It was well past sunrise as the entire group, save for one had finished their breakfast and were ready to get back on the road. It was late enough that Noct and Prompto had already finished enough rounds of King’s Knight that they were growing bored. Leah had already polished, and re-polished her guns. And honestly Gladio had done more pushups than he could count. 

“Think she’s ever gonna get out of bed?” Noct said casting an accusing glare towards the girls’ tent. 

“Look, sugar, I’ve already tried four times. Sleeping Beauty is not budging. I even took a piece of bacon in there to get a reaction. Nothin.” Leah replied as she did a quick twirl of her gun and pushed it into her holster. 

“Well, what are we going to do? We can’t leave her.” Prompto said suddenly worried, his mind raced through several scenarios about her being too sick to move. He wrung his hands in frustration. 

“Hey, Specs. Why don’t you give it a try?” Gladio said with a cheeky grin as he wiped his sweaty brow. “Sleeping Beauty wouldn’t attack her own Prince Charming, yeah?”

“I’m afraid you have your fairy tales mixed up, Gladio.” Ignis returned after securely packing up the portable grill, though with a quick glance towards the sun in the sky, he casually thought to himself if they were going to need it for lunch at this rate. 

“Just give it a try. What’s the worse that could happen?” Noct cajoled, wearing a matching grin as Gladio. 

“Go on in, Mr. Sunshine. Not sure even your dazzlin’ presence’ll do anythin.” She sent a casual wave towards him but upon turning to see Prompto’s suddenly dejected face she leaned over and grabbed his hand and offered a smile. Suddenly his face lit up as if it were the sun. 

Ignis huffed at his friend’s eager expressions, but sighed at his own resignation as he walked towards the tent. “Josie? Are you awake?” He asked before he went for the zipper, another glance to the group as they were watching his every move. He rolled his eyes. “I’m coming in.” 

Once he disappeared inside Gladio chuckled out loud. “Hope that wasn’t sending him to the executioner.”

“Huh? I thought they were... you know... together?” Prompto asked. 

“Like you and Leah?” Noct jabbed his elbow into Prompto’s side and he reeled away, effectively leaning into Leah’s lap. 

“Well, sugar? Answer the man.” Leah teased as she smiled. 

Back inside the tent, Ignis treaded carefully in the cramped space. It wasn’t as large as the boy’s tent, though with only two people residing in it, it was more than sufficient. Josie was wrapped up in her blankets not unlike a cocoon, Ignis noted. But he shook his head to clear the image and keep on task. She was turned away from him, from his best guess due to her long blonde hair sticking out of the top of the lump of blankets. 

“Josie.” He announced little more than a whisper. No reaction. 

“Josie.” He repeated louder. Still nothing. 

As he spoke, he reached out to her shoulder to shake her awake. “My dear, it is time to depart, the others-” 

Suddenly his arm was caught in a vice grip, which he recognized as her own hand before he was pulled up and over, before being dragged under the covers. Once he orientated himself he realized he was pulled into her little cocoon and now face to face with it’s inhabitant as it was still asleep. 

“Josie. Please wake up.” He pleaded in whispers, his arms were stuck at his side. “Dear?”

Eventually, he saw one eye peek open, he was very thankful for the sudden appearance of her jewel blue eye. 

“Ignis?” She groggily asked, still glancing around with one eye. 

“Yes. Good morning.” He said with a gentle smile at her defenselessness. 

“Why are you in my sleeping bag?” She asked

“Well, I was trying to wake you up, but you seem to have other ideas.”

“I have lots of ideas of us in this sleeping bag.” Josie replied, closed her eyes and snuggled into his chest attempting to go back to sleep. 

He cleared his throat suddenly thankful that it was relatively dark in the tent so she couldn’t see him blushing. “Let’s... table that idea for another time, shall we?” He began to wriggle his way out of her grasp until he felt a soft sensation on his lips, only to recognize it as her own kissing him.  He had an internal battle as to whether to continue which he really wanted, or to stop and get her up so the group could travel on. But his indecision went on a bit too long as soon the tent’s flap opened wide, flooding the inside with light. 

A chorus of cat-calls from the other side as apparently the group got too impatient to wait and came to help. Ignis quickly disengaged and jumped back and Josie finally sat up rubbing her eyes from the bright sunlight. 

“Ignis, we sent you here to wake her up, not a booty call.” Noct said his hands on his hips to scold his tactician. 

“Noct, I’ll have you know-” Ingis began to rebut his face crimson. Noct walked away not ready for his lecture, Gladio followed. Ignis continued his tirade as he walked behind them. 

“Mornin’.” Josie finally said and stood up and stretched. “We ready to go?”

“Just like that?” Leah asked suspicious of her suddenly non-grumpy friend. 

“Like what? Looks like it’s getting late, let’s get moving.” She said and began to pack. 

“Wow, I’ve never seen Josie so agreeable in the morning.” Prompto said quietly to Leah almost in awe. 

“Oh, no Mr. Sunshine is DEFINITELY waking her up every day from now on.” Leah said with a determined nod.