The tension was at its paroxysm. Sweat droplets ran down Gon’s nose as his burning eyes pierced Kurapika’s own scarlet ones. A raging fire that overthrew both reason and control, a battle between emotions and duty, a dangerous game of death.
Killua’s sharp gaze slowly scanned the table, seeking for a reaction, waiting for the breakdown, like a wolf on the prowl.
Leorio calmly coughed as his lips stretched into a small but victorious smile.
He only had two cards left.
Gon put down a card. “+4”. He checked, as his fingers let go of the torture device, for his friends’ expressions.
A look of anguish settled on the Kuruta’s face. A look of anguish and desperation. The look of a prey realizing it was done for. He peered at his cards and pursed his lips. Then, he took four cards, each card adding up to the weight of his shame.
Killua winced. He would have to fight in order to win. This was a tough one.
A dog howled far in the restless city of York Shin. There were probably swarms of people still wandering around in the city. None of them knew about the terror ongoing in this apartment, between those torn friends losing themselves in a psychologically wrecking game.
Kurapika, then Killua, both put down a card. Then, all of them devoured Leorio’s game with jealous, envious eyes.
As fast as he could, Leorio hit the card on the table and yelled “UNO!” as if his victory’s intensity would brighten with a loud cry for glory.
Gon widened his eyes. “No…” he hissed as he picked four more cards, as Leorio’s one indicated. “I will not forgive this one…"
He followed with another useless card.
Now was Kurapika’s turn. Killua narrowed his eyes as he noticed the scarlet eyes had been replaced by the usual cerrulean orbs.
He is on to something, he thought. Curiosity, impatience, expactations. All of those dancing above their heads as they waited for the next twist their game would take.
And what a twist it was.
Kurapika put down the card.
“Exchange card”…
Leorio was gaping, as Kurapika handed him his game, a small smile that seemed to scream ’Karma is a bitch’ crowning his improvement. Reluctantly, he exchanged his single card for Kurapika’s fifteen ones.
That was how fates had been reversed. That was how a hopeless situation had turned into luck for those who could be patient.
One more round went on.
And finally, Kurapika let go of the last card.
It dropped on the table like an axe on a prisoner’s head.
Thought of a cute little scenario where Ignis comes home to find his s/o outside on their balcony singing La Vie en Rose while playing the ukulele (like this!) Leaning against the open sliding glass door, he breathes in a sigh of content as the gentle breeze caresses his face and carries his s/o’s sweet voice.
“When you press me to your heart
I'm in a world apart
A world where roses bloom~”
He waits until they're done playing before he gives them a little applause, surprising them since they were so engrossed in the song they didn't hear him come in. Ignis then wraps his arms around them from behind, placing a kiss on their head.
“If I promise to give you my heart and soul, will you play that song for me again?”
His s/o giggles at how cheesy Ignis was being, but still finds it absolutely endearing and obliges.
“Anything for you, darling.”
Maybe next fic idea? (After I fix typos and breaking up my last fic lol)
As Cor pulled up, you could already see the displeasure on his face.
‘Oooooh, great.' you thought to yourself as you got into the car.
The moment he heard your belt click, Cor sped off toward the gate entrance.
The silence was killing you as much as you welcomed it. After Cor's warning to Ignis in the counsel room, this was the last thing you wanted to happen.
Feeling fatherly instincts take over, Cor couldn't help but break the silence, "Scientia, huh? Didn't take him to be the type to have girls sleeping over at his apartment."
"I-It isn't like that between us! We're just good friends!"
Cor sighed in exasperation. "Look. I never had kids myself, ok? I just know that your father is probably rolling around in his grave right now watching you sneak around--"
"Oh my Six," you put your face to your hands
"--with that Scientia kid, and I have to say something."
You wanted to die. You had never prayed so hard to the Six. 'Please don't say it, please don't say it.'
"Are...you two being safe--"
"PLEASE JUST DRIVE."
A/N: This was a joy to write because nothing was funnier in my mind than Cor being a totally protective papa bear and trying to give you the “talk.” Part of a grander plot I will lay out in random fanfics. Listened to the Yuri!!! on Ice Barcelona OST on repeat while putting this together lol. Fic under the cut.
Crystal Clear
(younger)Ignis x (younger)F!Reader
SFW
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
The blaring buzz from your phone went off. It was a Tuesday, you groggily recalled as you reached toward your nightstand to shut your phone off.
You never had issues waking up the same time every day regardless of the amount of sleep you got. Your occupation didn't really let you lallygag in the first place. It was your job to be alert and ready every second of the day. When you were first employed by Cor at the age of 13, the stress of not being able to relax put you on constant edge and took a toll on your health. You were determined to live up to your parents' reputation in the Kingdom though, and found ways to manage the stress. Even if it were only a few minutes each day, you tried to give yourself moments that didn't entail your job.
Before jumping in the shower, you got out of bed and made your way to the living room to greet your parents like you did every morning. A shiver went down your spine as you left the carpet of your bedroom and met the cold hardwood floor of the hallway. Your apartment wasn't huge, especially for someone working on the Royal Counsel. However you opted for a smaller place so it would feel more quaint. Being the only occupant of the apartment, you didn't see the need to rent a bigger place.
In the corner of the living room lay a shrine with your parents' picture, incense and some dragon fruit. The sun was rising, pouring a warm light onto the little shrine. After you knelt down on the cushion in front of the altar, you took a match and lit the incense stick. Closing your eyes and holding your hands together in prayer, you greeted them, "Maman. Papan. I hope you have a good day, today. I miss you." The picture on the altar was taken when your parents escorted King Regis and Prince Noctis to Tenebrae. No matter where you parents went, you always joined them. A few days after the picture was taken, the Empire invaded Tenebrae, killing your parents in the process. King Regis did his best to save all of the children--Prince Noctis, yourself, Luna and Raavus. The sounds of the desperate calls for the king from Raavus and the image of Luna's face when she stayed behind in the forest haunted your sleep every now and then.
After greeting your parents, you turned on the coffee maker in the kitchen and then headed for the shower.
'So today is Tuesday...meaning I have class from 9 to 11, counsel meeting from 11:15 to 1:30, training with the Crownsguard from 3 to 6...Shit what time was my shift at the palace?'
You were a part of a special academy that specialized in training students to serve the Royal Family. Typically the only individuals chosen to go through the academy were of noble lineage, such as the Amicitia and Scientia families. Academy agenda was a mix of specialized education, training and political meetings. The amount of time you spent in each depended on the role you were being bred for. As King Regis wanted you to eventually be an ambassador between your homeland and Lucis, most of your time was spent training with Gladio and going to counsel meetings with Ignis. Noctis opted for public schooling. You guessed it was to get a breather from the confines of the palace.
Your parents, Lafayette and Ling Qiao, were refugees from an Island west of Lucis called Guan Xiang Dong. They had escaped the dictatorship on the Island in order to give you a better life. To live in Lucis, your parents offered to serve King Regis as his personal bodyguards. Your mother was pregnant with you at the time, and Regis was aware of the crisis occurring in the nation west of his Kingdom. His kind nature got the best of him as he agreed to harbor your parents as refugees in return for their service. Guanidians were a nation of people with dragon blood, thus their physical capabilities surpassed that of humans. They lived up to their reputation of strength as they ended up being the King's closest companions, always watching over Regis including protecting him from harm when they were killed at Tenebrae. You had a legacy to live up to. King Regis hoped that someday you could amend relations between Lucis and the Island to build an alliance against the Empire, so your time at the academy was for preparing you for that very purpose.
Being the only person of Guanidian lineage in all of Lucis was difficult to say the least. Despite your parents' reputation, you still faced discrimination almost daily for the patch of dragon scales on your right cheek. After you got out of the shower, you wiped a tissue across the foggy mirror to look at your reflection. You always felt so self-conscious of the patch of dragon scales on your face. It was the brand that reminded Lucis that you were different--that you were not completely human. Bringing the tips of your fingers to the scales on your face, you sometimes wondered if it was a turn-off for Ignis. Your heart ached at the thought that Ignis would find any part of you disgusting, but after the years of discrimination your faced for your appearance, you couldn't help it. Giving a big sigh, you opened the medicine cabinet and reached for your toothbrush.
'I shouldn't even be thinking about this. I don't have time to be contemplating about petty things right now. I have to concentrate on the meeting today.'
Cor had briefed you that he and the other Kingsglaive would be attending today's counsel meeting, which was something out of the ordinary. When they attended counsel meetings, it usually meant some kind of military intervention would be needed soon. You wondered if the Empire had conquered yet another nation right outside the Kingdom.
Before leaving your apartment, you always wore a black leather face mask to hide the scales on your cheek. Gladio and Ignis always found this excessive, but they didn't push the matter much with you knowing you were sensitive about the subject. As you made your way to the gate of the palace, you ran into Gladio.
"Morning, big guy."
"Hey. You ready for the test?"
"As ready as I'll ever be. I didn't have that much time to study because Cor called me out to another hunt last night. Didn't get back until after 2--oh shit!" You frantically looked behind you to see if you had dropped something.
"What is it? Forget something?"
"Aw man. I left my coffee at home. Now I'm going to fall asleep during the test." You internally cursed yourself once again as you felt the urge to yawn.
"Here, I have an extra can of this," Gladio pulled a can of Ebony coffee from his backpack.
"Ugh, I hate Ebony. It's so bitter," you whined as you reluctantly accepted the can from your friend. A little spurt of air escaped as you pulled on the tab.
"But it's your boyfriend's favorite. Don't you like the same things as your boyfriend?" You punched Gladio in the arm as he chuckled at the sight of your red face. Well, as much of your face as he could see that wasn't being covered by your mask.
"Shut it. I already told you, there's nothing going on between us."
"Right. And spending every waking moment together when you're not working means there's absolutely nothing going on between you," he continued to tease.
You didn't need this right before a test. You hated when Gladio would poke fun at you about your friendship with Ignis, especially since you didn't even know what to call it. "We just...find...comfort with each other. That's all. Okay?" you failed to explain with complete coherency.
"Uh-huh. So comfortable you sleep at each others places--" you cut Gladio off by trying to reach for his face so you could shove it into the nearest wall. Never had you regretted something more than telling Gladio about that "little" detail about your relationship with Ignis. Although you and Ignis had never been intimate with each other, let alone shared a kiss, sometimes you'd find one of you at the other person's place late at night after getting lost in whatever conversation you were having. From a pragmatic standpoint, it didn't make sense for the other person to make their way back home since the train ride between your places was at least half-an-hour. Or so you both reasoned with each other.
So on occasion you'd find yourself sleeping over at Ignis' place or vice-versa. At first one of you would take up the other person's couch while the respective apartment owner would sleep in his or her own bed. But one night Ignis woke up to you screaming in your sleep from a nightmare. Rushing to your bedroom, he woke you up and embraced you until you had fallen back asleep. He didn't realize that he had fallen asleep next to you until the next morning. He apologized profusely for overstepping his boundaries, but after you quietly admitted that it was nice to wake up in his arms, sleeping in the same bed just...happened naturally.
Sleep was difficult to come by on the few nights you weren't overworked to exhaustion because your heart would be racing sleeping in Ignis' arms. Sometimes you swore you could feel his heart racing as well. However, neither of you ever brought it up. Bringing it up would mean possibly confirming what the hell kind of relationship you had, or rather, desired. And if you did that, it could mean getting distracted from your royal duties. But getting preoccupied with matters other than your royal duties wasn't an option. Your life was your work, and that was that. You still weren't all too sure how your friendship with Ignis eventually transpired to...this. But whatever this is was enough for the two of you for now. You enjoyed spending your free time with him, and it helped to alleviate the immense stress that came with your job. The last thing you wanted to do was ruin it.
After the grueling test, you walked dejectedly next to Gladio. "Can't believe there's a counsel meeting after a test like that. And after being out for most the night prior? One of the Six must really hate me."
"Maybe it's The Betrayer cursing you," Gladio joked.
"Oh great. How blessed am I to receive the Astral's Blessing," you sarcastically raised your right arm toward the sky as you held your left hand to your chest. Gladio laughed at your sardonic gesture as he pulled his phone from his back pocket.
"So I take it you don't have time to join Iris and me for lunch before my shift?"
"Nah, the counsel meeting starts soon. I promise I'll visit you guys soon, though. Haven't seen my lil' sis in a while!"
"Yeah, she misses you," he smiled thoughtfully as he searched for Iris' number on his phone. After your parents were killed at the Invasion of Tenebrae, Clarus Amicitia offered to take you in so that you could grow up in a family household. Regis would've taken you in himself, but he didn't even have time to spend with his own son. You enjoyed your time living with the Amicitia's, but when you turned 13 you decided to live on your own. The night you left their home, you had a bit of a falling out with Gladio. Over time you both were able to become close again, but you had yet to discuss with him why exactly you left. You weren't ready to have that conversation yet.
"Morning, Gladio. Morning, [Y/N]," Ignis warmly greeted as you approached the entrance to the counsel room.
"All right. I'll see you lovebirds another time," Gladio waved and left before he could see your reaction to his teasing once again. He was relentless.
As you reached to remove your face mask for the counsel meeting, Ignis placed his hand at the small of your back as he whispered in your ear, "You regret telling him, don't you?"
"Every. Damn. Day," you whispered back angrily, Ignis chuckling to himself as you entered the room together.
"All rise," Ignis' uncle announced as Regis entered the room. The room immediately echoed with the sounds of their chairs scraping across the marble floor. The stride of the King echoed with each step he took. A few of the Kingsglaive in tow, including Cor, Regis took his position at the head of the table and bowed toward the counsel. As you sat in your seats, you could've sworn you saw Cor throw a look toward your way as you placed yourself next to Ignis. Cor, like Clarus and Regis, was a father-figure in your life since he was also close with your parents.
"I will make haste and forgo our usual discussions. It has been brought to my attention by the Kingsglaive that a matter of grave concern has occurred to our neighbors to the West." You immediately furrowed your brow. 'He doesn't mean...the Island?'
"The Chief of Guan Xiang Dong was assassinated a few weeks prior." You couldn't help but feel a few eyes turned toward your way, including Ignis'. Unsure of how to process the information, you waited for the King to continue. "It's been confirmed that he was assassinated by his son, Prince Gion Ichnochtyl. Cor and his men received a message from the Island that in time they will make certain demands of Lucis. What those demands are have not yet been made apparent. We must be on our guard in the instance of war."
"But your Highness, if I may, why would they engage in war with Lucis now? What do they have to gain for making themselves an enemy to all of Eos? Am I correct to presume that they still harbor ill-feelings toward the Empire as well?" a counsel man interjected.
Cor responded, "Yes. We are certain they still intend to remain an independent nation. However, we have reason to believe that they may engage in war with Lucis because of this..." Cor gestured toward the two advisers who rolled a projector toward the front of the room while another adviser set up a screen. Ignis noticed that you had begun to fidget with your hands as you anxiously waited for the slides to be set up. He quietly placed his hand on your lap to calm your nerves, but this didn't go unnoticed by Cor. Unbeknown to you, Ignis exchanged a brief glance with Cor from across the room. They both kept a straight face, but Ignis was well aware of Cor's disapproval of your..."relationship." He knew that Cor was the most protective of you, especially since you worked for the Kingsglaive and knew of the hardships you endured growing up.
Ignis' thoughts were disrupted when the first slide showed a picture of an olive skinned individual with short, white hair. "This is Prince Gion. We obtained this picture and the rest of the slides from our spies on the Island," Cor stated. "I must warn you that the next couple of slides are...disturbing to say the least. Please take heed." Little gasps reverberated in the room as the next slide showed a few Guanidian women being killed by Guanidian soldiers. The women wore white bands with red "R's" on them. The carnage of the next couple of slides were hard for you to bear. You were no stranger to violence considering the amount of hunting you did outside of Lucis with Cor, but seeing the slaughtering of your people being put on display made you sick to your stomach. Despite the violence on the screen, none of the counsel members turned away. You were all trained to maintain composure no matter the situation.
"Some of the women you see here agreed to work with Lucis in the name of their Revolution. Unfortunately, all of our spies have been tortured and executed for treason. We have lost all communication with the Island now. Except..." Cor brought the attention of the room toward you, "[Y/N]. It is my understanding that you are still able to communicate with your family?"
The attention caught you off-guard. You hated when all eyes were on you, "Y-Yes. But lately it's been difficult to get in contact with them. I suppose I know why now."
"I see. Have you any information on the Prince's relationship with his father?"
"It was widely known on the Island that the Prince did not agree with his father's leniency of the Revolutionaries. The Chief tried to avoid instigating any violence on the Island so as to concentrate on population growth, however the Prince had always been in favor in quenching the Revolution."
"For those in the room that do not understand the Revolution with complete clarity, can you please summarize the political dispute of your homeland?" Regis requested.
"Um...certainly," you bowed toward the King as you stood up from your seat. Ignis immediately removed his hand from your lap before the other counsel members could notice. You did not expect to have to speak much at the counsel meeting. Public speaking was probably one of your greatest fears, although it ironically was a major aspect of your job. "200 years ago after the Empire had all but depleted the dragon population save for my grandfather, the Chief of Guan Xiang Dong at the time placed a decree on its citizens forbidding them from leaving the Island and excommunicating any non-Guanidian citizens. Because my culture deeply values our dragon heritage, it was his hope that isolating the Island would ensure longer prosperity of our dragon lineage. This has caused a lot of pressure among the women of the Island, as their role in society has been reduced to that of a..." you tried to find another descriptor less crass than baby-maker, "...house wife. So to speak. An underground revolution was born in response, demanding equal rights for Guanidian women."
"And your grandfather was said to start the revolution, yes?" an adviser questioned.
"Yes...so they say. My grandfather is the last dragon alive in all of Eos who is able to take human form and mate with other humans. However, he refuses to have another partner aside from my grandmother."
"So his insubordination gave women the ammunition they needed to stand up to the Guanidian government," another counsel member chimed in.
"Um...yes--"
"And your parents brought you here to escape the same fate as the other women of the island?" yet another counsel member interjected.
"Y-yes--" it was obvious that you were starting to lose your nerve to the bombardment of questions. Regis noticed your discomfort and raised a hand to silence the room.
"Thank you, [Y/N]. You may sit down now." Staring at the granite table as you took your seat, you could feel your composure crumbling. Many of the counsel members started to whisper among each other, pondering what Prince Gion's next move could possibly be.
"Silence," Regis firmly said. The room went quiet once more. "With the help of [Y/N], we will continue to monitor the activity of Prince Gion and his court. In the meantime, the Empire still poses a greater threat as they attempt to encroach upon our land. As more updates develop, Cor and his men will relay them. This meeting is dismissed." Ignis had to lightly tap you on the shoulder to snap you out of your thoughts so you could greet the King farewell. After you all bowed and King Regis took his leave, the counsel slowly started to trickle out of the room. As Ignis gathered his notes, he noticed that you had not begun to pack your belongings yet. A picture of the Island was still displayed on the projector. Ignis tapped your shoulder once more to get your attention.
"Are you all right, [Y/N]?"
"I'm just..." you sighed as you finally relaxed your shoulders. "It's been a long day for me, Iggy." Ignis had the urge to rub your shoulder to give you comfort, but he couldn't help but notice that Cor did not follow the King and the rest of the Kingsglaive out of the room. As soon as he made eye contact with him again, Cor finally walked toward the both of you.
"[Y/N]. Scientia," Cor greeted.
"Oh, hi Cor," you greeted him nonchalantly, still unaware of the exchange of glances he and Ignis had been trading with each other the whole meeting.
"I know that meeting was tough on you kid, but you better brush up for training today. Go get some lunch. I need you to focused on training the new cadets today."
"Yes, sir," you perked up, hands to your sides.
"Good. You're dismissed," he bowed his head slightly toward your way. You returned the gesture as you finally started to gather your things into your bag.
As Cor started to make his leave, he slightly paused next to Ignis, "I have my eye on you, Scientia."
You gawked as you turned toward Ignis, who simply bowed toward Cor's retreating figure. Grabbing for Ignis' arm, you asked, "What was that? Does he know?"
“Most likely..."
Sighing, you grabbed your bag and made your way toward the exit. "I can't believe we're only halfway through the day. Do you have time to grab some lunch?"
Ignis shook his head, "I regretfully must decline. I have another counsel meeting to attend in 10 minutes, then I have to go make dinner for Noctis."
"I see," you said sadly, "I guess we'll see each other tomorrow?" you offered. You waved goodbye and turned to leave, but Ignis had grabbed your hand.
You looked back toward him surprised by his action. "Would you care to spend some time together, tonight? I'm sure I could make some extra food at Noctis' and bring it home."
Blushing at his offer, you shyly asked him what time would be appropriate for you to swing by. "I should be home by 8:30. I will text you to keep you updated."
"Okay," you smiled. You felt a sudden urge to kiss him, but controlled your emotions. Having to constantly remind yourself that you two weren't actually dating was proving to be an annoyance. The feelings between the two of you were so palpable, that kissing him seemed like the natural thing to do. You and Ignis stood in placed awkwardly with Ignis' hand still in yours as you tried to quickly come up with an appropriate way to part. You opted for giving Ignis' hand a tight squeeze, "See you tonight," you speedily said as you dashed toward the palace cafe to avoid continuing the awkward exchange.
Noctis had just changed out of his school uniform and sat at the table where his food awaited. Bell peppers...he could definitely smell bell peppers.
"Vegetables again, Specs?"
"Don't complain. I hardly force you to consume anything green more than once a week. Vegetables every now and then should hardly be imposing."
Sighing, Noctis took a bite of the beef instead. "Wow, this is good. The beef is so tender."
"I'm glad you're enjoying that part of the meal, Noct. Maybe if you give the bell peppers a try you can find them to be equally delectable."
"Doubt it."
They continued to engage in small talk until Noctis noticed the container of extra food on the counter. "Saved some for your, girlfriend?" Oh how Noctis enjoyed breaking Ignis' even countenance.
Ignis gave a small cough to recover from his embarrassment, "As I've said before, Noct, we are simply good friends." Silence befell the room before Noctis burst out laughing, some rice escaping his mouth much to Ignis' displeasure. "And may I ask what's so funny?"
"Oh, man. Ain't that the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard you say. Hahaha," he was starting to laugh hysterically now.
Unsure of how to defend himself, Ignis waited until Noctis' laughter subsided. He adjusted his glasses uncomfortably as he sat in the dining chair at a loss for words. Deep down, Ignis knew that it was bullshit to call yourselves just good friends. But considering how demanding your jobs were, he simply couldn't see how he could put any time into the relationship.
"Iggy. Sorry, but aren't you the one who always tells me you like to see everything 'crystal clear?'" he imitated Ignis' accent.
"Your point being?"
"Why don't you and [Y/N] just make it official already? You two already act like a couple and find ways to spend time together, right? And Gladio told me about how you two sleep at each others' places so..." Ignis sighed as he removed his glasses to rub his temples. Of course Gladio and Noctis were talking about the two of you behind your backs.
"What I'm saying is, I think you guys can make it work. You're both so uptight with work, but you seem to wind down when you're with each other. And isn't it an extra burden to try to deny your feelings for each other and stepping on eggshells all the time of what's appropriate or not? Wouldn't it be easier if things were crystal clear between the two of you and you just...went out?"
Noctis made a pretty valid point, Ignis thought. It had become increasingly difficult for him to manage his growing feelings for you, especially since he didn't let himself express it.
Before he met you, Ignis' life was only that of his work as a retainer to Noctis. He didn't think much of you at first when you joined the academy four years ago, but you piqued his curiosity when you became classmates at the age of 14. It was a historical literature class, and he couldn't help but notice your enthusiasm for the subject. Interested in Eos' world history thanks to the nature of his job, you often swapped stories of the mythologies and theories of Eos even after class.
As he got to know you more, he learned that one your favorite foods was dragon fruit. It was difficult to obtain since it was native to your Island, but a farm outside of Lucis grew a small plantation of it. For your 15th birthday, he had surprised you with a dragon fruit cake. At first he told himself that making you a dragon fruit cake was a good test of his culinary skills since he had never tried the speckled fruit beforehand. You were so surprised by the concoction since you normally ate dragon fruit raw, but Ignis had managed to incorporate the flavor of the fruit without letting the cake's sweetness overpower it. It was utterly delicious. Touched by the kind gesture, you enveloped Ignis in a huge embrace, repeatedly thanking him for thinking of you on your birthday. Ignis never forgot the look of your face as you bit into the cake. And it was probably the first time he noticed his heart flutter around you.
When you grew even closer, Ignis started to notice the common discrimination you faced on a weekly basis. Snide remarks about your scales, members of the Crownsguard calling you a "beast" behind your back. You tried to put up a front every time Ignis witnessed the not-so-discreet comments made your way about your heritage and your appearance, but you always just smiled at him and told him not to worry about it. Two years ago he caught you crying after a training session. Just like your parents, you were making a name for yourself due to your fighting capabilities and martial arts training your parents put you through at a young age. While some of your classmates were impressed by your skills, others were jealous and would often attribute your abilities toward your "beast" heritage.
After you defeated another one of the Crownsguard in a sparring match, he remarked, "Damn, how do you move so fast!? You're not human!'
"Well yeah, she's not!" another Crownsguard chimed in as the room exploded in laughter. You tried to join the laughter, but the constant reminder that you were not "one of them" left scars on your heart.
That particular day had been stressful, and the "not human" comment was the trigger that finally opened the floodgates. After practice, you snuck behind the gym and started to cry. You managed your feelings quite well overall, but it was just one of those days that you couldn't take the comments any longer.
"[Y/N]."
You were startled at the sound of your name, turning around to find Ignis still in his gym clothes.
"I-Iggy. I--" you were so embarrassed to be showing this side of Ignis to you, but you were so caught off-guard by his presence you choked on your words. Unsure of how to act, Ignis relied on his instincts and he came over and embraced you, surprising you and himself.
"You...should be proud of yourself."
"...Proud?" you asked, your face pressed to his chest.
"You are the strongest person I know. Not just in combat, but how you carry yourself. Despite the discrimination you receive, I've watched you carry on with grace, not once stooping down to the level of those who've hurt you. On top of that, you take great pride in your heritage and can see past the vices of your country's government, sharing with me and others your love for the Island's culture. And I just...adore that about you."
Ignis was feeling a little regret for letting instinct take over, for he couldn't believe the last bit had managed to escape his lips. You stood in his embrace, shocked at his words of admiration. But you admitted that his words brought you a huge sense of comfort, knowing that at least one of your classmates aside from Gladio didn't make you out to be the "beast" everyone so jokingly, or not so jokingly, called you.
"Ignis..." you brought your tear-stained face away from his chest to look into his green eyes, "Thank you."
Ignis and you had finished dinner and were chatting on his bed about the rest of your day. You chuckled at Ignis' perpetual struggle to feed vegetables to Noctis.
"You made it too obvious this time! I told you to finely chop it and sneak it in somehow."
"Well, he's been so receptive to the dishes where I concealed the vegetables, I thought he was ready to face it up front. But I suppose I miscalculated." You laughed again at the ridiculousness of Noctis' dislike with vegetables. "Tell me, was he also this way during your days in Tenebrae?"
"Ohhh, yes. My parents even tried to feed him some dishes with Guanidian vegetables, but Noct is basically adverse to anything green and leafy."
"I suppose this is a battle I will never find victory in, then."
"Yup. I'm pretty sure it's a lost cause."
Ignis pulled you into an embrace as you both continued to laugh. It was getting late and the room was getting chilly, so you pulled the covers over the both of you. Your heart began racing at the smell of Ignis' cologne. You also couldn't help but notice while laying down on his arm that he had started to become more fit. You snuggled closer to his chest, trying to push aside the embarrassing thought.
"How have you been feeling since the meeting?" he asked quietly, resting his head on yours.
The meeting. It had been in and out of your mind all day. The last time you heard from your cousin or any of your relatives had been a few weeks.
"I'm...worried. I don't know what's going to happen to my grandpa. I feel so...helpless. My family could be suffering right now, and yet there's nothing I can do except keep trying to get in contact with them. I want to rush to the Island and kick Prince Gion's ass, but I know that any actions seen as a threat on our part could mean my family's safety...I don't know. I'm trying to remain calm about it, but I can't."
Ignis agreed that it was best to not act recklessly, and that waiting for your family to make contact was the safest route of action. He could tell that the subject had been on your mind the entire day, so he decided to not press further and simply hold you. You appreciated that about Ignis--he always knew when to give you words of comfort and when to just be there for you. Your mind had been plagued with the images from the slides during the meeting, and you were distracted in practice by the thoughts of your family in danger. Being in Ignis' arms and drifting away into slumber was the only thing you could think of to bring you comfort.
As Ignis drifted off to sleep, he considered Noctis' words from earlier in the evening. It made Ignis seriously consider asking you to solidify your relationship, but he started to second-guess himself wondering if you would be emotionally ready to embark on a partnership with him due to the new developments at Guan Xiang Dong. Deep in his thoughts, he soon joined you in peaceful slumber.
The blaring from your phone had woken you and Ignis up. Ignis rubbed the sleep in his eyes, taking note that you both had fallen asleep in his bed without changing out of your clothes or even turning off the nightstand lamp. You reached for your phone and noted the time. 2:13 AM. And who else would call you at this hour than your boss, Cor.
"Hello? I'm up. Do we have another daemon near the wall?"
"Two red giants. Think you can handle it?"
"Of course. Fighting iron and red giants is apparently becoming my new 2 AM routine."
"They're approaching the wall at a fast pace, so I'm coming to your place and picking you up."
You shot up from bed, Ignis looking at you quizzically. "I'm um, no, it's okay! I'll meet you at the gate! I can get there qui--"
"[Y/N] we don't have time. The red giants are already nearing the wall."
"But I'm....not...home..."
"What?" you heard Cor's car screech to a halt. "Where are you at this hour!?"
You cursed the Six. One of them really didn't like you. "I'm....at...Ignis' apartment..."
It finally registered to Ignis why you had shot up from bed moments before. You gulped, anxiously waiting for Cor's response.
"...I'll be there in five minutes. Wait outside." With that, he hung up. Looking over toward Ignis, completely wide-awake now, you said, "Welp. This is going to be the most awkward car ride of my life."
Ignis had a reputation of being the most mature and respectable young member of the Royal Counsel. Never would he have guessed that he would become the scandalous teenager sneaking around with someone else's "daughter."
Ignis sat up in bed and pursed his lips, to which he finally replied to you, "Indeed."
Luckily you still had your black suit and Kingsglaive armor in your gym bag. While you waited for Cor to pull up, you put on your mask you always wore outside of Lucis to conceal your identity. It covered just the lower half of your face, made up of the same metal armor you wore on your shoulders and the front and back of your lower half. Your fighting style you inherited from your parents required a different type of battle gear. It was difficult for you to move in the heavy jacket, opting for the body suit and armor when you started to participate in daemon hunts. Your mask was inscribed with the same design as the hoods the other Kingsglaive wore. Due to the different design of your battle gear, it was easy for Cor and the others to spot you on the field.
As Cor pulled up, you could already see the displeasure on his face.
‘Oooooh, great.' you thought to yourself as you got into the car. The moment he heard your belt click, Cor sped off toward the gate entrance.
The silence was killing you as much as you welcomed it. After Cor's warning to Ignis in the counsel room, this was the last thing you wanted to happen.
Feeling fatherly instincts take over, Cor couldn't help but break the silence, "Scientia, huh? Didn't take him to be the type to have girls sleeping over at his apartment."
"I-It isn't like that between us! We're just good friends!"
Cor sighed in exasperation. "Look. I never had kids myself, ok? I just know that your father is probably rolling around in his grave right now watching you sneak around--"
"Oh my Six," you put your face to your hands
"--with that Scientia kid, and I have to say something."
You wanted to die. You had never prayed so hard to the Six. 'Please don't say it, please don't say it.'
"Are...you two being safe--"
"PLEASE JUST DRIVE."
The original reports were wrong, and there were _six _Red Giants at the wall to Lucis. Luckily no one had perished in the battle, but the lack of numbers made the fight perilous and some members of your team were gravely injured. Cor promised that he would get you excused from your itinerary for the day since you were out the whole night. By the time Cor dropped you off at the front of your apartment building, your phone had read 8:32 AM. You had never stayed out that late for a hunt before. Had it not been for the sunrise weakening the Red Giants, you were sure you would've lost a soldier in that battle. You thanked the Six the sunlight came at the time it did.
Exhausted, you made your way to the front door, practically dragging your feet up the stairs. 'I need a bath...And sleep...' As you searched your bag for your house keys, annoyance started to get replaced with slight panic. "Where the hell?" You emptied the contents of your book bag and gym bag on the floor in front of your door, convincing yourself that the keys were certainly in your possession and that you were just too tired to find them. Then you suddenly remembered that you had left your house keys on Ignis' dining table when you sat down for dinner and failed to grab them when you rushed downstairs to meet Cor.
Mentally kicking yourself, you texted Ignis if he was home so you could go pick up your keys. He immediately replied that his class was about to start, but offered to make an excuse to go home and retrieve you your keys. Not wanting to be a burden, you told him to just text you when he was home and you'd find somewhere to crash. He didn't particularly like the idea of you being stranded the whole day, but you somehow convinced him to finish up his day before heading home.
"Great...where am I going to go...Six, I need a shower." You scrolled through your contact list, wondering who would be available on a Wednesday morning. Most citizens were either at school or work. A name popped up amidst your scrolling.
Gladiolus Amicitia.
You weren't sure how many times you could keep cursing the Six for your problems, but you couldn't help it at this point.
"Hey, Gladio? You're home right?"
"Yeah, why? Is something wrong?"
"Um...can I shower at your place?"
"Uh, sure. Is your shower not working? You could always shower at the gym too, y'know. Isn't it closer to your apartment?"
"I...need to borrow some of Iris' clothes."
You swore you could sense Gladio smirking through the phone.
"And why is that?" he asked amused.
"Because I...left my keys at Ignis' apartment."
No one else was home at the Amicitia residence save for Gladio and their family attendant Jared. Gladio had already informed Iris that you were borrowing some of her clothes, so after your shower you went to go change in her room. She was still a lot younger than you, so you had to find the baggiest pair of clothes possible so you fit in them. The only thing that really fit were a pair of grey sweats, which really was the most comforting thing you could don after the night you had. When you stepped out into the living room, Jared had prepared breakfast for you and Gladio.
"Oh wow, thanks, Jared. You didn't have to go through the trouble," you bowed toward him in thanks.
"It was my pleasure, Lady [Y/N]. It's been quite some time since I've cooked for you, so please enjoy." You smiled kindly toward him as you took a seat across from Gladio.
"The house still looks the same," you commented. "Except for my old room. Never had pictures of boy bands on the walls like Iris does now."
Gladio laughed as he took a sip of his coffee. "Yeah, the house is still pretty much the same way as you left it." As you ate your breakfast, you entertained the idea of finally talking to Gladio about why you left the Amicitia household four years ago. But your mind was still in a haze, and you felt like you your mental capacity had already overflowed with the lack of sleep and the events prior. Surprisingly, Gladio had yet to bring up or even tease you about Ignis. You had prepared yourself for it on the walk to his house, but still nothing came up.
"Easy day today?" you asked.
"Yeah. On Wednesday's I just have training in the afternoon like usual. No palace duty."
"I see," you noted, gathering the dishes on the table.
"Oh hey, you don't need to do that. I can call Jared."
"Nah, it's fine. I need to pass the time until I can get my house keys. Plus, I don't mind. Washing dishes can be relaxing."
Gladio finally decided to acknowledge the elephant in the room. "Enjoys cleaning. You couldn't be more perfect for Iggy." You huffed as you took his plate.
"I knew it. I knew eventually you'd cave."
He snickered at your disdain, "I couldn't resist. Come on, I'll help you clean up."
As you cleaned the dishes and Gladio dried them, Gladio took on a more serious tone. "I hope you know I'm just joking with you when I tease you about Iggy. I never mean to hurt you."
You were a little puzzled at first by Gladio's sudden change in tone, but then you remembered that incident where he made a comment about your scales to your classmates at the academy. He didn't realize you were within earshot, and felt terrible about the whole thing. It was awkward for him at home since you refused to speak to him for about a week until you finally forgave him. Sometimes he wondered if that was one of the reasons why you moved out of their home. Gladio really did see you as another sister, and you always regarded him as a brother. The guilt he felt for hurting you that day never really alleviated.
"I know, Gladdy. You're just being an annoying big brother."
"It's my job," he smirked as he grabbed another plate from you. After coming back from drying the dish and putting it away in the cabinet, he opened up the conversation again. "[Y/N]. I think you and Iggy dancing around what exactly your relationship is is being more of a detriment than you two actually being in a relationship."
"Hmm...maybe."
"Seriously. Wouldn't it be easier to just cut the crap and be together? I'm surprised Iggy is even taking it this far."
"What do you mean?"
"You know him well enough. He hates having a lack of certainty in anything. He likes to have most things clearly laid out in front of him so he can think with clarity. I know he's hesitating because of your duties to the kingdom, but you guys always find a way to spend time together anyway. Why not just consummate what you already have?"
You handed the last cup to Gladio. "I suppose you have a point...but what if--"
Gladio cut you off before he started drying the cup, "You're good enough for him. Don't you dare doubt he feels about you. He obviously doesn't care about your scales. You know that better than anyone, I'm sure." Resting your wet hands on the edge of the sink, you processed Gladio's words. Gladio proceeded to wipe the cup and brought it over to the appropriate cabinet to put it away. When he came back to hang the dish rag, you said his name.
"Gladio?"
"What's up."
"Thank you."
Ignis texted you around 5:30 PM that he was finally done with his day and was rushing home. You told him not to rush, but secretly you had been anxious to see him, especially after the conversation you had with Gladio in the morning. Before you could knock on Ignis' front door, he had already opened it. "I heard you coming up the stairs," he explained.
"Oh, um. I'm really sorry you had to rush home. Didn't mean to be such an inconvenience."
Ignis shook his head, "[Y/N], you are never an inconvenience to me." You blushed at his comment as you went inside to remove your shoes. "I'll be quick, I'll just grab my keys and go home." As you walked past Ignis, you saw your keys on the table right where you left it. When you went to go grab it however, you felt Ignis' hand on yours.
"[Y/N]...we need to talk."
Your heart stopped. You immediately jumped to the conclusion that Ignis wanted to end this...whatever this was between the two of you. But you quickly pushed the idea aside. You knew that didn't make sense. "What did you want to talk about?"
"About us."
"...Oh." You picked up your keys, breaking Ignis touch on your hand. Turning around to completely face him, you were waiting for him to continue the conversation. You couldn't help but notice that a blush had developed across his face, something you hardly saw.
After what a few moments of uncomfortable silence, it seemed that Ignis had resolved some kind of internal conflict within himself as he took a deep breath and exhaled. "Would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"
Your eyes widened at his question. The amount of happiness and relief you felt was so overwhelming, you felt the first signs of tears in the corner of your eyes. With the widest smile you feel like you've ever produced, you nodded affirmatively. "Yes!"
Ignis couldn't resist holding you as you clung on to him, tears of happiness streaming down your face. He pulled you away slightly to caress the scales on your right cheek, and then caressed your bottom lip. You stared into his beautiful green eyes before closing the distance between you for your first kiss.
Finally. You were thanking the Six instead of cursing them.
I’m not sure how many parts this is going to be, but I’ve had this kind of...elaborate story I thought of where the reader is Ignis’ wife and part of the group escorting Noctis. You’re from a different country, of a different race, and was at first in love with Luna. But then you met Ignis and life started to sing a different tune ;)
This first part under the cut is about your history, how you became an adoptive family member of the Amicitia family, and how you ended up meeting Ignis. More under the cut!
ALSO IT’S 4 AM SO I’LL FIX TYPOS TOMORROW GN
You are the only Guanidian in all of Lucis, a race defined by its mix of dragon and human blood.*
Because of the patches of scales on your skin, most notably your right cheek, you faced discrimination every day while living in the Citadel.
Your parents were good friends to King Regis and were a part of his Kingsglaive. They frequently accompanied King Regis, Queen Aulea and Prince Noctis to trips outside of Lucis due to their inhuman strength thanks in part to their dragon heritage. You always accompanied your parents and the Caelum family since no one in the Kingdom wanted to look after you since your scales reminded them of daemons. Even as a young child, you always took the discrimination in pride seeing as your parents always did the same.
After the Queen was slain by a daemon and Noctis gravely injured, King Regis, your parents, and yourself stayed with Noctis in Tenebrae while he recovered. It was during this time you became close and fell in love with Lunafreya. Because of your feelings for the Oracle, you couldn't help but feel resentment and jealousy toward Noctis for years (until you met Ignis ;) )
Your parents and Luna's mother were killed during the Invasion of Tenebrae. King Regis tried his best to escape with you, Noctis and Luna. When Luna decided to stay behind with Raavus, you were forced to make a split decision. Would you stay by Luna's side or keep following King Regis?
With a heavy heart, you quickly decided to stay with King Regis since your sense of loyalty toward the Caelum family was stronger than your feelings for Luna.
Upon returning to the Kingdom, King Regis considered raising you himself. He owed a great debt to your parents, for he and Noctis would not have been able to escape safely without their protection. Knowing that he barely had time to even give time to his son, Regis asked Clarus Amicitia if his family could take you in so that you could grow up in a loving family household. Clarus agreed and brought you to his home.
When you first came under the care of the Amicitia's, Clarus' wife was still pregnant with Iris. It took you a while to open up to Gladio even though you were the same age since you were still traumatized by the events at Tenebrae. Even though you were brought to a loving household, it still didn't change the fact that you were alone. You were the only Guanidian in all of Lucis.
When Iris was born, Clarus' wife asked you if you could help be a good big sister to her. Enchanted by the excitement of a new family member, you promised to make good on your word and finally felt like a part of a family again. Due to your shared responsibility with Gladio in taking care of Iris, you finally started to open up to him and became close friends. To this day, you still see Gladio as an older brother merely because he was much taller than you (he being 6'5, and you being 5'8).
You learned to live happily with the Amicitia's up until the age of 13. One day you overheard Gladio talking with his friends at school. They were prying into their family life, asking what it was like "living with a beast as a pretend sister." He was angry from their questions, but they kept probing. "Those scales on her face are so weird. I mean, who would even want to date a reptile?" Gladio's answer broke your heart, "Well, I mean yeah the scales are kind of weird-looking. I'd never date a Guanidian but it doesn't mean she's a monster. I--huh? What the hell?" Gladio turned around to see you threw a rock toward his head. You weren't upset at the fact that Gladio wouldn't date you--hell no. He was basically your brother. But to know that even your brother still couldn't see past the scales on your cheek and just consider you a person--not a Guanidian, not a human, just a person--tore you up inside. It was in that moment you plunged once again in a feeling of loneliness.
You avoided Gladio for a few days. Iris couldn't help but notice the rift that had formed between her brother and adoptive sister. She was only five years old at the time, but she was old enough to understand that there was hostility harbored between the two of you. Later that week, you announced to the Amicitia's that you were leaving to live on your own since 13 was legal age to be working and independent in the Kingdom. You tried to express your extreme gratitude toward Clarus' wife for raising you, feeding you, giving you a welcoming home...and you apologized profusely for not being around to help take care of Iris anymore. But the overwhelming loneliness in your heart was too much to bear. You felt like an outsider intruding in their home even though you knew Clarus and his wife didn't see it that way.
Clarus' wife called Clarus as you walked out the door. Gladio stopped you outside after a few determined steps, "Seriously!? After that dumb comment I made!? After everything we've been through together as a family you're just going to get up and leave!? I'm sorry, ok!? You're taking this too far! Look at what you're doing to mom!"
"Gladio. Get out of my way. I've already made my decision."
"Hell no. Make me."
In response you grabbed Gladio by his arm and threw him to the ground. He quickly got back up from the dirt and bear-hugged you from behind--for a human even at his age, he was damn strong. You couldn't get out of his grip.
"Come back inside and apologize to mom!" He started to drag you back toward the house as you resisted.
"Let GO of me, Gladio!"
"NO. We're going to go back inside and talk about thi--"
"LET ME GO!!!" you broke free from his grasp and jump away from him, sliding across the dirt to slow down your landing from the force of jumping out of his grip.
Before he could yell at you again, you screamed at him, "Do you have any idea how lonely I feel!?" Hot tears were streaming down your face as you trembled. Because of your timid nature, Gladio couldn't recall ever seeing you like this. Eventually finding his voice, he replied, "But you're not alone. Mom's hear for you. And dad, and Iris, and me--"
"LOOK AT ME. I'M NOTHING LIKE ANY OF YOU," you pointed to the scales on your cheek. "No one is like me in this whole kingdom. I'm by myself! Don't you see!?" Gladio replied more gently, "But...you're still my family."
"I know that, but don't you think it kills me when I see our family? I don't fit in. I don't belong. You don't understand my culture, my language, my people's struggle. Sure I was born here in Lucis, but I'm a Guanidian. I don't have any contact with my relatives in Guan Xiang Dong, and I have no one to talk to when my scales shed or, or, or..." you started to choke on your words as you were overcome with so much pain in your heart. "Gladio...I love you like a brother. I love your, no, our family...but it doesn't change the fact that I don't belong. Being around you all hurts because no matter how much I try to just be a Lucian, you all still see me as a Guanidian. And when I share my culture with you and you guys ask me questions about Guan Xiang Dong that I can't answer, I can't help but feel even more alone because I've never even been to the Island. I just..." you cried into the palms of your hands, "I feel like I don't belong anywhere."
Gladio didn't know how to respond since he honestly couldn't relate. He couldn't even imagine the amount of loneliness you felt being the only Guanidian in the kingdom. All he could do was slowly approach you and envelope you in a bear hug. Clarus' wife overheard the whole argument and watched you two embrace outside of their home. She started to cry a little herself. She was trying her best to be a good mother to you and help you remember your culture--she didn't know that it would make you feel even more isolated from her family. She realized though that no matter what she did--try to raise you on Lucian traditions alone, or do what she did and try to encourage you to keep up your Guanidian traditions--you would've felt alone no matter what.
Clarus came home and you all talked in the living room. He tried to ask you once again to stay, but you expressed that you wanted some time alone. Emphasizing once again your eternal gratitude toward the Amicitia's and how they will always be your family, you told them you just wanted space to figure things out. Clarus begrudgingly agreed and helped you find your own apartment not too far away from where the Amicitia's lived. He also spoke to Regis about switching you from public school to the Special Academy so you could spruce yourself up to become a Crownsguard like your parents.
You agreed with the terms. Although you lost contact with Luna, you still had lingering feelings for her and often wondered how she was doing in Tenebrae. You felt compelled to utilize the special education and training you were receiving to eventually rescue her from the Empire. It became your new life's motivation.
Little did you know that when you met the bespectacled teenager Ignis Scientia at the Academy, your life would change forever.
Because he was going to be your future husband and you didn't see that coming from a long-shot because you were still head-over-heels for Luna, but that's for next time ;)
*BACKGROUND (not entirely necessary to read, but it’ll help to understand the later scenarios!)
To the west of Lucis was an Island called Guan Xiang Dong. For hundreds of years, dragons who were able to take human form would mate with the human inhabitants of the Island, the population eventually blending into people of mixed dragon and human heritage. The more dragon blood a person had, the stronger they were compared to a normal human.
When Niflheim began its invasion of neighboring countries, the Chief of Guan Xiang Dong proposed an alliance with its neighbor Lucis to protect their lands. However, in response the emperors began to hunt down dragons who could take human form, thus endangering the Guanidian population. In an effort to protect the dragon bloodline, the Chief forbade any citizen from leaving the Island and no longer allowed the entry of immigrants. Guan Xiang Dong lived in cultural isolation for the past 300 years.
Due to growing pressures to protect the Island's population, Guanidian women were subject to extreme misogyny. Their only role became to bear the children of the remaining dragons on the Island.
Your grandfather was the last dragon on the Island, however he was deeply in love with your grandmother and did not wish to have children with other Guanidian women. Your family lived under extreme scrutiny as the Chief and his advisors urged your grandfather to mate with other Guanidian women. The Chief and the Guanidian government tried to use force, but being of 100% dragon origin, he was naturally the strongest on the Island. They could not get him to comply.
Your family, the Qiao's, gained notoriety on Guan Xiang Dong. The action of the Qiao's caused a new cultural shift in the country. They were labeled traitors for disobeying the government and not "sharing" the last bit of dragon blood with the population. They were also labeled as heroes for standing up to the patriarchal standards of Guanidian society. Historians would later label this time period as the start of anti-government sentiments which would eventually turn into the Revolution you would lead alongside the King of Lucis, Noctis Lucis Caelum.
Your grandmother gave birth to your aunt and mother. When your mother grew up, married your father, and became pregnant with you, they were determined to leave the Island so you wouldn't be subjected to Guan Xiang Dong's misogynistic culture.
One night after leaving a note with your grandparents, your mother and father escaped on the backs of their domestic dragons and flew to Lucis. Their plan was to confront King Regis in harboring them in exchange for protection since they inherited greater strength than most of the Crownsguard. They were hoping Guan Xiang Dong’s previous relationship with the Kings of Lucis would help.
Upon arrival toward Lucis, your parents' dragons were shot down by the Crownsguard in fear that it was an attack from the Island. Regis was curious what had disturbed the barrier around his city. Your parents were arrested by the Crownsguard and locked away in the citadel's dungeon.
King Regis immediately agreed to meet with your parents, seeing as how unusual it was for Guanidians to be on Lucian soil.
After explaining their situation, King Regis agreed because his kind nature could not turn away your pregnant mother and everything your parents had been through. He planned on consoling his counsel if taking your parents in could somehow re-establish an alliance between Guan Xiang Dong and Lucis.
Unfortunately your parents' stunt caused an uproar in Guan Xiang Dong. The government demanded for Regis to return you parents to Guan Xiang Dong. If Regis refused, they threatened to take sides with Niflheim. Upon hearing this proposal, the Guanidian public adamantly and violently refused to align themselves with Niflheim since it was the Empire that caused the population problem in Guan Xiang Dong in the first place.
The first Revolutionaries started to assassinate Guanidian government officials. In order to protect his royal line, the Chief publicly announced that he would not offer an alliance to Niflheim and let your parents live in Lucis. Guanidians would still not be permitted to leave the Island or allow immigrants to come in. He threatened to the public that should another Revolutionary attack happen again, he would use Guan Xiang Dong's own military against his people. Not wanting to plunge the Island in utter chaos, the Revolutionaries ceased and Guan Xiang Dong was left in an internal standstill.
Welcome to the Grand Prix Final of fic recs: I wanted to be able to include more fics on this list so I did not do long summaries and instead arranged them as to when they were written as certain things (like banquet in ep 10) have a significant effect on our views of the characters. All fics are complete not WIP. Happy reading! (other fic recs: here)
Post-Episode 12
Not So Accidental: QuinnTuha608 - 935 [JJ walks in on Yuuri and Viktor]
Next Level: ghostystarr - 3,118 [Yuuri and Victor settle into their new life in St. Petersburg.]
oh, you wicked katsudon: Emily_Nicaoidh - 2,502 [Viktor wants to try something new; Yuuri is unsure and anxious.]
stammi vicino: sunshinehide - 1,055 [Yuuri moved to Russia with victor]
counting seconds through the night: cafecliche - 3,003 [ Some days, it’s all Yuuri can do to manage his own anxiety. He certainly doesn’t expect Victor to do it for him]
Glass Heart: ProcrastinatingPalindrome - 6,128 [Five times Victor Nikiforov cried (and one time he cried in Yuuri’s arms.)]
Post-Episode 10
One Night to Blow: qwartooty - 3,288 [wedding fic w/ bachelor parties]
remembrance: doubletan - 3,313 [how a heartbroken Viktor had fared since that banquet and how he finally won Yuuri’s heart]
We Mustn’t Fear Being Hurt (So We Can Shine): LavenderProse - 12,050 [future fic post grand-prix, Viktor and Yuuri coach Yurio]
keep your eyes on me: luftballons99 - 6,600 [banquet scene fic]
The Weight of Gold: barrelrider - 13,102 [future fic, miscommunication, angst with a happy ending]
The Language of Small Affections: phoenixwings - 2,345 [demisexual Yuuri and supportive Viktor]
Accidentally Seductive: braveten - 7,612 [Viktor is smitten with Yuuri and Phichit helps out]
Life and Love: Agape: makkachincrossing - 5,245 [post proposal fluff and smut]
Question and Answer: chellethewriter - 10,727 [Viktor POV banquet]
Wait, what? Which Yuri?: LFMH021 - 3,890 [GPF crack fic]
Dancing With the Stars: MEIXIU - 7,821 [Viktor and Yuuri dance at the Barcelona GPF (with the Dirty Dancing lift!)]
the history books are made for us: d10smessi - 6,600 [Viktor’s POV on the events from the Sochi GPF to ep 10]
Post-Episode 7
When He’s Not Even Trying: qwartooty - 2,816 [Phichit asking Viktor about his kinks to help Yuuri]
Body Heat: Wolferfly - 4,803 [Yuuri’s new found confidence has pushed him to try new things, including Viktor.]
home is when I’m alone with you: lazulisong - 1,691 [Viktor tries to figure out what to do for Yuuri’s birthday]
For You: TheRavenLady - 7,120 [Viktor taking care of Yuuri after the Cup of China]
slow it down: SportsAnimeRuinedMyLife (KnightOfRage) - 2,894 [People have always been easy for Viktor. Yuuri is the exception]
Addicted (to the taste of you): smudgesofink - 5,832 [post Cup of China celebration and Yuuri is #thirsty]
i’ve been waiting all my life: neomeruru - 3,300 [Viktor is a virgin]
Jealous: Flightless_Bird - 4,403 [Yuuri flirts and Viktor is jealous]
A Breathless Moment: rosaveritas (choking_on_roses) - 5,966 [post ep 7 sooo many feelings]
the warmest part of winter: dadvans - 8,047 [future wedding fic]
and I feel life (for the very first time): smudgesofink - 10,673 [In which Victor helps Yuuri with his skating, but Yuuri helps Victor find himself again (w/ tragic Victor backstory)]
Worthwhile: surveycorpsjean - 6,276 [In which, it’s Viktor that breaks.]
Pre-Episode 7
Talk to Me: SuggestiveScribe - 3,929 [Language kink]
Distance: surveycorpsjean - 5,153 [Future fic, domestic fluff and PWP]
Dance Along: feelslikefire - 7,234 [Five Times Viktor Kissed Yuuri, and One Time Yuuri Kissed Viktor]
Five Kisses: oh_imintrouble - 4,338 [Victor likes kissing Yuuri and Yuuri is frustratingly dense]
i’m not upset: bixgchan - 2,499 [Viktor is possessive]
Hold Me Tight: smudgesofink - 11,556 [Five Times Victor Hugs Yuuri, and the One Time He Doesn’t]
From Russia with Love: Caeseria - 4,333 [There’s not a chance in hell they’re going to make it back to the hotel]
Praise Please: surveycorpsjean - 5,286 [Viktor is kind. He gives praise like a waterfall, overflowing and loud and it makes Yuuri drown.]
with a boy like that it’s serious: kevystel - 2,191 [future fic, Viktor Nikiforov and Katsuki Yuuri are an item. The world reacts]
From The Moon: ButterBeerBitch - 4,884 [Victor finds out why Yuuri has never let him inside his bedroom because….well, we all know why]
a glide in your step: Yuu_chi - 10,087 [Ah, Yuuri thinks as his skates touch down on the ice, I’m not ready to let this go.]
yuri the aggressive wingman: thankyouforexisting - 3,217 [Yuri is done with Victor’s shit. And he’s done with Yuuri’s too, fuck him. He’s so done.]
AUs
Unwritten: kaizuka - 34,277 [Soulmates AU where whatever you write on your own skin appears on your soulmate]
I’m Right Next Door: i_like_my_eggs_benedict - 4,209 [Poor Yurio’s neighbor won’t stop having loud sex with someone who has the same name as him.]
Amateur or Expert?: Watermelonsmellinfellon - 1,935 [Victor pretends he isn’t a figure skating genius all so he could talk to Yuuri, an ice skating instructor.]
Stay Close to Me: dasedandconfuzed -11,373 [Yuuri gets 4th at his first GPF, Vicchan lives]
walk around in your mind: forev - 3,338 [soulmate bodyswap fic]
SkateSquad™ groupchat: stxmph - 33,107 [THE GROUP CHAT FIC]
You searched for: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov: Arumattie - 4,134 [Viktor starts reading fanfiction about himself and Yuuri]
The immediate reasons to be fucking oBSESSED are obvious but do you know what else really has me emotional about it?
Yuuri’s confidence. His carefree attitude. He’s totally taking the lead here! Like seeing this is WILD for me, especially knowing this happened BEFORE THE EVENTS of this series. I love this! I can’t get enough of this and I want more (hence my other post lol). LOOK AT HIM. And just take away the obvious perfection of this victuuri content and think about Yuuri as a character.
Yes, he’s drunk, but listen drinking doesn’t give you qualities and skills you weren’t already capable of. I’m p sure all of them were a little tipsy :p. All it does it lower your inhibitions and amplify certain aspects of you that already exist. Drunk Yuuri is still Yuuri. THIS IS REALLY YUURI. He didn’t just suddenly learn how to pole dance and break dance and do all these holds. And we’ve seen him pull of his eros sober. It was something all his own and it was so surprising at the time but now? Now it makes perfect sense in the best way.
I really feel like the Yuuri in these camera roll scenes is significantly real and seeing him so confident and in the spotlight is like WOW. My heart breaks a little because HE DOESN’T REMEMBER. Boy has to know and understand that he captured everyone’s heart that night. He’s a goddamn shooting star. As a character he’s a triumph, a masterpiece. He’s so multifaceted and honestly seeing his journey to this point in his career was already good enough.
But they didn’t stop there! They were like “Not only is Yuuri a badass now, he was ALWAYS A BADASS. Victor didn’t change him at all. This wasn’t what we thought it was going to be at first AT ALL. It seemed like Victor was spicing up Yuuri’s life and bringing out all these NEW sides of him. ALL LIES. Yuuri was the one spicing up Vitya’s life. EVERYONE’S lives even! Who knows what the atmosphere between all of them was like before this? Like honestly? I bet they were all being super stuffy and formal and not all that chummy like they are now and their closeness now is partially thanks to this cute boy. I love Yuuri so much like :’) Just….I just need a moment. *ahem*
OKAY but do y’all UNDERSTAND like he was upstaging CHRISTOPHE !!!
he was DANCE BATTLING YURIO. YURIO you guys. Since when has this kid been a socialite? Letting loose at parties?! WHAT? This is the power of our pork cutlet king
this was ALL before the main events in the series like…I’m dumbfounded right now.
Yuri was so timid and insecure in the first episode. And we just rolled with that. We thought this was about a blossoming skater trying to find his footing again. We thought it was about Victor helping him learn to be confident.
But nah. Yuuri had us fucking fooled. This man is a showstopper. This guy captivated the greatest skater on the scene, he completely stole the show. He just hit a rough spot, honestly.
Imagine if someone tried to tell us Yuuri Katsuki knew how to do pole! Or breakdance! Or would hold his idol Victor in a saucy tango pose?
We’d all be like HA! Okay~ :p
We thought Victor was going to be the seductive one.
Mann the production team must have been laughing at all of us this whole time. They were sitting on this from DAY ONE.
We got played in the best way. Honestly? Standing ovation. This is how it’s done. Other studios better step up because YOI raised the bar beyond our wildest dreams.
TOGASHI RUINS MY LIFE @kawakunii - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
