#ignis fluff

Gladio sighed, leaning his head back in the chair and closing his eyes. Ignis nodded his head in reaction while Noctis’s expression was one of “how did I not know that”.

“Really,” you asked, “Couldn’t be a better holiday?”

Prompto, Noctis, and Gladio all glanced at you, and even Ignis’s eyes broke away from the text of his book to gaze your direction.

“Don’t like Valentine’s Day Y/N,” asked a smug Gladio.

“It isn’t that I hate the day itself, I just don’t see it useful or beneficial to society whatsoever,” you spoke in a matter of fact tone.

“Someone’s bitter,” Prompto muttered, while Noctis nodded his head in agreement.

“Look, Christmas, sure let’s open gifts and give back; Easter, who doesn’t love eggs or bunnies, but Valentine’s Day? It’s ridiculous. How do chocolates and balloons express someone’s desire to be with another? It doesn’t. It is just another way for stores to make money and exploit the idea of love.”

The boys sat a moment looking at you. Ignis softly chuckled and continued reading, while Gladio shook his head and chuckled too. Prompto looked to Noctis, both nodding their heads as though the two boys shared a common thought.

“You were dumped on Valentine’s Day weren’t you,” Noctis asked.

“What? No.”

“Or maybe right before,” added Prompto, crossing his arms, his face full of curiosity.

“No, neither of those things I-,” you began.

“Oh, then maybe you have just never had a Valentine,” Noctis questioned.

“Having a Valentine does not factor into why I don’t like the holiday.” You could feel your face getting a little hot. Talking about your dating life was not a topic of conversation you had with the guys. Not to mention, never having a Valentine always made you kind of touchy around this time of the year. Everyone else you knew had a significant other while you normally sat in your apartment alone eating chocolates and watching rom-coms. This was the first year you would be breaking tradition seeing as though you were on a journey with the guys and you regretted opening your mouth and commenting on the topic at all.

“Aw Y/N, you haven’t had a Valentine,” Noctis reacted.  

“Don’t worry Y/N, I’ll be your Valentine,” Prompto cried, giving you a grin.

“Guys it isn’t a big deal,” you sighed, standing up, “I’m not bitter or anything I promise. I just think the holiday is over the top and unnecessary.”

“Yeah but it’s nice to be loved and gifts are always a plus,” Prompto responded.  

“I’m sure it is Prom but I just don’t fancy it.” You grabbed your bag off the chair by the door and turned to the guys, “I’m going to my room, I’ll see y’all in the morning.”

“O-oh okay,” Prompto replied, looking at Noctis who gave you a slight wave. Gladio had fallen asleep in the chair, rather quickly to your surprise and Iggy sat still as a statue, his eyes racing across the book pages.

Closing the door behind you, you stood a moment and heaved a heavy sigh. Trudging down the hallway to your room you drug your tired legs a few doors down. Besides being mentally drained from the previous conversations, you were physically exhausted from scouring the city all day. All you wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep off the events of the evening and to rest your weary bones. As you approached your door you narrowed your eyes on a small envelope tapped right under the peephole. Your name was beautifully scribed on the front and hearts lined the edges of the red parcel. Carefully peeling the packet away from the door you entered your room as your heart skipped beats.

Sitting on your bed you slowly opened the envelope. Inside was a card, ten times more ornate than the covering itself. “Be Mine” were the only words on the front, but beautiful roses were hand painted across the cover of the card. Glitter outlined the flowers and a ribbon appeared to be sewn along the border of the paper. Opening the card, a small poem, written in the same intricate writing as your name, lined the page:

“Roses are Red

Birds like to sing

Join me for dinner

Tomorrow evening?”

 At the bottom of the page was an address to the location of dinning spot. Your head raced at the thought of who this admirer could be, not to mention there was also a bit of hesitation at the back of your mind wondering if this was some sort of sick joke. You placed the letter on your bedside table and crawled into the bed, closing your eyes, eventually letting sleep take over all your worry.

******

The day had dragged on mercilessly slow however your anxiety was at an all-time high. You joined the guys for breakfast and travelled the city with them during the day but kept to yourself for most of it. They could tell you appeared restless, but thought against prodding at you as they had the previous evening. You were sure to mention there were no hard feelings, to which Prompto and Noctis smiled in return. As a way of apologizing to you, both bought you a single rose which left you grinning from ear to ear.

Glancing at the sky you noticed the sun making its way to the West, as purple and orange hues spread across the horizon.  “Hey guys, would you mind if I went back to the hotel,” you asked hesitantly.

“No not at all,” Gladio replied, “You feeling okay though?”

“Yeah, I’m just kind of worn out from walking all day. Plus we haven’t really been able to take a break since we left Insomnia and I kind of want to rest as much as I can before we head back out.”

“If you’re sure,” Noctis spoke.

“Yeah I’m sure, I’ll catch up with y’all later.” You turned to walk off when a voice caught you off guard.

“Well at least allow me to walk you back to the hotel,” Ignis piped up.

“Iggy you don’t have to…”

“I insist,” he replied, “It’s getting late anyway. We wouldn’t want you walking around the city in the dark.” You nodded your head, although you did not suspect it would take so long to get back the Leville.

After saying goodbye to the other guys, the two of you set off back to the hotel, creating small talk along the way. The weather was a topic of conversation as well as how lovely the sky began to look. “It’s a shame those will go away soon,” you mumbled, referring to the sunset.

“Yes,” Ignis replied, “But there are always other things that bring beauty to the world, no matter how dark.”

“You think?”

“I know,” he spoke quietly. The tone of his voice sent shivers down your spine, as you glanced over at him. He was looking at you with a soft expression that made your heart skip beats. You casually looked away, doing so slow enough so he wouldn’t realize you were actually nervous around him.

You had never thought of Ignis in such a way. There was a time in the past when you had gotten drunk and accidentally kissed him, but he brushed it off since you had been so intoxicated. You don’t remember much of that night, but you do remember that kissing him had been an exhilarating feeling that left your drunk self, wanting more.  According to the guys, Iggy had to push you away numerous times, which of course you didn’t remember. When you had come to the next day and they boys had filled you in, you apologized profusely to the prince’s advisor, to which Ignis responded, “It’s quite alright. It was not all bad.” You blushed quite a bit while the rest of the boys laughed it off, since Ignis was not a man to make such jokes.

Things had not been awkward since then, but you always made sure to put that memory to the back of your mind when he was around.

Arriving at the hotel, the two of you climbed the lobby stairs and soon stood in front of your door. Thanking Ignis for the company, you entered your room and began prepping for your mystery dinner. You changed into a clean shirt, a simple red blouse perfect for the occasion, and jeans. You wore your combat boots of course and your hunting jacket, lined with a few small knives on the inside. It was not the most romantic attire, but it was what you had and it was all clean.

Adding a bit of makeup to your face, you glanced at yourself and were satisfied with your appearance. Grabbing your bag you peeked out the door to make sure the guys had not come back early and were in the hallway. To your relief they weren’t and you left the hotel, making your way to the outlook.

It was the last place you expected to meet but you did what the letter said. Jogging across the street, avoiding oncoming cars your eyes began to peer down unto the lower level of the outlook. Men and woman stood either taking pictures, gazing at the valley, or kissing the other with passion that made you uncomfortable to watch. As you scanned you noticed a table, candle lit, with a man sitting there already, viewing the valley below. You felt your heart stop for a moment when you noticed the ashen blond hair and spectacles sitting upon his face. Your gut told you to turn and run the opposite way, but your legs carried you forward almost in a robotic motion.

“Ignis,” you called out, your voice coated in curiosity.

He turned to where you called from and stood up to greet you with a smile, “Hello Y/N.”

“Y-you sent the card?”

He nodded his head, “I figured approaching it a less direct way would spike your interest.”

“When did you do it,” you questioned, “We were together, all together, the whole time.”

“I have my ways,” he laughed, “You can always leave I won’t force you to stay.”

“No,” you replied a bit too quickly, “I-I mean I’m already here, might as well join you.”  

Ignis motioned for you to come over. He pulled out the seat for you as you took your place. Sitting back down, he opened the top of the dish that was covered upon the table. Fruits, veggies, meats, and cheeses filled the large plate. The both of you picked at and ate the food on the table, as a light conversation started to flow. You were amazed at how easy it was to speak with Ignis. He had a way of captivating you, just in the way he spoke. The way his mouth moved with each word he uttered; the way his hands gestured as he used them when he talked; and the way his eyes never left yours when you talked. He had your full attention and gave his to you in return.

You could smell his cologne from across the table and the scent was absolutely intoxicating. He smelled of a cedarwood, but the ebony that seemed to course through his veins mixed in for a refreshing scent.  A small rose was placed within his chest pocket, which he soon revealed was for you. You gratefully smiled and placed it next to your plate, your fingers stroking the petals. You wondered how a something as simple as a flower could suddenly mean so much and display such beauty.  

As you both picked at scraps on the plate Ignis spoke up, “I believe this would be a good time to let you know I did not bring dessert.”

“Oh, that’s…” you began.

“But I do know of a bakery up the road that has wonderful tiramisu.”

“That sounds great,” you replied giving him a wide grin.

Standing up he held out his hand in order to help you up. Taking it you were shocked to feel that they were so soft. You figured his palms would be callous and his knuckles raw due to all the combat he partakes in. “Everything alright,” he asked, noticing you staring at your hand resting on his.

“What,” you asked, his voice pulling you out of thought, “Yea, everything’s great.” You drew your hand away, and followed him into town. People lined the streets, crowds at every corner. Tents were set up in celebration of the day, while the masses gathered underneath to dance to the music playing aloud.

“It’s really crowded,” you laughed, trying to squeeze through groups of people. Normally you would be rather aggravated at the inconvenience, but you were in such a great mood nothing could ruin it.

“Here,” Ignis spoke, taking your hand again. He took the liberty of leading the two of you through the crowds, pulling you along, his grip never loosening.

“Ah, finally,” he sighed. The two of you had soon escaped the hordes and were in front of a small hole in the wall bakery. If you were walking to fast, you might not have even noticed it. To your dismay, Ignis let go of your hand, but for completely gentlemanly purposes. Holding the door for you, you entered the small shop, the aroma of sweets filling your nose. You inhaled, feeling as thought merely breathing in the air could give you some sort of sugar high.

“Pick whatever you would like,” Ignis spoke, placing his hand on your lower back and ushering you forward.

Glass cases lined the walls, full of treats galore. Desserts of all shapes and sizes were placed flawlessly, just begging you to try them. As your eyes scanned the room, a small cake caught your eye. It was no bigger than the size of your palm, perfectly square. Red icing covered the exterior of the cake and a small pink rose bud sat atop, piped to excellence. You opened the case door and reached in and grabbed the small pastry. Turning to Ignis you smiled, “You gave me a rose, so I’ll buy this for you. My treat.” He looked as though he was going to protest, but you merely shushed him and bought the petti four.

Wrapped up in a small box, you handed the gift to Ignis, which he gladly accepted. He grabbed himself a cup of coffee to go, which he offered to you but you declined, and the two of you left the shop to stroll the side streets of the city. Lamps lit the way and your shadows panned out across the sidewalk as the both of you sauntered slowly, enjoying the others company. You felt something inside you stirring, something you had never felt before and you wondered if it blossomed from the day’s events or if it had been there all along but unnoticed.

“Ignis, tonight has been absolutely wonderful,” you began, “It was completely unexpected, made me incredibly anxious, and I honestly was worried this was just going to be some sort of prank. But I am so thankful it was more than that.”

Grabbing your arm, Ignis stopped you in your tracks. You turned to him, caught off guard by how close he was to you. His eyes, a beautiful sea green, shone even in the dark causing your heart to flip. “If we are being honest, I have enjoyed myself too,” the advisor whispered, “I have been wanting to take you on a proper date for quite some time.”

“Really,” you questioned, your eyes mesmerized by his lips, which were only inches away from yours. You felt you throat going dry and your legs feeling weak; his smell was intoxicating.

“Yes,” he smiled, “I haven’t been able to get you off my mind since our journey began. And gods how hard it was not to kiss you again.”

“Again,” you repeated, your mind flashing back to that night multiple weeks back.

“You were intoxicated and I was not going to take advantage of you, but I swear it was one of the most difficult things to do. I told myself I would get the courage to speak up, but I knew I had to wait for the perfect moment.”

“So you picked today?”

“Well I attempted a couple weeks back, but things fell through,” he sighed, “Fighting a behemoth took a lot out of everyone, myself included, I didn’t think it would be quite appropriate.”

“I dunno,” you started, “might have been a great distraction from the bruises and exhaustion.” Ignis chuckled in reply, bringing a hand up to brush a strand of hair out of your face. The contact between his skin and yours made you catch your breath, as he held his hand against your cheek.

“May I kiss you Y/N,” he asked in a hush whisper.

“You have to ask?”

His lips curled in to a small smile, “It’s only polite.”

You answered his question by inching your face closer to his, to which he mimicked until your lips met his. His lips were soft and tasted of coffee and the movement of your lips on his sent a sensation down to your core. You face felt hot as you put your arms on his chest and he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you flush to him. Your eyes were shut and yet you saw stars; you were still and yet had never felt so alive; you were safe and hadn’t felt that way in a long time. Eventually pulling away, the two of you quietly gasped for air not having come up for a breath. Ignis rested his forehead against yours and you let out a small giggle, excitement coursing through you.

“Much better than last time,” you asked.

“I wouldn’t say so. Your lips are divine drunk or sobered.”

You looked up to him, your eyes meeting his. To think you had never noticed how beautiful Ignis was until now left you dumbstruck. Body, mind, and soul he was perfect in every way. “I’d also like to take this moment to formally ask,” he began, “Y/N.”

“Yes?”

“Will you do me the honor of being my Valentine?”

You laughed out loud at how proper he sounded, and he chuckled along with you.

“Again, you really have to ask,” you questioned him teasingly.

“I just want to hear the words from you myself, plus I would love the honor of being your first ever Valentine.”

As he calmly looked over his shoulder to meet with my glance, I innocently smiled at him.

“Hey, Iggy”

“I was merely going through some recipes, to see what I can cook for dinner”

“No, you weren’t!” I exclaimed, breaking the hug and teasing him as I moved to stay next to him. “I saw you!”

“What is it that you mean, dear?” Genuinely puzzled, he watched me as he adjusted his glasses.

There was still an adorable faint rose tone on his cheeks, even if he had done his best to brush it off. I knew it flustered him profoundly when I got so affectionate. And today I was in a very affectionate, playful and goofy mood. That should be interesting.

“Or should I say…” I paused dramatically. “I heard you, Ignis”

Instantly understanding, he cleared his throat. The faint remnants of the blush on his cheeks intensified again.

“I’m afraid I do not know what you’re talking about, kitten”

“Oh, I think you do”

“I believe I do not”

“You have a beautiful singing voice, sweetie” I leaned in to leave a light peck on his cheek.

Now clearing his throat and adjusting his glasses, he tried to change the subject.

“What would you like to have for dinner, my love?”

Still, I sweetly smiled at him. He was always so loving, so sweet and so thoughtful. Not to mention charming and gallant.

“How about some cookies? Oh, oh, or brownies!”

“That wouldn’t be too healthy, Y/N” He softly scolded me, in a serious yet gentle tone.

“Please, Iggy?” I pouted, giving him my best puppy look. “I really want some!”

“I can never say no to you” Ignis smiled softly, lovingly cupping my cheek.

As he prepared to bake the cookies, he calmly picked out the ingredients he would need and quickly started mixing them with the same confidence with which he cooked. I knew he had baked before –namely for Noctis and the boys, for me too on occasion –but I was just endeared by how capable he was at everything.

I stared at him, admiring how great he was. Not only was he extremely selfless, caring, attentive, respectful, charming and polite. Not to mention an amazing and loving boyfriend. But Ignis also knew how to sing, cook, bake, give massages, talk to people… And that was only the things I knew off!

I wondered if he could dance as well…

Of course he would be able to dance! To my eyes, there was nothing Ignis Scientia couldn’t do. He was the closest I had seen to a perfect man.

“Excuse me, darling” Ignis dared to lock eyes with me. “But may I ask what are you doing?”

“Lovingly staring at you” I playfully told him, with an innocent smile.

Ignis made a pause, in which he couldn’t contain a cute little chuckle, before he proceeded talking.

“Is there a reason why you’re behaving especially affectionately and, dare I say, giddy… today?”

Trying to appear innocent and adorable, I shrugged one shoulder.

“You always cook and do it so easily” I couldn’t get through my sentence without laughing a little. “I thought you could use a little distraction”

“I must assume you are the distraction then”

“Yup” In a kind gesture to excuse myself for all the random silliness, I fondly rubbed his upper arm. “You now have to cook in expert mode while I distract you”

I thought that I was genuinely annoying him yet he was too polite to admit it. But when I noticed the amused hint in his expression and the way he chuckled again next, my face lit up in excitement.

“I do enjoy to be challenged” Tender and loving, he leaned forward and gingerly brushed his lips against my forehead.

Then he continued to mix his dry ingredients before he added the wet ones.

There was a pause in which we both remained silent, until I realized the song that came from the radio next was a slow one.

“May I challenged you to dance with me then?”

Ignis raised an eyebrow and forgot about the baking for a moment to look at me again.

“On one condition alone” He accompanied his words with a lovely yet shy smile. “If you allow me to hold you close while I do, my darling”

I giggled, wooed by his charm once more, and nodded.

“Why yes you can, my good sir”

His smile widened as he wiped his hands on a cloth and held me close to him. One of his hands tenderly held mine at shoulder height while the other softly rested against the small of my back.

We then began swaying softly, slow dancing to the music. How come I had never slow danced with Ignis before? It was so calming and lovely!

Definitely giddy and enamored, I giggled again as I looked up into his kind and warm beautiful green eyes. Ignis laughed a little in response himself.

“You’ve got flour on your face” I mumbled in a soft voice.

“Oh, do I?” He stopped swaying, a bit alarmed. “Where, exactly?”

“Here” I stood in my tiptoes to meet with his tall height and gently planted a kiss on his lips.

When I broke away I was fighting to keep a smile back. But I failed miserably when I looked up to Ignis and realized he was blushing bright red.

Next came the most adorable and genuine chuckle, one that I had never heard him utter. It greatly widened my grin.

“I have a feeling that I’ll never get those cookies made at this rate” I joked, starting swaying again, to which he followed.

“I must say, Y/N” Ignis softly pushed me closer to him as we danced so my front fully rested over his. “You are the best distraction I ever faced”

“You can’t beat the expert mode, huh?” I mumbled, carrying on with the playful chatter. “I finally found something that distracts you from your great passion of cooking”

“In my defense, you are not playing fair, my love” He paused to lovingly gaze into my eyes. “You are my biggest passion”

“Ignis…” I whined, flustered and embarrassed by such beautiful words.

I hid my face on his shoulder as fast as I could, but I was sure that he had already seen me blush really hard.

You leaned forward against the island counter in Ignis’ kitchen, your arms crossed as you watched him glide about, gathering ingredients and utensils as he moved. Coffee beans, a mug, milk and… sugar cubes?

“Ignis…” you drawled, sliding further down into your chair, “Is this really necessary?”

He nodded, sparing you a glance over his shoulder before he set to work. “Yes. I daresay I can make you the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had.”

You raised a brow. “No offense, Igs, but you’re going for the wrong audience. I’ll like coffee no sooner than Noct will like vegetables.”

Ignis paused, holding a hand up to his chest and fixing you with the most faux-pained look you’d ever seen on his face. “You wound me.”

You laughed as he turned back to his task, an adorable pout visible on his visage. “Alright, I’ll humor you. Make me the best cup of joe ever, chef Scientia. If I like it, um…” You paused for a moment, cupping your face in your hands as you considered your next plan of action. “I’ll give you a prize.”

Six, that was reckless of you. That was actually really stupid. Take it back, take it back--

“All the more incentive,” Ignis replied, completely unaware of your inner turmoil.

You sighed internally. No takebacks now. What could you even give him that wouldn’t potentially ruin your friendship with him? You bit the inside of your cheek, struggling to keep the frown off of your face.

All you could think about was a kiss, or a dinner date, or buying him something that he completely and utterly deserved but was also too expensive for a mug of coffee (something he would undoubtedly try to turn down), or -- nothing that gave the ring of anything remotely platonic.

You’d done so well concealing your feelings these past three years, and you couldn’t run the risk of exposing yourself now, or ever. It was hard on your heart to just remain friends, but it was survivable.

So, then… a cookbook, a simple one… yeah, a quick cookbook, perhaps about concealing vegetables in a meal -- that would be a solid, completely platonic gift.

At least, that was the plan.

You watched Ignis move about the kitchen, chatting idly with him as he worked. You began to breathe shallowly, as just the smell of the coffee was already invading your senses and trying to repel you, especially Ignis’ coffee, which was stronger than most.

Maybe you wouldn’t have to worry about the gift after all. Six, wouldn’t that be nice? You could just say that coffee still wasn’t your thing, and then you wouldn’t have to worry about getting that completely platonic gift because he’d have lost the challenge anyways--

“(Y/N)?”

You looked up from your daze to find Ignis staring at you inquisitively, jade eyes warm and showing a hint of concern. You quickly averted your gaze, trying desperately to fight the blush rising to your cheeks. “What is it?”

“You seem…” You could see him gesturing out of the corner of your eye as he tried to find the right words. “A gil for your thoughts?”

You made the mistake of looking back at him, and you were blown away (like you always were) by his sheer beauty. That strong jawline, those full lips, the little bump in the bridge of his nose, his cupid’s bow, the acne scars from your adolescence scattered across his visage, those eyes that were so guarded to almost anyone else yet so open to you--

“I, uh,” you stammered, your brain scrambling for an answer through all the fawning, “Sorry. The smell of coffee doesn’t do me too well.”

Okay, so that wasn’t a total lie. You could stand it, but would avoid it if possible… but it wasn’t too possible with Ignis being the object of your affections, was it? So most times you stayed around the smell just because he carried it so much.

Ignis studied you for a moment more before he heaved a sigh, going to retrieve a small pot from the lower cabinets. “I’ll put on some tea.”

“Ah, I… thanks,” you muttered, cursing your lack of focus today. “And sorry about the coffee.”

Ignis shrugged, fiddling with his glasses. “It’s no issue. That’s just more Ebony for me.”

You nodded slowly, pursing your lips a bit. “Yeah…”

Ignis left the water on the stove to come to a boil and joined you at the island, sliding into the seat next to yours. The two of you conversed comfortably about random things, with pauses in the middle, though never awkward. It wasn’t too long before your tea was done and Ignis’ coffee as well.

He collected the two mugs and placed one in front of you, keeping the other for himself. You thanked him as you watched him move back to the other side of the kitchen, grabbing back the materials he’d previously taken out.

Ignis returned to his seat with little fanfare, pulling his mug closer to him and grabbing his spoon. “Two sugar cubes,” he said, putting one large and one small sugar cube into his beverage, “And three spoonfuls of milk.” He threw that in as well, mixing the coffee until he was satisfied. He brought the mug to his lips, a hum of satisfaction leaving his throat. “And that is how you make the perfect cup of Ebony.”

You tilted your head to the side, a smile tugging at your lips. “The perfect cup, huh? Mind if I have a try?” You placed your own mug back onto the countertop, turning to face him fully. “Maybe it’ll get you that prize after all.”

Ignis chuckled, sliding his mug over. “Have at it, then.”

“Gladly.” If it was the perfect cup, then it had to be good, right? You lifted the cup to your lips and took a sip. Ignis seemed to be holding his breath in anticipation of your reaction, and you hated to disappoint him, but-- “Yeah, sorry Igs.” You pushed the mug back over to him with a wince, taking a large sip of your tea to try and rid your tongue of the still-bitter taste of the coffee. “I guess I’m a tea girl through and through.”

Ignis snapped his fingers in false disappointment, slapping his knee and letting his head hang briefly. “Drat. It’s unfortunate that you have to miss out.”

You laughed. “I suppose so.” Ignis laughed a bit as well before the two of you settled into a relaxed silence.

As you sipped your tea, you allowed your mind to wander a bit. Okay, yeah, coffee still tasted pretty terrible, even when Ignis made it (which is a feat in and of itself, and a testament against coffee, not that you’d ever tell Ignis that much), but he made a valiant effort. That was still deserving of a prize, right? It wasn’t a grand prize, but… a consolation prize, perhaps.

Ignis had already nearly finished his mug of Ebony by the time you spoke up, catching his attention. “I appreciate the thought, even if it didn’t go as planned, so for that… a consolation prize is in order.”

Oh dear… you were thinking a bit more with your heart than your brain. Three years, you tried to remind yourself, three years and counting, is this one moment really worth the possible destruction of your friendship?

Ignis quirked a brow, idly tapping the side of his mug with a gloved fingertip. “A consolation prize? I’m flattered.”

You giggled, taking another sip from your tea. “As you should be.” And in that small amount of time between one sentence and the next, you had a mental battle with yourself -- would you just take the chance, take the leap, see how Ignis would react and put everything at stake? Or would you just sit back and buy that cookbook like you had planned, letting those feelings remain under a careful lock and key? You weighed the costs against the benefits and quickly reached a conclusion, even if it may have been a regrettable one.

The heart wants what the heart wants, and this one moment was all that you desired.

“Okay, trust me on this one. Close your eyes.” You said, scooting forward in your seat a little bit. Ignis did as told, and suddenly you were thankful for your distinct lack of nerves. Three years of holding it in be damned. You were so tired of holding back. The floodgates were open already, you just had to let yourself get swept into the current… so you did.

You leaned forward and pressed a single, lasting kiss against Ignis’ cheek.

Your nerves hit you full force the moment you’d pulled away, and you couldn’t hide the way your face heated. Ignis had gone red too, but you didn’t want to get your hopes up, not just yet--

“(Y/N)?” He asked, his voice small.

“Y-yeah?” you replied shakily, having failed to keep your nerves out of your throat. Six, you felt like you were in high school again, all jittery feelings and stammered words.

He opened his eyes, staring at you, studying you. “You… I…”

You stared right back, no matter how much you wanted to look away from his intense gaze. It was now or never at this point. You took a deep breath through your nose, then set your shoulders and came out with it. “Ignis, I -- I’m in love with you. Have been for a while now.”

He remained silent just long enough to make you even more nervous, then relaxed and slouched forward. “Six, (Y/N),” he muttered, and then he was standing so close to you, his hands cupping your face and his body heat rolling off of him in waves and his cologne absolutely clogging the air in the loveliest way. “May I?”

“Please.”

And with how intense those green orbs of his were, you’d expected the following kiss to be a bit on the rough side, yet it was anything but. Ignis’ lips were so soft and so gentle, moving against yours unsurely, as if he still wasn’t completely convinced this was happening. He pulled away just barely, your breath still mingling. “Pardon me, I-I’ve never really--”

“Neither have I,” you cut him off, reaching a hand up and tangling it in his hair, the other coming to cup his face as he did yours. “Less talking.” And you pulled him to you again, the kiss just as gentle and soft as the previous, slow and chaste as the two of you just felt each other, getting acquaintanced with one another.

You weren’t sure how long the two of you remained in each other’s embrace, but it was the most heavenly time of your life, and you were almost convinced it was a dream until you finally got a taste of the coffee on Ignis’ lips.

You pulled away, shaking your head and sticking your tongue out. “Even a kiss can’t make coffee taste better. I’m a lost cause, Ignis.”

He simply looked at you for a moment, and then that radiant, joyous smile spread across his face and he pulled you close, his shoulders shaking with laughter. “It would seem so.”

Gladio charged forward, Ignis dropping down and scuttling away easily.

"You can’t even hit the broad side of a barn, you hulking garulessa!” Ignis mocked in return.

“At least I can make it with the ladies,” the brunette fired back, a wolfish grin on his scarred face.  "The only way you’d get laid is if you crawled up a chocobo’s ass and waited.“ Above, Noct and Prompto howled.

"Come now, Gladio,” Ignis drawled, dismissing his weapons as he and the Shield made the walk back to camp.  "We both know that simply isn’t true.“

The two bickered amiably up until dinner time, during which Ignis announced, "I’ve lost my potatoes.  I do hope they’ll turnip.”

Groans abound.  Chortles.

“Y'know,” Gladio piped up as Ignis served the completed meal, glancing at Prompto.  "I heard photographers make great botanists because they know photo synthesis.“

"Dude,” Prompto burst out, cackling.  "You guys are too much.“

"I honestly have no idea why they chose any of you to be a part of my retinue,” Noct mock complained, failing to hide an amused smile in his food.  "Unless you count knocking the enemies dead with the power of your trash puns.“

"But you’re the one who Nocts them out!” Prompto wheezed in response, laughter overtaking him.

When the Regalia finished the next day, the quartet decided to visit Takka, who had yet another ingredient errand for them to run.  To Noct’s distaste, he required a shipment of beans.  As an avid bean-hater, the prince was loath to accept the hunt.  

“Beeeaaaaannnnns,” he complained, grimacing.

“Hey Noct,” Gladio yelled from the other side of the diner.  "How does a man take a bubble bath?“

The remainder of the group turned with inquisitive eyes to the Shield, awaiting the punchline.

"He eats beans for dinner!” He announced, a loud guffaw passing his lips as soon as the line was delivered.  Noct snorted in laughter as well, Prompto quickly joining in.  Ignis hid his laughter behind a gloved hand, desperately seeking to retain his hold on his professional demeanor.

“Gladio, that’s hardly appropriate,” he chided, hoping the Astrals would keep all evidence of laughter from his voice.

“What’s hardly appropriate is the way Prompto’s staring at Cindy,” Noct laughed, slapping his best friend on the back on the way out of the diner.  "Go on, go say something!“

A bright flush violently overtook the young boy’s pale face, drowning out his freckles.  "N-no, I couldn’t do that.  Not to my grease monkey goddess…”

Coming out of the diner, Gladio blasted a laugh and also smacked Prompto on the back, sending him stumbling forward several paces, arms wind-milling.  "You just need practice!  There, look!  See that chick over there?“

Several eyes trained on the position he indicated, a woman browsing the general store’s supplies.  Pretty, if a little plain, alone.

"Go on, give it your best shot,” Gladio encouraged, pushing Prompto in her direction.  "Let’s see what you’re made of.“

Of course Noct supported the ridiculous idea as well, ocean eyes spirited with mischief.  Heaving a defeated sigh, Prompto put on his game face and approached the woman…

…only for her to snort in disgust as he approached, turning away.

"MAN DOWN!” Gladio cried.

Beside him, Noct tilted his head back, laughing until tears burned his eyes.

“Well, let’s see you do better!” Prompto wailed in defense, embarrassed.   Noct pointed to Gladio.  "I’m not doing it.  Have at it, Gladio.“

"Indeed,” Ignis finally spoke up, eyes igneous in challenge.  "I’ve yet to see this legendary ability to ‘land women,’ Gladio.“

The Shield never failed to take bait from the adviser, a cocky smirk splitting his face as he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders.  "Alright.  Watch and learn.”

The behemoth of a man sauntered up to the woman.  Noting that she was watching him out of the corner of her eye, he opened conversation.

“You know, your body is made up of seventy percent water.  Suddenly I’m thirsty as hell,” he said, flashing perfect white teeth in a wicked smile.

She was nonplussed, reaching for a magazine to hide her face.  "Bottled water is over in the coolers, I think.“

Chuckling, Gladio shrugged, not one to be easily deterred.  "Miss, if you were the words on that page, you’d be what they call fine print.  You feel me?”

Another snort, and the woman turned her back.  "No thank you.“

Stunned, Gladio returned to the laughing group.  

"Wow, I learned so much,” Prompto gasped between giggles.  "Great work, buddy!“

"Yeah, knucklehead,” Noct agreed.  "What a ladykiller.“

They looked to Ignis, who had remained silent.  His arms were crossed at his chest, a devilish smirk plastered on his face.

"Watch a true master at work, boys,” he announced.

They didn’t expect much, honestly.  When Ignis approached, he didn’t smile, didn’t get in the woman’s face, simply pursed his lips and cocked his head in confusion before gently seeking her attention.

“Excuse me, miss?” he asked, emerald eyes wide, innocent. “Yes?” she answered, disarmed.

“I find I need a woman’s advice on a matter, if you could spare a moment of your time?”  A charming smile accompanied his second query.

“Oh, sure!” She chirped happily.  "What’s up?“

"There’s a woman,” he began, pausing for effect to sigh dreamily, “a singularly beautiful woman and I’m simply not sure if I should talk to her.  She’s the most divine creature I’ve seen.  What do you suggest I do?”

A pretty blush rose on her cheeks as she subtly fanned herself with the magazine she was holding.  "Well, you should introduce yourself!“

"Mmm,” Ignis hummed deep in his chest.  "Are you quite sure?“

"Definitely!”

Ignis sat in mock contemplation for another moment before he raised smoldering eyes to hers, extending a hand in greeting.

“Well, I suppose in that case, my name is Ignis Scientia,” he breathed.  "Nice to meet you.“