“How on Eos did you do that?” Ignis asked as he walked over to embrace his husband.  

“I saw a bag of marshmallows.” Gladio could feel Ignis stiffen in his hold; he clearly didn’t know how to respond.  “They reminded me of my dad.” Gladio offered to spare Ignis any confusion.

“Ah I think understand.” Ignis murmured quietly. “What did you and your dad do with marshmallows exactly. I didn’t take either of you for the fancy dessert types.”

Gladio snorted at that reply.  “Nope, we aren’t, but you can make s’mores with them.”

“Oh.”

“You like s’mores don’t you?”

“I suppose.” Ignis offered with a slight shrug.  

Picking up on the subtle tell Gladio pushed Ignis back by his shoulders.  “You’ve never had one had you?  I can’t believe you’ve never eaten a s’more.”      

“I didn’t say that!” Ignis huffed.  

“But it’s true! I can tell by your body language.” Gladio pushed.  “We have to make them tonight!”

Ignis smiled finally but still looked confused.  “Don’t you need an open fire for such an activity?”

“We can cook using the grill on the patio, and then after dinner I’ll craft a makeshift fire.”  He replied excitedly.  Gladio was very much looking forward to making his childhood snack. He was even more enthusiastic about it, since he was going to share it with his husband.  

Ignis agreed to the hair brained scheme and started preparing the side dishes for dinner, while Gladio cooked the meat.  Opting to eat on the patio to enjoy the pleasant cool evening air, Gladio was able to relax.  The memories that had bombarded him in the supermarket had lessened.  He had plenty of distractions during dinner, his handsome husband, good food, and teasing talk of what dessert would entail.  

Finally after the all the dishes had been cleaned and put away, it was time to make s’mores.   Gladio was struck with a horrible thought, once the fire in the grill was big enough to roast the marshmallow.   “Babe – uh – you know the process right? You remember the basics of s’mores don’t cha?” He asked worriedly.  He was prepared to instruct Ignis on the finer techniques of roasting the small round fluff of sugar, but he’d been assuming Ignis knew at least that much.  Otherwise, teaching a literal blind man the whole process was slightly daunting.  

“I do remember there is some art to getting the marshmallow not to burn.”  He replied reaching out his hands for the long skewer they were using. “Instruct me.”  He requested.  

Gladio was eternally grateful he’d bought the big bag of marshmallows as Ignis had set at least seven of them aflame.  “I know you like fire, but they don’t taste good all burnt.” Gladio laughed.  

“I’m going on smell love, I can only smell them when they catch fire.”

That made Gladio pause, how the heck was going to figure that out. “Uh – well then you will have to listen to me when I tell you take it out of the fire.”  Ignis shrugged and focused his attention back on his task. His tongue was sticking out slightly as he worked and marshmallow number seven, or was it eight – caught fire.  An idea blossomed in Gladio’s head and he got up to grab something.  “Ok this might work.” He announced upon his return.  

The marshmallow burning thankfully died down after that.  Gladio had grabbed a griddle pan and was using it as a shield to prevent the spread of fire.  When he deemed the fluffy treat to be perfectly roasted, he blocked the fire by placing the pan underneath the marshmallow.  Then by Gladio’s instruction Ignis gently guided it over to the s’more creation station.  Which in reality was a bucket flipped upside down covered in plates with graham crackers and chocolate.

“So they are really messy.” Gladio warned as he handed over the plate.  “Please be careful.”

“How messy?” He asked with a narrowed eye.  

“Sticky fingers, chocolate on your face.  That kinda messy.” He admitted fondly.  “It’s great, it’s all part of the process.”  

Ignis didn’t answer but took the plate and attempted to take a bite. He did fairly well but soon enough the gooey marshmallow and melted chocolate was dripping down his chin.  “This is yummy but very hard to eat.” He offered somewhat in defeat.  

“Hey babe, don’t get discouraged.  You’re in luck; you have a willing husband right here who wants nothing more than to feed you that delicious treat.”  

Laughing Ignis leaned in closer to Gladio.  “I, for once, am more than happy to let you help me.”

“You just don’t want sticky fingers, I’m onto you!” Gladio exclaimed, though he was happy about Ignis’ willingness to let him assist.  He was going to cherish this memory, and the activity had lessened the pain from his earlier feelings.  

Ignis throat clearing brought him back to the present.  “We need to roast more, where’s my stick?”

“Astrals, you want to burn more stuff!”

Ignis merely dissolved in to a fit of giggles as they sat around the tiny fire.  “It’s fun!” He defended.

“Yes it is.”  Gladio replied with a grin.  “You’re the best babe.”

“Thank you for letting me share this with you, I’ve had a delightful evening.”  

“What’s wrong?” Ignis asked, taking his seat at the head of the table again.

Gladio lifted his eyes from the plate in front of him. Tears were welling up in them. Ignis was shocked.

“What’s wrong?” he asked again.

“There aren’t any bits of cake or bread or anything hidden in the center of this I should know about, are there?” Gladio’s voice wobbled hopefully. “It’s just meat and cheese and fruit?”

“And honey,” Ignis replied, baffled. “What on earth does that have to do with anything?”

“Hold on.” Gladio raised a finger to put Ignis on pause while he scooped up a honey glazed fig with his other hand. He put the whole thing in his mouth and moaned, his eyes rolling back in head. His eyelids fluttered shut over them as he chewed. FInally, he swallowed. Then he sighed contentedly, leaning forward. “Sorry,” he said. “It’s just been so long since I’ve able to eat one of your desserts.”

“Able?!”

Gladio grimaced, looking a little embarrassed. “Yeah. They’ve all been so carb heavy lately, and...apparently that’s not good for me anymore, so – ”

Ignis interupted him there. “Hold on, excuse me, what?” He raised his eyebrows expectantly. “You can’t eat carbs anymore, and you didn’t tell me?”

Gladio bit his lip. Ignis sighed and leaned forward on his elbows, running his hands through his hair. “Well, thank goodness it wasn’t my cooking like I thought.”

“...You thought what?”

Ignis gestured helplessly to Gladio’s plate. “You weren’t eating. You’ve always been my taste tester, and then suddenly you weren’t eating. I thought...”

Gladio leaned across the corner of the table separating them, moved Ignis’s hand out of the way, and kissed him. “Babe,” he said when they parted. “It was torture not getting to eat your baking. You should know that.” He released Ignis’s hand, then picked up his plate and stood. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to put five more of these on my plate and eat until I hate myself.”

Ignis laughed, watching Gladio’s swaying hips as he swaggered into the kitchen.

Alphas and Omegas were rare and only made 40% of the population. Anyone else was a Beta. It was normal for an Omega to belong to the lower class when they were surrounded by Alphas, and it was normal to do as they were told for many decades.

Then the laws outside of Niflheim changed, or so he heard, but never truly believed in it, and equality won.

Equality was a concept Ignis only ever dreamed of while witnessing how cruel his own country was by using Omegas to breed more and more Alphas. Strong humans, smart, born to rule and to succeed in whatever they did.

Omegas were only toys, a thing to justify the need of an Alpha and nothing more or less, and the heat they went through once a month, was nothing but a cruel reminder of their place in this world.

The heat made every Omega weak, which made it impossible to do anything and, at the same time, awoke a need to feel an Alpha inside their body. There were pills against it but the government did a great job making it hard for an Omega to get them.

Why all of this happened? Ignis didn't know but he was certain they wanted to become the strongest empire by breeding more and more Alphas.

Even though he had a good job and a high position, which was unusual in itself and actually impossible, he did not know more than his boss told him. Ravus, his boss and his ex-partner, who felt guilty for what happened in the past and probably would do anything Ignis asked him, just so Ignis would forgive him.

Ignis sighed and rubbed the spot between his eyes. He had no time to think about the past and needed to focus on the present. If Gladio and Noctis were indeed from Lucis and there to help the Omegas, just like Ignis and Prompto had for the past three years, he needed to work with them. Aranea helped them and she made things possible - like transporting babies and families out of Niflheim - since Ignis couldn't, because people knew and watched him.

He put his empty cup into the sink and left for work.

When he arrived in the office he didn't expect to meet Gladiolus and Noctis there. Somehow he felt nervous when he saw them standing at the counter and talking to the secretary. Okay, perhaps their attendance wasn't that surprising since his boss was a politician himself and working for the building authority. It was thanks to him that Ignis found an empty school building he used as a hiding place for Omegas and he knew Ravus was risking his whole career by helping him. Ignis felt grateful but he still couldn't forgive him.

“I'll take care of them, Paula,” Ignis said after he approached the counter and stopped the two of them from saying something they shouldn't say.

He didn't know them for long but he understood that the people from Lucis were different, open minded, dangerous for the people from Niflheim. But he also knew that Ravus was the right person to approach if they wanted to cooperate with the Niflheim empire.

“Ignis, what are you doing here?” Noctis asked and it was still weird to talk to an Alpha without feeling like he had no value and was just a piece of meat. Not Noctis nor Gladio gave him that look and it was sheer luck he had met them before they could talk to anyone else.

“I work here. Please, follow me,” he said and walked down the corridor towards Ravus’ office, which was also his working place. Yeah, that was right, he was the Advisor of his ex, his boss, and the person who caused Ignis so much pain and now felt guilty, and would probably for the rest of his life.

“You can't just walk into an office and tell people you're from Lucis,” Ignis said after he closed the door.

He didn't hear what they said to Paula but he remembered their first meeting clearly and how both proudly and almost naively announced that they were from Lucis and on a mission to free the Omegas. Ignis would have laughed about that if he weren't shocked.

“We didn't,” Gladio spoke. “All we did was ask if we could talk to the head of the building authority.”

“And why him?”

“We have a plan,” Noctis said and Ignis shook his head no.

“You're either too optimistic or blessed by the stars. I don't know which it is, but you've found the right place. My boss is actually supporting the Omegas,” Ignis explained and raised an eyebrow when he saw the both of them grinning.

“What?”

“Gladio went out yesterday and met some people. They talked about Ravus and how he was different from all the other authorities. That's why we thought this might be the right place to start our mission,” Noctis explained and Gladio looked at Ignis with an expression he couldn't understand.

Did he, or they, try to impress him or convince him that their ambitions were honest?

“Who told you that?” Ignis begged that it was no Alpha since that would be very bad for him.

“An Omega. You know the places were they prostitute Omegas, right? That's where I went.”

Yes, Ignis knew those places, and they were awful. So he glared at Gladio intensely, trying to see how he felt about those places. Sure, it was the source of any kinds of informations, but it was still a horrible place.

But for an Alpha it must be heaven.

“I didn't do anything. I just talked to them,” Gladio justified his actions but Ignis didn't believe it fully. He was still an Alpha and no Alpha could deny an Omega’s body for too long. It was in their blood. “I'm honest. I'm not like the Alphas you know, Ignis.”

Hearing those words made Ignis angry, so angry that he didn't know if he should laugh, cry, or scream.

Gladio was not like the Alphas that Ignis knew? And what did Gladio know about Ignis? Nothing. No one knew anything besides Ignis and the people who hurt him. Also, why did Gladio try so hard to convince him? Since day one he tried to make Ignis to believe him and he wondered why. Although, he was certain he knew the reason behind his behavior, just like every other Alpha that was after him.

It was his scent, which became even stronger when his heat appeared. Sweet, addictive, unique, like a drug for an Alpha and it send a cold shiver down his spine when he recalled that.

Before they could say more the door opened and Ignis watched Ravus enter the office. His cold eyes immediately were fixed on Noctis and Gladio before they wandered to Ignis.

“Paula told me that two weirdos wanted to see me,” Ravus spoke, brutal and honest as he could be. Ignis used to find that amusing but that was a long time ago. “I'm Ravus Nox Fleuret, and you are?”

Ignis watched Ravus while Noctis introduced himself, as usual, trying to look indifferent but Ignis knew him good enough to see that he was interested in what Noctis had to say.

Then his eyes wandered back to the other two and he noticed that Gladio looked like he was ready to jump at Ravus.

“I understand,” Ravus said and looked at Ignis again when Noctis was done talking. “I'm surprised about how much you know. But before I decide if I'll help you, I have questions that need answers.”

With that Ignis and Gladio left the office so Noctis and Ravus could talk like the authorities they were. If Gladio were any other Alpha, Ignis wouldn't spend more time than necessary with him, but he couldn't leave him alone and he needed to know what else Gladio knew. He was an Alpha, and Alphas were smart after all. Besides he didn't trust them to keep their mouth shut about the fact that they were from Insomnia and he didn't know if they would behave without stirring attention from people they shouldn't cross ways with.

Ignis closed the door after they entered one of the meeting rooms and was about to say something but Gladio spoke first.

“That Ravus… He's your boss?”

“He is.”

“Is he really a good person? I could smell that he sleeps with several Omegas,” Gladio said his face becoming hard.

“This is not Insomnia,” Ignis shrugged and wondered if Noctis and Gladio had the slightest idea about how Niflheim functioned and what position Omegas and Alphas had. This shouldn't be surprising because it had been the same everywhere before certain countries had changed their laws.

“I know this isn't Insomnia but I can't trust a person whose actions are against their words.”

“If an Alpha doesn't do what is expected from him, they get into trouble for acting suspicious. Ravus is only doing what he has to do in order to keep his position so he can help with the influence he has.”

Ignis didn't want to defend the person who brought hell to his life, but he was not stupid and it was obvious that Ravus had changed and only did what he had to do. Just like Ignis did, even though he could renounce certain things that came with being an Omega.

“Are you two together?” Gladio asked after some silence. “I could smell your scent coming from him too.”

“We're working together, I'm his Advisor so it's probably normal that you smell my scent on him.”

“No,” Gladio shook his head no and Ignis noticed how tense he was.

What was wrong with him? What was that talk about scents and that he could smell them? Was he some sort of super Alpha? At least it would explain how built and handsome he was. “An Alpha has to sleep with an Omega, otherwise their scent won't be left on their body. Every Alpha can smell that.”

This was news to Ignis and his surprise was probably written all over his face. He believed he knew everything about the Alphas and Omegas, or maybe it was only Gladio and the people from Lucis who were able to smell that. Since they didn't seem to sleep with every Omega they met but actually cared.

“I've never heard of that.”

“It's the truth though. That's why I was wondering if you two are a thing.”

Ignis felt anger rising inside him. No, he and Ravus were not a thing, something like that didn't exist here in Niflheim.

“We are not.”

“But you sleep together?”

“Who do you think you are? Coming here and asking me private questions? It's none of your business, is it?” Ignis snapped.

“Did he hurt you?” Gladio didn't give in and fueled Ignis’ anger even more.

“Why do you care?”

Ignis didn't want to talk about it, especially not with an Alpha. But what pissed him off the most was that he didn't understand why Gladio cared. It made no sense whatsoever.

Gladio didn't answer right away, perhaps not certain himself why he cared, or maybe he didn't want to say it. Whatever it was, Ignis wanted to leave, but he also knew that Noctis and Gladio were helpful to stop this cruel system Niflheim had.

“I want to create a bond with you,” Gladio said and Ignis stopped breathing.

Time stopped, his heart too, and anxiety crawled up his spine and made him numb.

Did he really hear what Gladio just said? He wanted to create a bond with him? He wanted to own Ignis and make him his personal thing? Because if an Alpha and an Omega created a bond, the Omega wouldn't be able to be with anyone else. His body would only be able to accept Gladio and no one else.

So he was an Alpha like the ones Ignis knew after all…

“Don't fuck with me,” Ignis hissed.

Oh, he was pissed, so pissed that he felt like he could attack Gladio and hurt him in any way he could.

“I'm not! I'm being honest. You know what it means to bond with an Omega, right?”

Ignis knew it damn well and he would never, ever, create a bond with anyone. He considered it once, but he learned his lesson.

“I won't become your fuck toy,” he warned Gladio, eyes and voice cold as a brutal winter day.

“What? That's not what I mean.”

Ignis saw Gladio's honest confusion and it confused him in return. What the hell was even happening? How did they go from strangers to talking about bonding?

“Really? You only create a bond when you don't want to share an Omega and you want to keep him as your personal trophy, there to fulfill your own desires. No bond is the only freedom we have.”

“No. That is not… a bond isn't that. At least not in Insomnia,” Gladio explained and struggled with his words by moving his lips but not saying anything. “It is a declaration of love. Something sacred, like marriage.”

“Excuse me?”

Love? Ignis felt like crying, laughing and screaming, everything at the same time.

Love didn't exist, not between and Alpha and Omega, especially not in Niflheim. Besides, Gladio didn't know him and he was probably intoxicated by Ignis’ scent, just like many others before him.

His scent was a burden and a curse, given by the Gods he used to pray to when he was a kid. He didn't know what he had done to deserve that.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?”

Ignis couldn't do this anymore, he couldn't listen to this anymore. This utter nonsense that hurt him in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. The feeling when all your hopes get crushed and you're left alone to gather all the pieces with bleeding fingers.

“Stop that,” Ignis said after he huffed a laugh.

“I'm serious, I-”

“Shut up! Stop with that nonsense,” Ignis snapped and he was sure someone from outside must have heard him. He never became loud, he never snapped like that, not when he wasn't pushed to his limits. “Love… what a freaking joke. You clearly don't understand what sort of life we Omegas live here.”

“Perhaps. But you can teach me and we can help.”

“Perhaps you two can help and all I'm going to do is work with you for the sake of the Omegas living in this shit hole. Nothing more. No bonds, nothing of that love nonsense.”

Gladio seemed to be conflicted but when his shoulders fell, Ignis took that as a sign of defeat.

“You don't even know me. I don't know what sort of fairy tale Insomnia is but this is the real life for me. It's Brutal and it's cruel, but you'll see for yourself soon enough,” Ignis predicted for Gladio because, if he and Noctis ever came so far as to reach other authorities, they would learn everything soon enough. For example why Ravus smelled like several Omegas, what the price every Omega had to pay, and what was expected from an Alpha.

“And I'll prove that neither Noctis nor I are the kind of Alphas you think we are.”

Ignis shook his head and though he wanted to leave he decided to stay before Gladio would share his nonsense with someone else and get into trouble.

He almost felt sorry for Gladio but he couldn't show that. This person believed he was in love with Ignis?

No, love didn't exist. Love was only an illusion and beyond that was hell.

Ignis wouldn't fall for that, not ever again.