. Thus, as a member of House Scientia, Ignis was bound to you regardless of how often you got on his nerves.

Which was pretty often, and you weren’t even at the Citadel for the entirety of the year.

“Hi, Iggy!” you chirped at him during one of your summer stay-ins at the Citadel. “Whatcha doin’?”

“Not you again,” Ignis muttered under his breath. Time and time again, he couldn’t fathom what it was about you that grated on his nerves. Was it the lack of control in the volume of your voice whenever you called at him? Was it how reckless you ran around the Citadel, thus posing as a threat to the many valuables that decorated the palace? Or was it simply because Ignis had merely accepted Noctis as his sole responsibility, and so the added weight of you in the picture only placed more pressure over his delicate shoulders?

Whatever it was, Ignis had to remind himself to retain his cool composure, lest you throw a tantrum and cause an even bigger ruckus at the Citadel.

“What was that?”

Ignis cleared his throat. “Nothing.” Adjusting his glasses, he regarded you coolly with a nod. “How may I help you, Princess?”

You beamed, thoroughly basking in the royal retainer’s attention. “Sleepy Boy’s taking his royal nap, and I’m bored! Wanna play with me?”

“I’m sorry, Princess, but I’ll have to decline,” Ignis replied. “I have other things I must attend to.”

“But-“

“You can wait for Prince Noctis in the gardens, if you’d like. I hear the lavenders are blooming this time of the year.”

“Ig-“

“I’ll see you at supper. Good day.”

With his back turned to you, Ignis had failed to notice the tears welling up in your eyes that day.

*

Despite the fact that Ignis was only a year older than you, his poise and elegance made you feel like you were always lightyears behind him. It was due to this that you looked up to him a lot — a confession you had confided in Noctis many times during your yearly visits.

“How does Iggy do it, Noct?” you had asked after the festivities for your 10th birthday had wrapped up. You had opted to celebrate the day with your favorite people (“Sleepy Boy and Iggy! Oh, and you too, Uncle Reggie!”), and in the aftermath of the festivities, you and the prince were sprawled on his bed, too worn out to even bother getting changed into sleepwear.

Glancing at you from his handheld gaming device, Noctis asked, “Do what?”

“Do everything!” you cried, flopping down next to your best friend. “He’s only one year ahead of me, but he seems so much more…”

“Ancient?”

“No!” You whacked Noctis on the head, earning you a snort from the prince. “More mature! Iggy is so mature! I wanna be like him someday.”

“I dunno (Name), being Iggy doesn’t seem like a lot of fun.”

You frowned, brows furrowing at Noctis’ comment. “Why not?”

“He’s always doing stuff that the adults do. All the boring things.”

“Isn’t he allowed to hang out with us and take a break?”

“He is,” Noctis insisted. “But he’s always acted more like mom to me than anything. I’ve never really seen him slack off. Not even once.”

“Huh.”

“Yeah.”

*

The next year, you made it a point to visit Noctis much earlier than your usual scheduled arrival in the summer. You had wanted to surprise Ignis on his birthday, and that was exactly what you did when you showed up at the Citadel several months earlier than expected.

“Hi, Iggy!” You wrapped your arms around him in greeting, ignoring how stiff he was at your embrace. “Happy birthday!”

“What are you doing here?” was all that came out of his mouth, but you were more focused on commemorating his birthday than dwelling on his lackluster response.

“I’m here to celebrate your birthday!” you replied happily, shoving a small box into his hands. “Sorry it’s only store-bought, but all the other cakes I tried to bake kinda… deflated, heh.”

Ignis offered a short bow. “I appreciate the sentiment, Princess, but I have a meeting to attend to.” He handed the box back into your grasp almost apologetically. “You can share that with Noct. I’m sure he will enjoy it immensely.” Turning on his heels, he nodded at you before offering a few more words. “I hope you enjoy your stay.”

And with that, he left you there, standing dumbfounded with a box of cake in your hands and a hurt heart in your chest.

*

When it was time for you to enter high school, you became a permanent fixture at the Citadel. At this age, Ignis had already grown accustomed to your rambunctious personality, though that wasn’t to say he particularly sought out your company on his own accord. He liked to think that he simply tolerated your presence.

You always wished he liked you more, though, especially with your growing feelings for him.

“No fair, Noct!” you whined. “Now that I get to stay here at the Citadel, you’re gonna go and leave me to find a place of your own?”

The prince rolled his eyes at your antics. “I’ve been stuck here all my life, (Name). Don’t you think it’s about time that I at least get some time away from home?” You pouted at him, which only caused Noctis to chuckle. “Don’t dwell on it too much. We still have a year together before I’m off to high school anyway.”

You sighed dramatically. “At least I’ll have Iggy all to myself while you’re gone.”

“Well,” he drawled, “not exactly.”

Your groan sounded more exaggerated than the norm. “He’s gonna trail after you even when you’re away?” you complained, crossing your arms in frustration. “How am I going to get to use my womanly charms on him now?”

Noctis blanched. “Hey, it’s not like I asked him to dote on me. And since when have you been a woman?”

“Since puberty, you dweeb!” You made a motion to smack him on the head, but after years of training, the prince’s reflexes were much quicker now. You made no comment on his fast movements, but you were definitely impressed — and a little proud — by how much Noctis had grown over the years.

“Really?” As proud as you were of Noctis, you had to admit that the smirk on his face was still a little annoying. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“Loser.”

“Brat.”

“Says the Sleepy Boy who gets cranky whenever he misses his nap.”

“I’ll have you know that we all need sleep to function properly.”

“Not in excess like you do, Sleepy Boy.”

And thus commenced a wrestling match between you and Noctis, your bitterness over his impending absence — and the lack of Ignis’ company, no less — long forgotten at the back of your mind.

*

High school was not what you thought it would be.

As a member of the royal family — never mind the fact that you weren’t even interested in inheriting the throne, nor were you even technically eligible to take over after King Regis, especially with Noctis having been groomed as the heir since his youth — many of your schoolmates flocked to you without any regard for your personal space.

Ignis had presumed you would have thrived in the spotlight, as revelling in people’s attention was something he had seen you enjoy during your many summers at the Citadel. It thus came as a surprise when, on what he was told was your first day in high school, you came knocking at his apartment door, looking rattled and frightened.

“Hi, Iggy,” you greeted shakily, your eyes lacking the usual mirth Ignis had always seen you carry. It was rather unnerving, having you suddenly show up at his doorstep looking all sullen and downcast. “Sorry for coming here unannounced. I didn’t know where to go, a-and…”

Your voice began to crack. Ignis was alarmed by the sudden manifestation of tears in your eyes; in all his years of watching over both you and Noctis, he had never been privy to your teardrops, so this was a sight that clenched at his heart rather unexpectedly.

“Please, come in.” He ushered you into his home, gingerly leading you to sit on the nearby sofa. “Tea?” he offered quietly, being careful not to aggravate your already bleak mood.

You shook your head. “No thanks. Can… can you just… stay here for a bit? With me?”

With the way you were looking at him so pleadingly — desperately — Ignis knew he wouldn’t be able to decline your request even if he wanted to.

What Ignis found rather odd, however, was that he didn’t want to deny you of your wish.

It had been a good while since the Royal Adviser last saw you. While he still wasn’t particularly fond of you, per se, his patience at least grew the older he became, and with it came a more formidable tolerance for your presence. He had a duty to the Lucis Caelum line — and in effect, to you — and he would stick to this commitment to the end of the line.

Today, though… today was decidedly different. For the very first time, he was seeing you not as a member of the royal family, but simply as you were: a young, vulnerable girl seeking comfort in his familiarity.

The two of you stayed there for the remainder of the evening. Not talking. Not touching. But you were together, and that was all you needed.

*

Ignis later found out from Noctis that your… episode on your first day of high school revealed your intolerance for crowds, especially with the likes of fanatic, hormonal teenagers — who wanted nothing but to rub elbows with royalty — swarming you left and right.

You had kept to yourself for the remainder of your high school life, but ever since that unforeseen visit to Ignis’, you noticed a drop in students harassing you on campus.

You liked to think that a certain Royal Adviser had something to do with the shift in treatment from your schoolmates.

Ignis never said anything about it. He deemed it unnecessary that you be aware of his involvement with campus officials and the warning words he had uttered regarding your safety and well-being.

You were his responsibility, after all.

*

A few days before Noctis was set to leave for Altissia, you decided to throw a party in celebration of not just his engagement, but your new assignment in Accordo as well. The small get-together — which consisted of you, Noctis, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto — was mostly for your own enjoyment. You were being sent off to Altissia ahead of Noctis’ departure, so it would be a while before you would get to see your favorite people again.

“I don’t understand why you can’t just wait a while and come with us, (Name),” Prompto commented with a pout. “We’re all going the same direction anyway.”

You shrugged. “As they say: duty calls.” Taking a swig of your drink, you gestured for Gladio to pour more wine into your glass. “Besides, we’ll see each other soon enough. Don’t worry about it.”

“I think you should slow down on the drinks, (Name).” Noctis attempted to swipe your wine glass from your grasp, but just like the prince, your own reflexes had also improved over time. “Don’t want you hungover on the trip to Accordo tomorrow.”

“I’ll be fiiine,” you sang, leaning onto Gladio for support. “Live a little, Noct-Noct!”

“Prince Charmless is right,” Gladio said as he attempted to steady your swaying form. “Drink too much and you might fall asleep waiting for your boat.”

You scoffed. “If anyone’s falling asleep, it’ll be Sleepy Boy over here.” You poked Noctis on the nose, causing him to scrunch up his face almost reflexively. “You better not fall asleep before your wedding, Noct. Can’t keep sweet ol’ Luna waiting too long. She’ll be expecting a proper prince waiting for her at the altar!”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“We don’t have enough time for that,” Ignis deadpanned, causing the rest of your party to erupt in laughter.

As the night dwindled, your group fell into a comfortable silence. Noctis was already dozing off, while Gladio and Prompto were in their little corner, with the former teaching the blond a few “tricks” up his sleeve on how to “charm the women.”

That left you with Ignis.

“Hey, Iggy,” you called softly. “Could I talk to you for a minute? In private?”

Ignis was in the middle of taking Noctis’ glass from him — as his charge was bound to lose his grip on the drink, what with him going in and out of slumber — when you asked for him. “Certainly,” he said, and the two of you wandered off a little ways away from your friends.

“Can you believe it?” Your words broke the quiet between you and Ignis, the moon and stars serving as your spotlight. “Who would have thought that our Noct would go and get himself hitched? And to the Oracle, at that! I never even dreamed that he would be the first of us to get engaged, let alone start his way towards married life.”

“Indeed.” Ignis adjusted his glasses, a habit of his you had grown fond of over the years. “Granted, the engagement was brought on by the treaty, but regardless, it’s certainly enough reason to celebrate.”

You nodded in agreement. “Definitely.”

“So what was it you wanted to discuss, Princess?”

You felt yourself grow warm even beyond the effects of the alcohol in your system. Under Ignis’ intense stare, you couldn’t help but fidget a bit. The Royal Adviser had grown all the more refined in the past couple of years, making him even more attractive than he already was to begin with.

Not only did he now tower over you with his height, his jawline became more chiseled, giving him a sharper and much more striking face. You also took notice of how much his shoulders had broadened, providing him with a much more masculine build.

Simply put, Ignis Scientia was a work of art. That’s all there really was to it.

“I…” You gulped nervously. “There was something I wanted to tell you before I left.”

“Yes?”

It was now or never. “I… I love you, Ignis. I’m in love with you.”

You shut your eyes almost immediately, too scared of what Ignis’ reaction would be. Had you kept your eyes open, you would have registered the shock on his face. There were tellings of tenderness around his eyes at your confession, but you remained blissfully unaware as you waited with bated breath for his response.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity too long, Ignis spoke. “This is…”

“… yes…?”

“This is highly improper.”

Your stomach fell at his words, eyes opening in shock. “What… what do you mean?” Already, you could feel the tears threatening to make their appearance, but you willed yourself not to let them escape. Not yet. Not until he explained himself.

“What I mean is that you must dismiss this nonsense at once, Princess.”

“Nonsense?” you croaked, hurt by how savagely Ignis was taking this. “How is this nonsense? I love you, Ignis!”

The sharp glare Ignis had sent you that day would be burned into your mind forever. “No, you don’t. You’re not mature enough to know what you’re talking about, (Name).”

“And you are?” Though your tone was scathing, the stray tears that managed to leak from your eyes betrayed you. “I know you’re smarter than me, Ignis, but I’m not that far behind you in age.”

“What you manage to keep up in age speaks nothing of your wisdom, Princess.” He looked away from you, the deep frown seemingly aging him beyond his years. “You’re not in love with me. You’re drunk.”

“Stop calling me that!” you snapped, rubbing at your eyes furiously. What was going on with Ignis? Your gentle, sweet, patient Iggy? “Don’t tell me what I feel, Ignis! I’m sober enough to know what it is that I feel for you, and it’s love! I love you! Why can’t you accept that?”

“Why can’t you accept rejection when you see it, Princess?”

You fell silent at his remark. The tears were flowing freely now, and you did nothing to conceal them any longer. Defeatedly, with your voice barely over a whisper, you uttered, “Why do you hate me?”

“I don’t-“

“You do,” you asserted tearfully. “You’ve never liked me. Even when we were kids, you’ve always hated me, Iggy.”

“Princess…”

“But me?” You laughed mockingly, the chuckles being drowned by your overpowering sorrow. “I’ve always loved you.”

That was the last Ignis saw of you, for the next time you met, his eyes could comprehend nothing but darkness.

His only regret was having your heartbroken face — from pain that he had been the source of — as his final memory of your time together before everything fell apart.

*

Several things revolved around Ignis’ mind as he processed the loss of his eyesight. What use was he now if he couldn’t even see his prince? Would he ever be able to cope? How was Noctis handling the passing of Lunafreya?

No matter what he thought of, though, you continued to remain at the fore of his mind.

He wondered where you were now. After that night, you had left for Accordo very early in the morning. Ignis had failed to see you off, as did the rest of his companions, Noctis included. It was as if you had made it a point to avoid all of them on the day of your departure.

He couldn’t blame you if you were avoiding him specifically, especially after how badly he had handled your confession.

The silver lining in your prompt expedition to Accordo was the fact that you were safe from the fall of Insomnia. Ignis at least had that to tide his worries over for the time being, though it did nothing to ease the gaping hole in his heart at his actions from your final conversation.

He had attempted to contact you countless times during the duration of his travel to Altissia with Noctis and the rest of their party. In spite of his efforts, you were adamant in rejecting his calls, though this was of no surprise to Ignis. Noctis, Prompto, and even Gladio had tried calling you as well — and they were especially consistent after they caught wind of Niflheim’s betrayal — but they were always redirected to either the dial tone or your voice mail.

You were simply unreachable.

“I pray that you are safe, Princess,” Ignis whispered softly into the air as he wobbled off the edge of his bed. He reached out for his walking stick, feeling the frustration of everything that had occurred become incredibly overwhelming. “There is so much I have left unsaid.”

*

“I told him not to fall asleep before his wedding.” Though your message was said in jest, your watery voice was telling enough of the grief you felt. “But did he listen? Of course he didn’t. That stupid Sleepy Boy.”

“Yeah.” Prompto chuckled sadly, wiping a tear from his eye. “That’s Noct for ya.”

“He’ll be back soon,” Gladio said, though the waver in his confidence was painfully obvious. “Or I’ll bring him here myself.”

You sniffed and turned towards the one who had remained silent during your tearful reunion. “And what about you, Iggy? I swear to the Astrals above, you really spoil Noct too much. Now look where it got you!”

Ignis frowned, expecting a comment or two on his eyesight. Or rather, his lack thereof. You were sure to offer pity for his handicap. In fact, he even expected you to mock him as a means of retaliating over the hurt he had lashed out on you that fateful night. It wasn’t even that long ago when you went your separate ways, and yet, it felt almost as if decades had come and gone since then.

He would have accepted any form of punishment from you, really, so long as it would mean he could obtain your forgiveness once and for all.

But, it seemed some things never did change, including the way you had never failed to render Ignis speechless and catch him off guard. What you said next made his cheeks burn — a sensation he never thought he would ever be able to feel anymore, particularly at this point in time when everything seemed bleak and hopeless.

“Look at what you’ve done to yourself.” Your voice was so sweet and so gentle, it made Ignis want to cry. The delicate graze of your fingers over his damaged face made him shiver in delight. “Not to worry. Scars or no, you’re still a work of art to me, Iggy!” Lowering your voice enough for just the two of you to hear, you murmured, “I’ll always love you no matter what.”

Everyone thought Ignis broke down into a heaping mess in your arms as his way of grieving for Noctis, but what no one knew was that he was crying over the love you still held for him even after all this time.

*

With the lack of communication between the two of you since your disappearance, Ignis had barely held onto any hope of possibly finding you again.

And yet, here you were, safe and sound with the rest of civilization at Lestallum. Not only did you look well — rather, you sounded well to Ignis’ ears, at the very least — you had even welcomed him into your loving embrace.

He knew he was entirely undeserving of your kindness and affection, especially with the memory of how he treated you still haunting him, but he allowed himself this momentary reprieve of selfishness. Just this once, Ignis gave himself this small window of putting his own needs before anyone else’s.

He needed you, and here you were, ready and waiting to catch him at any given moment.

“Shh, Iggy, you’re okay,” you cooed into his ears that night. At that very moment, Ignis knew he could go on — blind or otherwise — so long as he had you to lead him through the darkness.

Had you always sounded this angelic, or was his improved hearing warping his memory of your voice?

Or, could it be that he was hearing you not through brand new ears due to his lack of vision, but through the new development of his endearment towards his princess?

“You’re safe, Iggy, you’re safe,” you repeated like a mantra as you soothed his distress with your presence alone. You combed your fingers through his tresses as he held onto you desperately, not ready to face reality just yet. “We’re here. You’re not alone, Iggy. We’re here. We can do this.”

Ignis knew that you, too, were crying as well. He caught the soft whimpers that were scattered between your warm assurances. Even then, he couldn’t bring himself to be strong enough for the two of you for the time being.

Here, in your arms, he was safe, and he wasn’t ready to let go of the safety you provided just yet.

*

None of you addressed Ignis’ breakdown that night. It was a breakthrough for sure, but if Ignis chose not to bring it up, then neither were any of you going to forcefully pick at the wound he had opted to bury.

With both Noctis and Lunafreya absent, darkness surged into the everyday. Ignis, ironically, was one of the first to adjust into this nightmare of a world. He had lost his vision a little before the darkness took over, after all, so the lack of daylight didn’t make much of a difference to him.

What did make a difference was your constant companionship.

Ignis had yet to formally discuss that dreadful night before your trip to Accordo. He owed you more than an apology at this point, and yet, he kept mum, faltering at each opportunity whenever you greeted him with that sunny disposition of yours.

“How do you do it, Princess?” Ignis had asked one day, nearly a year into this life of darkness.

“Do what, Iggy?”

“How have you kept your light so brilliant all this time?” He readjusted his grip on his walking stick as he felt you settle yourself next to him. “Not even Prompto has managed to remain this bright, and he has always been the most cheerful out of all of us.”

You slipped your hand into one of his gloved ones, giving it a squeeze before explaining, “Well, I gotta be the light for you, Iggy. It’s the least I can do while all of you are out there fighting to protect us.”

“But why me?”

“Why not you?”

“I don’t deserve your compassion, Princess.”

“Of course you do! What you don’t deserve is getting your eyesight taken from you, but you’ve always been the selfless one, so I guess I’ll let that slide.” You released his hand in order to caress his face. “You best believe Noct’s gonna get a whipping from me when I see him! He owes you big time.”

“He owes me nothing. I live in his servitude.”

“Well, I guess that’s always been the case, but still-“

“However, I do owe you an apology.”

“Huh?” Your light touches on his face halted. “An apology for what?”

“An apology for how I treated you that night before you left for Accordo,” Ignis explained, a hint of regret lining his words. “I handled the situation inappropriately, and I hurt you in the process.” He blindly reached out for your hands, and you met him halfway, offering your grasp in his shaky one. “For that, I beg for your forgiveness.”

“Iggy, it’s okay. I… I got over it a long time ago. I shouldn’t have sprung something so big on you before I left anyway.”

“Regardless, I am deeply remorseful for how I treated you that night, (Name). You did not deserve to have your feelings regarded so poorly, least of all by someone such as myself.”

Much like that night, silence enveloped the two of you for a few agonizing moments. Ignis sat there, waiting patiently for what you had to say. Eventually, you let out a sigh, leaning a little into his side.

“Can I ask you something then, Iggy?”

“Go ahead, Princess.”

“You… did you ever really…” You were struggling to find the right words. Ignis gave you the push you needed by wrapping his arm around you. “I always felt like you hated me, Iggy. Did you?”

His answer was instantaneous. “Never.”

“Then how come you were always so… how come you always gave me the cold shoulder?” You traced patterns into his thigh as you said this, and Ignis struggled to focus on your words more than the tantalizing feel of your touch. “I mean, I always knew your duty was to Noct, and I was never jealous about that or anything, but…” Another sigh. “Why is it that you were never really friendly with me? And why… why were you so adamant about shutting me down when I confessed to you that night?”

There it was. The hurdle Ignis had to face if he wanted to garner your forgiveness.

“Truth be told, Princess, I was young and naive, and I simply did not know how to handle two Nocts at once.”

“Hey! I object!” you exclaimed. It wasn’t long before your protests fell into a brief wave of giggles. “Yeah, we were a handful together, weren’t we?”

“I wasn’t always as wise as you thought me to be.”

“Still, you were pretty mature for your age. I always admired you for that.”

Ignis felt himself blush at your praise. “As for that night…” He took a deep breath before turning to you. With his lack of vision, Ignis tried to keep his gaze trained towards what he surmised were your eyes. “I… I was afraid, to be frank.”

“Afraid?”

“The very idea of having a member of the royal family hold a great deal of intimate fondness for me in such a manner was terrifying. I did not consider it to be appropriate for me to pursue any inklings of romance with you, especially with my obligations to Noct.”

It took you a few moments to process what he said. “I see.”

“Unfortunately, I was much too brash in my dismissal of your feelings. I was blinded by fear to even consider a possibility with you. You may think me mature, but at the time, I was anything but. I was frightened by the prospect of having to entertain my already conflicting feelings for you.”

Ignis’ voice began to falter, but he continued nevertheless. “Since then, I have lived in regret over my actions. If I had opted to voice my thoughts better, then perhaps we could have…” He shakily reached out for your face, surprised to feel wetness seeping into his gloves. “I am truly sorry. Please, please don’t cry, Princess.”

“S-sorry.” You hastily wiped away your tears, only for Ignis to beat you to it. Instead, you clung onto his hands, which cupped your face in a tender hold. “Sorry, hah. I guess I’m still an emotional mess, huh?”

“There is no need for apologies, Princess. You are sublime just the way you are.”

“Ignis, I…” Your grip tightened around his hands. “I still love you. I love you, Ignis. I love you.” You couldn’t help but cry now, the sound of your wails tearing into Ignis’ heart. “I-I’m-I’m sorry, you don’t have to reciprocate or anything. I just… I just wanted you to know that I never stopped. I never stopped loving you, Ignis.”

How? How had you remained so unwavering in your devotion to him even after he had hurt you so? He didn’t deserve you.

The look of sadness on Ignis’ face made your chest tighten painfully. “I don’t deserve to be loved. Not by you. Never by you.”

“Ignis, no-“

“You deserve everything, Princess,” he said brokenly. “I can’t give you anything. Not anymore.”

“Ignis,” you interjected, “I know you’re blind, but don’t you see? You are my everything. You always have been.”

Ever so gently, you pressed your lips to his, finally breaking through the last of the walls around his heart. To your utmost joy, Ignis gave in and matched your passion.

Propriety be damned, he at least deserved this one thing, didn’t he? His entire life had been dedicated to Noctis and the royal family. For once — just this once — he could let his guard down, could he not? Did he not deserve his own piece of joy as well?

Surely he was allowed to find a happily ever after with you, right?

Fervently, Ignis melted into your kiss, expressing all the dormant feelings he had suppressed over the years.

With his lips merely a whisper away, you murmured, “Will you say it, Ignis? Do you love me?”

“Always. Forever.” His lips sought yours in a frantic dance. “I love you.”

*

Noctis wanted to say he was surprised when he found you and Ignis, many years later, sporting matching bands on your left ring fingers. However, he knew such a union had been a long time coming, even before he was absorbed into the crystal.

“About time, Specs,” the prince — now king — said. He turned to you, gaze turning just a touch softer. “Your womanly charms worked, eh?”

“At least I made it down the aisle,” you quipped, though your damp eyes were evident even in the darkness. “You just dozed off, like I knew you would. You always were one to oversleep, Sleepy Boy.”

“Hey, I’m back now, aren’t I?”

“Better late than never, I suppose,” Ignis remarked with a small smile. “Good to have you back, Noct.”

“Good to be back. Did the princess behave while I was gone, Iggy?”

Your laugh was watery. “Are you forgetting that I’m older than you?”

“It’s only by a year, (Name).”

“That still means she has 365 days over you, buddy,” Prompto teased. “You’ve been gone so long that she’s eons ahead of you now.”

“You’re making it sound like (Name)’s an old granny,” Gladio said, giving Prompto a light punch on the shoulder.

“I will be in no time!” you joked. “Having Noct as family really ages you prematurely.”

“Tell me about it,” Ignis added, joining in on the banter.

“How’d you do it, Iggy?” Prompto asked, the air surrounding Hammerhead feeling lighthearted for once thanks to the return of Noctis. “How’d you survive looking after these two all this time and lived to tell the tale?”

Ignis’ gaze turned much warmer as he glanced in your direction. “Unwavering perseverance is a must in this job, Prompto. I’m only fortunate enough to have learned from the best.”

He might not have seen it, but Ignis could feel just how brilliant your smile was at that moment.

‘Take cooking lessons, they said.’ You stared helplessly at your burnt attempt at a chicken cordon bleu. ‘It’ll be fun, they said.’ Discreetly shoving the charred poultry down the garbage, you sighed longingly at everyone else’s pristine and mouth-watering dishes. ‘How is it fun when everything I make is inedible?’

Boy, if any of your classmates from high school saw you now, they might possibly throw a fit at the sight of you. Or maybe they’d look at you in awe.

After all, you were never really one for the kitchen.

Sure, you loved food — probably more than the average girl, even — but all you could do was devour dishes that were presented to you. For you to actually prepare something meant for human consumption was easily a recipe for disaster.

Which was why you were here, taking a culinary class in hopes of acquiring even a smidgen of an everyday man’s cooking skill.

But, let’s be real here: you could have lived the rest of your days perfectly content with being a failure in the kitchen. It’s not like you had any ambitions of becoming a chef or anything.

The true reason behind your ongoing efforts in trying to learn how to cook lies in a sole secret ingredient — one that is integral in your current woes as of late: Ignis Scientia.

Now, you were never really one to go to such great heights just to impress someone — let alone a member of the opposite sex — but Ignis was different. Here was a man in an entirely other league of his own. He was refined, patient, kind-hearted, and one of the most well-mannered men you ever had the blessed opportunity to encounter.

Not only did Ignis have the charms to go with his elegant face, he was also incredibly skilled — almost famously so, at least amongst his peers — in the kitchen. You’d probably go so far as to say his concoctions could rival — even best — the foods provided by the royal chef.

(Not that you knew what His Majesty and his son would have for their daily meals. You just believed that Prince Noctis requesting for a certain pastry from Ignis — and Ignis alone — was telling enough of the Royal Adviser’s skills in the kitchen.)

So here you were, struggling to cook up something in order to catch Ignis’ attention and impress him for once. Unfortunately, despite your wholesome intentions, your efforts were simply failing to bear any fruit.

‘I might end up burning my apartment down if I keep up with this,’ you thought glumly, already packing away your belongings as your cooking teacher gave you an unimpressed look for yet another cooking disaster this week.

‘Don’t worry.’ You gave your instructor a nod in farewell. ‘This is the last you’ll see of me in this blasted class.’

The very idea of taking up culinary lessons as a step towards getting Ignis to look your way was actually a suggestion from your friend Prompto. On one of your rare mutual breaks — yours from assisting other staff members with admin work and archiving documents for the royal family, his from Crowsguard training with Cor the Immortal — the two of you had stumbled upon Ignis himself, who was well on his way to a meeting with the King and the rest of his council.

“Hey, Specs!” Prompto greeted cheerfully with a wave of his hand.

“Good to see you, Prompto,” replied the bespectacled man. Ignis turned to you and offered a curt nod of acknowledgement.

All you could do was reciprocate his nod, already feeling your cheeks burn — a usual occurrence whenever you were near Ignis. While this was not the first time you had encountered the Royal Adviser in the flesh — as you would sometimes assist him with research and paperwork when necessary — being around him often made you feel shy and flustered. It was a miracle that you had yet to pass out from the effect he had on you.

“Where are you off to?” Prompto inquired.

Adjusting his grip on the small stack of folders in his arms, Ignis answered, “I’ve a meeting with His Majesty. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I best be on my way.”

It was only when Ignis turned a corner did you release a breath you hadn’t known you were even keeping. ‘He’s so handsome,’ you thought to yourself, clutching at your chest from how fast your heart raced around him.

Prompto looked at you oddly. Although some would think him to be a bit more on the naive side, the young blond liked to think that he was actually much more observant than the people around him would give him credit for. Perhaps that was why he detected your odd behavior in front of his friend.

Or maybe your crush on Ignis was just that obvious.

In any case, Prompto took notice of how tense you had become in the presence of his friend, as he placed a hand on your shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze. “Hey, you alright? I know Iggy might seem a little intimidating, but he’s actually a fun person to be around once you get to know him.”

“N-no, I…” you mumbled, keeping your eyes on the floor. “I know. He’s just- I’m…”

“Haha, you sound just like me when I tried asking this girl from school on a date!”

“Y-yeah, hah…”

“There’s no need to be so shy around good ol’ Iggy!” Prompto gave you a friendly pat on the back. “He might look like a strict professor on the outside, but on the inside, he’s just like you and me.”

“Uh-huh…”

“Well, except we’re plebes next to him, but you know. I’m sure you’d like him a lot once you got to know him better.”

“I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON IGNIS SCIENTIA!”

Okay, you were definitely obvious about your crush on the Royal Adviser.

“Woah, what?”

Your face was probably burning brighter than the sun by now. How could you have suddenly blurted — practically yelled loud enough for the entire Citadel to hear, oh gods —your deep, dark secret? Your head must have been in the clouds while Prompto was talking, and in your carelessness, you somehow interpreted his words as an accusation of harboring feelings for Ignis.

Which… well, cat’s outta the bag now, then.

“I-I…!” The embarrassment becoming too much to bear, you hid behind your hands, mumbling into your palms, “I didn’t say anything!”

“Honey, you most definitely said something, and it was a little along the lines of-“

“SHUT UP!” You slapped your hands over Prompto’s mouth in a frenzy. “Someone might hear!”

Pulling your hands away from his face, he replied, “With how loud you were, I wouldn’t be surprised if even Noct heard you from his bedroom.”

You groaned. “Prompto, please don’t say anything to Ignis about this.”

Your friend’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Why not? I’m sure Iggy would be really flattered. Plus, you guys would make a really cute couple!”

“That’s really nice of you to say and all, but I’d rather keep my feelings to myself, thank you very much.”

“Yeah, but I’m a great matchmaker!”

You snorted. “Sure, Cupid.”

“I am!” Prompto whined. “Stop laughing! I’ll get you two together if it’s the last thing I do!”

“No, Prompto, please don’t,” you said. “It’s really nothing against you, I promise. It’s just…” You tucked a hair behind your ear, staring longingly at the direction Ignis had disappeared to. “I wouldn’t want to pressure Ignis into anything by informing him of my… c-crush on him.” Crush? What a schoolgirl term. Surely you were beyond this already, right?

“You wouldn’t-“

Completely caught up in your thoughts, you ignored Prompto and continued. “Confessing would just make things awkward, especially since I know he doesn’t reciprocate my feelings. He already has so much on his plate as it is, so I don’t want to make things uncomfortable between us if I ever do decide to confess.” As an afterthought, you added, “Which I won’t, mind you. It’ll never happen.”

This had always been your mindset right off the bat. Why would you ever tell Ignis how you truly felt about him? It would just be another burden for him to bear, and that was the last thing you ever wanted to be to him.

“But,” Prompto said after a few seconds of silence, “are you really content with never telling him how you feel? Ever?”

When you really thought about it… of course you wouldn’t be content. However, living in silence seemed like a much safer option than getting into messy feelings and affections. Plus, unrequited feelings were definitely a more tolerable reality than the bitter sting of rejection.

You shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. His duty to Prince Noctis will always be his top priority, and I respect that. So even if I did happen to confess, I really don’t think it’d take me anywhere with Ignis.”

Amidst your wistful admissions was a frown on Prompto’s face that you failed to perceive. “Well…” he trailed off. “Well, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least try to get Iggy to look at you the way you look at him!”

“What are you playing at, Prompto?”

“What if you just… try to woo Iggy a little, (Name)?”

“Woo him?” You gave Prompto an incredulous look. “As if I even have a chance with him to begin with!”

“But you do!” Prompto insisted. “I promise that you do! We just need a little somethin’-somethin’ to tip the scales and get the ball rolling.”

“Okay, I’ll humor you. What, pray tell, would your plan of action be to,”—you made quotation marks with your fingers—“‘get the ball rolling’?”

Prompto hummed thoughtfully before suddenly snapping his fingers. “I know exactly what you can do!” Giving you a proud smile, he declared, “You can cook him something!”

You stared at Prompto for a solid few seconds, causing him to falter slightly in his expression. “Or bake him a cake or something…?” he added unsurely.

“You’re joking, right?”

“N-No! I’m serious!”

“Prompto.”

“What? Why are you looking like me like that?”

“I can’t cook to save a life.”

“C’mon, everyone can cook!”

“Not me,” you deadpanned. “I’m serious. I once burned a scrambled egg.”

“That’s not so bad-“

“The heat was on low and I found eggshells in it.”

“Okay, maybe you’ll need a little help. But that’s what I’m here for!”

You raised a brow. “You’re going to help me cook Ignis something?”

“Well, n-no…” Prompto chuckled nervously at the disapproving look you were wearing. “But! I know where you can take cooking classes!”

“Prompto, I know you mean well and all, but cooking classes? I’m pretty swamped with work as it is.”

“You can go after work! They have evening sessions that run an hour a day. It even includes baking lessons!”

“I can’t possibly cook anything for him. Ignis has the taste buds of a god!”

“All the more reason to make him something he’s never had before!” Prompto countered. “You know what they say: ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’ I betcha Iggy’ll love whatever you make him!” He was not going to let this go until you conceded, was he?

“I dunno…”

“C’mon (Name), don’t you want to show him what you have to offer? Make him see the wife material that you are?”

The wiggling of Prompto’s brows made you chuckle. “I’m hardly wife material.”

“And she’s so humble, too!” he cheered, pulling another giggle out of you. “It’ll be fun, (Name)!”

“Why are you so adamant about this, anyway?”

The grin on Prompto’s face softened into a warm smile. “I just want to see my friends happy, that’s all.”

If Prompto hadn’t won you over before, he definitely did now. This boy was truly an angel.

So that’s how you found yourself struggling to whip up a dish or two after work everyday. Everyday you came to class without fail, but also without fail was the stench of an actual failed dish after each session. Despite this, the encouraging looks Prompto always sent you whenever you chanced upon each other always inspired you to keep on going. Though you had called it quits on the cooking classes, it didn’t mean you couldn’t practice on your own, right?

*

It took a while, but the day finally came: you managed to make a seemingly decent platter of cupcakes. Baking was different from cooking, sure, but at least you finally made something even remotely edible. You had heeded Prompto’s suggestion of baking a cake, except you opted for a much simpler and smaller scale.

It only took about a month of daily trials and errors, but finally, you were able to produce a simple batch without killing yourself in the process. You even managed to put some pink frosting for a cute touch!

‘I’ll let Prompto taste test this first!’ you thought excitedly, scurrying towards where you knew your blond friend trained with the Marshal.

In your hurry to find Prompto, you failed to notice a presence making their way towards your direction. As you turned a corner, you accidentally bumped into the one and only Ignis himself — the very reason for the platter of dessert in your hands.

Alas, good fortune just wasn’t on your side today, though. Typically, bumping into Ignis would be a blessing in disguise. Today, however, it brought more distress than elation, because you lost your grip on the platter, causing the cupcakes to tumble to the ground with a generous smother of pink icing all over the Royal Adviser.

“Ignis!” you exclaimed, hands trembling at the mess you made. “I’m so- I’m sorry!”

You couldn’t read his face as he kept a stoic mask even after your collision. Ignis was often hard to decipher even on a regular day, but this time around, you were certain that he was unhappy with your stumble. His usually pristine clothes were now ruined by pink frosting, and his shoes were covered with the broken remnants of all your hard work.

Your hard work. You had slaved over this batch — the one you deemed the most acceptable out of the many others you had attempted — only for it to crumble before you. You didn’t even get to have Ignis try it.

Helplessly, you stared at what was meant to be a gift of affection for the man in front of you. Somehow, the sight of the disintegrated pastries brought forth a deep-seated frustration within you that served as a painful reminder that this wasn’t going to work out.

Who were you kidding? As if Ignis would ever go for someone like you. Baking or cooking or whatever, you would never amount to even half the person he deserved to be with. No matter how much effort you put into your work, everything will still fall apart — even something with Ignis.

‘What’s the point?’ you thought, downcast and discouraged. ‘No matter how hard I try, I’ll never be good enough for him anyway. I’ll still fail.’

You forced yourself to meet Ignis’ eyes in order offer another heartfelt apology, but the sigh that escaped his lips only triggered the appearance of tears in your own eyes. Now you knew for sure that he was definitely upset with you.

With your blurred eyesight thanks to your tears, you missed the look of what appeared to be panic on Ignis’ face. Bowing your head to avoid looking at him any further, you mumbled a pathetic “sorry, excuse me” before making yourself scarce.

Ignis was quite the sight when Prompto found him just a minute later, frozen in place and covered in pink.

*

‘I am an IDIOT,’ you thought miserably as you dragged yourself to work the next day. After your disappearing act on Ignis, you pretty much beat yourself up for reacting so brashly at your own slip-up. ‘Crying over a few measly cupcakes? Then running away? REALLY? Nice one, drama queen.’

“I bet the cupcakes weren’t even that good,” you grumbled, placing your things on your work desk and settling into your seat. You began to shuffle through some files that were left neglected just a day before, still a bit tense at your recollection of yesterday’s unfortunate collision.

“On the contrary,” a voice in front of you said, “they were actually quite delectable.”

Your eyes widened. Lifting your head from your papers, you found Ignis in front of you. He offered a charming smile to go with his nod.

“I-Ignis!” You shot up in surprise. “Wha… What are you doing here?”

“Am I not allowed to greet a friend good morning?”

“No! I-I mean…” You cleared your throat as you nervously wrung your fingers together. “You’re allowed! You can do whatever you want! Um, I, I mean… Good morning…?

He chuckled softly. “Good morning.”

It was then did you realize that Ignis was holding a small box in his hand. Pointing at the object, you inquired, “What’s that?”

“This?” He held up the box before gently placing it on your desk. “This is a gift for you.”

“M-Me?” you repeated dumbly. Ignis Scientia — THE Ignis Scientia — had a gift for you?!

Ignis adjusted the glasses on his face before continuing. “It is an apology of sorts for causing yesterday’s mishap.”

“Th-that was all my fault!” you sputtered. “I’m the one who’s sorry, Ignis! I ruined your clothes and then I ran away like a crybaby…”

“I’d like to apologize for the tears, then,” he countered.

“No!” you blurted anxiously. “You weren’t at fault! It was all me!”

“Regardless, you would do me a great honor in accepting this gift.”

You stared at the box. “Really?”

“Most certainly,” he assured. “Please, go ahead.”

Upon his insistence, you gingerly picked up the box, feeling a moderate weight inside. When you opened it, you were pleasantly surprised to find a cupcake — one that was identical to the ones you made yesterday, pink frosting and all.

Taking advantage of your silence, Ignis said, “Yesterday was quite the tragedy, wouldn’t you agree? What a waste it was for all the pastries to go spoilt in such a manner. I at least managed to try the icing, since there was an… abundance of it, as you know.”

You blushed, recalling just how much frosting you managed to get on him yesterday. Ignis let out a small smile, as if assuring you that he meant no harm with his comment. “I tried to replicate the taste to the best of my abilities, though I hope you can forgive me for taking the liberty to give my own take on the batter, seeing as I had no basis for what you made yourself.”

“Tha-that’s fine,” you breathed, awe-struck that Ignis had even bothered to make you anything, let alone try to copy your own take on a lame cupcake. Although you were squirming a bit under his gaze, you managed to offer a sincere smile. “Thank you.”

Ignis nodded in response. “I must say,” he uttered, “the icing reminded me of you a bit.”

“It did?” you asked, a little absent-minded at the fact that not only was Ignis making casual conversation with you, he had actually made something for you — and in the same fashion as what you had intended to give to him, at that! What exactly was happening here?!

“Yes,” he affirmed. “It was rather… sweet.”

“O-oh!” You could feel your face burning up at this point.

“I mean that in the highest of praises possible,” Ignis added. “If you’d like, perhaps we could discuss your recipe over a cup of Ebony?”

You gaped. Did he just…? Was he offering…? IS HE ASKING YOU OUT ON A DATE?! “Y-ye-yeah! Sure!” you squeaked, belatedly realizing how stupid you must have looked with your mouth wide open in such an un-ladlylike manner.

“Excellent.” The smile on Ignis’ face grew saccharine, and it made you flush to the tips of your ears. “Will you be free tomorrow afternoon, then?”

You did a quick mental scan of your schedule. All free. “Yes.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Dazed, all you could do was wave at Ignis as he made his exit. Did that really just happen? Are you really going to have coffee with Ignis tomorrow? Sure, he didn’t really specify outright that it was a date, but…

‘Wait till Prompto hears about this!’

*

“Well?”

“She seemed to be delighted at the prospect of Ebony tomorrow.”

“I told you!”

“Shouldn’t you meet with the Marshal for training now?”

“Aw c’mon, Iggy! You gotta spill all the juicy details!”

“My lips are sealed.”

“After everything I did to get you two together?”

“You did no such thing.”

“Iggy! I am hurt!”

“I’m merely jesting. Thank you, Prompto.”

“You’re very welcome! I told you she liked you back!”

“I’ll be sure to express my gratitude to you in the form of some Meldacio Meat Pie.”

“This is why I love you, Iggy.”

“I’m afraid your feelings remain one-sided.”

“Of course they are. You’ve always had your eye on her, after all.”

Silence.

“Iggy, is that…? Are you blushing?!”

“Ahem.”

“L-Lemme get this shot!”

“Excuse me, I must make my leave now.”

“Can I read here?” is a typical inquiry passed from you to Gladio. He’ll never know how you always manage to find him working out or training, but when you do, you’ll always settle yourself in a corner and crack open a book to read.

Gladio’s responses have ranged from a short grumble of “sure” to incoherent grunts when he’s on push-up number 152. Regardless of what he says, you will always manage to sneak up on him and plop yourself somewhere in the room to read. Gladio doesn’t mind your company; you’re always quiet anyway, and when he packs up to leave, you quickly scurry to his side for a welcome discussion of book recommendations.

Over time, you become a little piece of comfort that Gladio looks forward to everyday.

“Can I read here?” you ask on the day before he is set to accompany Noctis to Altissia.

“Sure,” he replies, swinging his greatsword with practiced ease.

The air is a little thick, splattered with the audible sounds of Gladio’s weapon slashing into nothingness. He notices that you’re a little slower with your page turning today, but he makes no comment on it. When he finishes for the day, the Shield expects you to appear by his side — as you usually do — but he’s surprised to find you frozen in your corner, your book lying forgotten on your lap.

The light in your eyes seems a little dim today. You look lost and distracted, and even when Gladio settles himself next to you on the floor, you remain still and tense. He eyes the open book in your lap, taking note of how worn the green cover is.

Taking the book into his own hands, he asks, “Can I borrow this?”

You look at him then, looking a little weary and sad. “I’m not yet done reading it,” you mumble.

“I know,” he says. “The trip to Altissia’s gonna be boring, and I’ve read all the books in our library already. This one at least looks promising.” He breathes deeply before giving you a fond smile. “I promise I’ll give it back when I’m done.”

There’s an underlying meaning to his vow. I promise I’ll come back to you when this is all over.

“You promise?” Your voice is small, but there’s a little bit of hope in your eyes now. This is all Gladio needs.

“I promise.”

*

When news of Insomnia’s fall reaches him in Galdin Quay, Gladio finds that he can’t even be bothered to look at your beloved book. There are too many thoughts and memories buried within its pages now, and your unknown whereabouts only serve to tighten the pain in his chest.

All he wants is to hear your sweet voice that asks the same old question: “Can I read here?”

He wishes you could read in his company one more time.

*

Lestallum brings not just his only remaining family back into his arms, it also reunites Gladio with a piece of his heart: you. What a relief it is to know that you made it out in one piece. The tears that roll down your cheeks hurt him more than it should, but Gladio can’t be bothered to hold his affections back this time around.

Not now. Not when you’re in his embrace, alive and well.

“Hey,” he says, pulling away from you to wipe the wet trails from your flushed cheeks.

“Hey.” You offer a shaky smile, holding onto the large hands that frame your face. “Is my book okay?”

You’re rewarded with a hearty laugh for your question. There’s a shared look between the two of you in this moment, as you both recognize the deeper meaning in your query: Are YOU okay?

“It’s good,” he answers. “A little battered here and there, but it’s holding up.”

“Please take care of it,” you remind him, your watery eyes causing Gladio’s heart to throb rather painfully. “It's very special to me. I’ll need it back when you’re done, remember?”

“Got it.”

You remain in each other’s arms for a little while longer.

*

When daylight falls and the night reigns rampant, you fall into a routine of reading aloud for Gladio.

“I really don’t like the sound of my voice, Gladio,” you tell him with a frown the very first time he requests for you to read to him. “It’s so ugly. We can just-“

“Please.” The desperation in his voice is heartbreaking. “Please, just… will you read to me?”

Who are you to deny him of this one wish? And so you comply. Again and again, you read to him as a means of mending his broken spirit.

You become his beacon of light in the years of darkness, and it’s a responsibility — an honor — that you treasure in your time together. The love and appreciation that glow in his eyes whenever you read to him teaches you to love the sound of your voice. With your help, Gladio slowly manages to piece himself back together.

Just in time for the return of Noctis, 10 years later.

“You’ll come back to me, right?” No longer are you hiding behind double meanings and veiled words. There is no longer a need for that, not when you’ve woven so much of yourself into Gladio.

“I will.” He is steadfast in his word. As a man of honor, he pledges to do everything in his power to return to your love.

“You’ll read to me when you come back,” you say. “It’s your turn to read aloud this time.”

Gladio offers you a kiss on your forehead. “It’s a date.”

*

He comes back, beat up and bruised, but he brings the daylight in his wake. This is more than you could ever ask for.

He falls into your embrace, and you hold him, ushering tender whispers into his ear. The warmth of the sun is welcoming after all this time, but Gladio finds that you are much more soothing than the satisfaction of victory.

He clutches onto you like you were his lifeline. That is what you are, after all.

You are his life.

“Gladio,” you murmur, drawing soothing circles into his back. “Will you read to us?”

He pulls away from you then, brows furrowing in confusion. “Us?”

“Us.” You take ahold of his large hand and place it over your belly. “Us.”

The smile on Gladio’s face could have rivalled the brightness of the sun right then and there. The rest of his days are filled with fairytales, old and new, as he embraces this new chapter of his narrative.

“Hey there, you must be Ignis’s new assistant.” You glanced up from the coffee machine and saw the same blonde man you spied chatting to his friend yesterday. Is everyone here blonde and attractive or something?

“What if I’m the new customer relations representative and I resent the implication that I’m just the boss’s assistant?” You quipped.

He leaned back and pointed his fingers at you, a smirk on his face. “Am I wrong, though?”

“No, you’re right!” You said, laughing as you broke character. “Whatever gave it away?”

“Well, you’ve got that Spiracorn in the headlights look in your eyes, you’re also brewing Ebony coffee and only one person drinks that in this office AND I’m the IT guy so I set up your log in. Prompto.” He thrust his hand out towards you and you shook it enthusiastically.

“I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you.”

“Ignis giving you a hard time already, Y/N?” Prompto said, as if reading your mind. He leaned against the kitchen counter near to the coffee machine you were focusing on.

“You could say that!” You strategically replied, you thought it would be best not to bitch about your job minutes after starting.

“He’s a bit uptight, huh? He’s even got his office blacked out, that’s never a good sign.” You glanced over your shoulder at the darkness in the corner, taking a mental note to be on your best behavior while those glass panes were black. Prompto continued. “If you manage to survive his bad mood you’ll be fine. None of his assistants believe me, but he’s actually a great guy.”

“I’ve heard that before, I’m holding on to that fact as I try not to mess up big time.” You said, nervously laughing as you worked your barista magic on the espresso machine. Then, something Prompto said clicked. “Wait, exactly how many assistants has he had?”

“Total or this year?” Prompo replied, casually.

Eyes widening, you responded. “Let’s go with this year.”

“Three.” The blonde said with a nod.

“But… it’s only March.”

“I know.” Said Prompto. You groaned and slumped over the mug now full with Ebony. Prompto frantically began shaking his hands in front of him. “But don’t worry, ok?! He just…doesn’t suffer fools, that man. The only problem is his definition of a fool is a bit loose.”

Prompto smiled endearingly at your look of concern as you tried to find comfort in his face. “Any advice for me?”

He placed his hand on your shoulder and sighed. “Don’t take it personally, that’s all I can say. He’s a perfectionist, but he also has a million things going on in his head at once, so he doesn’t find time to really sit down and train his assistants. In the long run, it would help him, but good luck trying to convince him of that.” You smiled and nodded in acknowledgment of his advice. “Also, if you manage to brew a good cup of Ebony for him, I reckon that’ll buy you some time. I swear he got rid of a guy on his third day because he burned the beans.”

You laughed at the thought and Prompto joined you, easing your stress slightly. “Thanks, Prompto.”

“Here you are, Mr. Scientia.” You said, placing the Ebony on his desk carefully. Ignis picked up the mug and brought it to his lips. He glanced at the mug, as if looking at the liquid changed his perspective of the taste now it was in his mouth. “Is it to your liking, sir?” You asked.

He nodded. “Yes, excellent, thank you, Y/N.”

Your heart skipped a beat at such praise and you sighed in relief. “I’m so glad to hear that. Nothing worse than someone messing up your coffee, am I right?” The silence that filled the room almost made your half a slice of toast come back into your throat again. Wincing slightly, you waited for Ignis to respond. He stared at you, no hint of emotion on his face.

“I need that document regarding the merger before noon.”

Obediently, you replied. “Absolutely, sir.”  

Hunched over your desk, you stared in disbelief at the inbox you had been battling with for the past 3 hours. As it turns out, every assistant before you had grandiose ideas of how to label Ignis’s correspondence, making your job of locating the emails your boss required more like untangling a ball of rubber bands. The sound of the phone on your desk ringing snapped you out of your concentration. A small pit of nerves pooled within your stomach, you had never been very good at talking on the phone, much preferring face to face contact. Hesitantly you picked up the receiver.

“Hello?”

“…Is that how you’ll be answering this line?” Ignis’s cool tones played directly into your ear, causing goosebumps to break out on your skin.

“Oh, Mr. Scientia! Sorry I…” You reasoned.

“Please try and represent my office in a professional manner from here on out, understood?” Ignis retorted. You scrunched your face up in embarrassment before responding.

“Right. Yes, of course. What can I do for you, sir?”

“I’ve been waiting for the merger document, where is it?”

Glancing at the clock on the computer monitor you noticed the time. 12:01pm. Tightening your brows in disbelief of the timing of his reminder, you replied.

“Oh, no, I’m sorry, I’m still figuring out how the previous assistants organized your correspondence so I’m not sure I’ve quite managed to collect…”

“Step into my office.” The line went dead. You felt the color drain from your face. Looking up you glanced across the floor, scared that somehow everyone was privy to your blunder. You noticed now that Prompto’s desk was located diagonally from yours, he glanced over at you when he saw you stand up from your chair. You pulled a frightened face at him and he gave you a solemn thumbs up in reply. You stepped through the shadowed door, once it had closed behind you Ignis spoke immediately.

“I told you I needed the merger document before noon. Noon has been and gone, Y/N.”

Breathing through your nose, you tried to compose yourself. You had never met someone so incorrigible. “I understand that, sir, but as I was saying on the phone just now…”

“Unacceptable.” Was Ignis’s curt reply. Your mouth hung open slightly, your words caught in your throat. Despite this man looking like a blessing from the heavens, he had the personality of fecal matter. How can he be this inconsiderate on someone’s first day? Your blood boiled hot as you tried to swallow the slew of curse words that you wanted to yell in his perfect face. The fact that you found him so physically attractive seemed to make you angrier. “Should I even inquire about the status of the shareholder meeting?” He continued.

“Well, I’ve not started that yet, sir. I was prioritizing the merger document since you needed that first.”

“I see.” His eyes scanned your body, as if analyzing you for the best place to stab you with a dagger. You tried to not let his pale green eyes make you feel so exposed.

“I’m sorry, sir, I’m doing the best I can.” You replied, hoping to tap into some level of sympathy within him. Both Gladiolus and Prompto spoke highly of him, you decided to try and trust their judgement and salvage this situation despite your own temper rising.

“If this is your best then I seriously doubt you possess the skill set required to handle this position.” Ignis said, leaning back on his chair, crossing one leg over the other. Your back now firmly pressed against a wall, you decided to fight back. He might have chewed up and spat out countless of assistants before you, but you weren’t going to give in to this man’s tormenting. You needed this job. You had a history with people looking down their noses at you, but you always found a way to school those people and send them off with their tail between their legs.

“I assure you, I can do this. I’ll try harder, Mr. Scientia.”

“Very well. Forget about the Fleuret merger, I’ll do it myself. Focus on the meeting.” He responded, leaning forward towards his desk to begin the work you failed at. Pausing, he arched an eyebrow and turned to look at you once more. “Do you think you can handle that?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Before you begin, kindly make me another cup of Ebony.” You nodded your head and turned on your heels. “At least I know for certain you are capable of that much.” 

It was a comment that most might have waited to utter once you had left the room, but Ignis was no ordinary man. He wanted you to hear his disdain for you, he wanted to break you. 

Plastering your sweetest smile on your face and finding your best professional voice, you turned to face him and responded. “Right away, sir!”

If this was a game Ignis was playing with you, you were determined to win.