Hey everyone! I'm an aspiring writer/animator, so hope you like the stuff I share! Please only REBLOG whatever I share or post. Url Idea came from rams and wols! Plus, I'm a huge fan of anything Kingdom Hearts, RWBY, Final Fantasy, Fairy Tail, and the like.
Holy moly. Around this time last year, I was doing a giveaway for 10k! Thanks so much to everyone whoâs joined me for doodles and shitposts this year, and for those of you whoâve been around for longer than that. I always say this, butâ your support means so very much to me. 2018 was honestly not very kind to me, but you guys always were. Thank you.Â
So, since Iâm in WV for a week and have some nice, relaxing time on my hands, Iâm doing another Doodle Giveaway! This time, there will be TWO WINNERS: one on Tumblr, and one on Twitter. You can enter the giveaways on BOTH sites to improve your chances!
THE PRIZE
Full-color doodle of two characters of your choice!
THE RULES:
FOR TUMBLR:
You should be following me. Wouldnât be much of a follower appreciation giveaway if the winners arenât my followers. :O
Two entries per person: One Like and One Reblog
One winner will be selected for a prize by random draw
Doodle Request Guidelines:
No NSFW
No gore
OCs and characters from other fandoms A-OK!
FOR TWITTER:
You should be following me. My Twitter is @DaPandaBanda
Two entries per person: One Like and One Retweet
One winner will be selected for a prize by random draw
Doodle Request Guidelines:
No NSFW
No gore
OCs and characters from other fandoms A-OK!
THE GIVEAWAY WILL END ON DECEMBER 27th at 11:59 EST! GOOD LUCK! <3
HighSpecs Week Day 4-Shopping/Illness: All The Things You Do To Me
      Hereâs my first shot at writing a pregnancy! Like seriously, along with Noct and Luna, Iggy and Ara would have some damn good looking kids. So what better way to write but for HighSpecs Week? Iâve written a couple pieces before on HighSpecs Babies, so go ahead and check out out my writing tag for them! This is set way after my Day 1 fic, btw. But anyways, on to the story!
      Aranea tried to stretch out her back, but the kid inside her had other ideas as it gave her a swift kick to the ribs, causing her to flop back down on the bed with a huff. She gave a petulant glare to the mound that was her belly under the sheets as she resigned herself to a couple more minutes in bed. âSeriously, kid? I canât do anything without you saying I can. UghâŚâ Being 7 months pregnant was getting on her nerves, and she only knew that she was going to get bigger until the baby came out. She loved Ignis, she really did, but dammit, this kid he had put in her was not being all that loveable right now.
      A violent sneeze and fit of coughing consumed her for a good ten minutes before she could breathe normally. It felt really shitty that on top of being hugely pregnant, she was sicker than a dog. Fumbling for the tissue box kept perpetually next to their bed, she loudly blew her nose followed by more coughs. Ignis had best hurry up with the meds and foodâŚ
      Ignis let out a sigh while pinching the bridge of his nose and felt as if the situation could not get any bleaker. In addition to only being able to secure a few daysâ worth of the medicine needed to combat Araneaâs cold, ingredients were in short supply due to the foraging groups running into a particularly nasty pack of daemons on the way back to Lestallum. They were awaiting repairs by the mechanic Cindy, who had taken his friends Prompto and Gladiolous, along with several other Hunters to the site of the crash to help get the much-needed supplies back to the city. He had just about volunteered himself to go along and help the rescue party, but was eventually forced to stay behind so he could care for Aranea in her sick condition. Grateful though he was that he could spend time with his wife, he wouldâve liked the situation to be far different from what it was currently.
      Ignis jest let out another huff and turned back to the grocer he had been haggling with. Worrying over the problem would not help solve it, so he went ahead with just dealing with it. Being blind made him no less perceptive in his dealings with the market vendors, and he was quickly able to figuratively spot the holes in the supplierâs arguments. Finally, he got the answers and food he had been looking for after negotiating back and forth, and set out to return home after being gone all morning. He gathered the meager items his trip to the markets had furnished and trudged his way back to the apartment, taking the well-memorized path along the streets. âWell, weâll see how long this lastsâŚâ
      After finally reaching his doorstep and searching for his keys, Ignis shouldered the front door open and stumbled his way inside. âAra! Iâve finally returned. So sorry for taking so long!â He managed to guide himself to their kitchen table and deposited his wares onto its surface. A quick rummage through the bags found the medicine for Aranea, and he made his way to their bedroom.
      âThank the Six, Specs. I was getting worried.â Ignis could hear the smile in her voice as he walked to her side of the bed and sat down beside her gently. Taking two of the pills, he placed them in her waiting hand heard her gulp them down with water from the glass she held. He placed it back on the table once she handed it to him, and was soon assaulted by her cuddling into his side. âYouâre one heck of a lifesaver, you know that?â
      âI do try, my love,â he chuckled, situating himself on the bed so she could fully curl into his broad chest. Ignis rubbed her back lovingly and it elicited a groan of comfort from his pregnant wife. âHow have you been today, Ara?â
      âKinda shitty. Couldnât seem to get out of bed today.â Her cough shook them both and he hugged her tight to comfort her. âDoesnât help that the kid has been using me as kickboxing practice all damn morning.â In response, he moved to place a large hand over her swollen belly, feeling the little one give another sharp kick.
      âI believe they get that from you.â A playful slap of his shoulder caused him to laugh and cheerfully kiss the top of her braided hair. âWeâll have our hands full with them, thatâs for sure.â
      Aranea hummed and placed a kiss on his neck. âWish theyâd hurry up and get here. This whole bedridden thing is driving me nutsâŚâ
      âBe patient, my love. Youâll be back to normal in no time.â Ignis gave her one last kiss on her forehead and gently removed himself from her embrace. âAs for now, how does some soup sound?â
      âSounds lovely, Iggy. Hop to it.â Chuckling to himself, he made his way to their kitchen, his hand trailing along the wall like an old habit. Whenever his wife wanted something, she almost always got it, and he didnât mind giving her what she wanted in the slightest.
      Aranea watched as the handsome figure of her husband disappeared down the hallway and gave off a huge sigh. Man, not only had she landed a stud, he had some damn good cooking and fighting skills to boot. It must be the hormones raging through her, but she loved that she was carrying his kid. And more so than ever she wanted to be holding the little bugger in her arms. This motherhood thing might be the best thing that had ever happened to her. Well, besides Ignis, of course. As if reading her thoughts, the baby inside her pressed softly against her hand on her belly. âYeah, yeah, kid, I love ya too.â Hardened badass that she was, Aranea always held a soft spot for romance and family, and she had to be the luckiest woman in the world to have found both.
HighSpecs Week Day 3-High Heels/Face Sitting: How Do You Like Me Now?
      Hhhmmm, bit of a tricky one to do: smut or or fluff? Why not both!? Lol, so I'll be doing a bit of NSFWish work here, so I'll tag accordingly and I hope it'll be tasteful! This is set after my Day 1 fic, so Iggy and Ara gotta break in their apartment somehow, amirite? Well, not LITERALLY break it, they just got it...Agh, you get what I mean! Go on and read it! xD
      The days had flown by since the next step big step in their relationship: owning an apartment and living together. Ignis hadn't counted on finding someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Let alone with the spitfire, strong, and whirlwind of a woman who is Aranea. She was the light of his life in this dark world. Literally for both losing his eyesight from a terrible battle, and the Starscourge that blotted out the sun. Things were hard now, but this little slice of heaven helped him cope with the cruel world.
      The woman occupying his thoughts was now strutting about their apartment in a pair of dangerous-sounding high heels. The constant click click click of the footwear against the tile of the kitchen alerted Ignis to Aranea's position in their kitchen. He had taken to lounging on the couch that morning, a mug of coffee in one hand, and stacks of braille laden papers in the other. It had been a trial and a half learning how to read by touch, but as anything he had pursued in the past, he had given all of he had to conquer it and indeed he did.
      "How's it going there, hot stuff?" Aranea had come back to the couch and taken a seat next to Ignis, leaning against his left shoulder. He could smell the sweet aroma of coffee coming from her own mug and took a measured gulp from his in response. About to say something, Ignis felt one of the high heels she was wearing was digging into his leg, making him a bit more distracted then he needed to be.
      "Oh it was going quite all right, but your heel is not letting me concentrate..." A pointed glance down to his leg clued her in; the pressure instantly being released as she shifted.
      "Sorry, love." He could hear the frown in her voice and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "It's a shame you can't see these babies. They're such a nice shade of crimson and I'd bet you'd love how they look on me."
      "Is that so?" Putting down the mug and papers, he fully turned his attention to his girlfriend. He rubbed a practiced hand down her right leg as he lifted it into his lap, finding it bare besides the figured hugging shorts and the ever-so-tantalizing stilettos. "Well now, I can still feel how good they fit on you. And besides," as Ignis smiled and pulled her close to rest his forehead on hers, "I have you to be my eyes now."
      A laugh greeted him and his grin broadened even more as a lithe hand came to rub the back of his neck. "You a such a sap!" There was a lingering kiss to the scar over his left eye, and her other hand soon cupping over it. "But that's one of the things I love about you. Among other things..."
      Lips were pressed to his and he welcomed the pressure of her body pressing into him, heels and all. It was a tangible pleasure as their tongues danced together, her nails raking across his sleeves and chest as they worked to remove his shirt. Her right leg was now hooked around his hip, the point of her shoe digging deliciously into his spine. Ignis's shirt was gone, and so was Aranea's it seemed, and the warm touch of skin on skin was nearly enough to overwhelm him as he pressed into the couch. Pants, socks, underwear, nothing. The heels were the only thing that stayed on, but soon they too were gone in the frantic and loving moment between the two of them. Thrusting, cries, grunts, moans, growls, grabbing. It built and built to a climax as Ignis gave one last powerful snap of his hips into Aranea, causing a scream of his name from her as she came in tandem.
      Collapsing together in a messy pile, he was rubbing soft circles into her strong back as he basked in the afterglow. Aranea was lazily tracing the muscles on his chest, fairy kisses dancing against the planes of his torso in time with her fingers. He hadn't the foggiest idea on what he had done to deserve her love, but if he was being honest with himself, he couldn't care. She was here in his arms, and that was enough for him. The world was in the shitter, but they were breaking through the gloom together.
NoctLuna Week Day 5-Loverâs Notebook: A Childâs Wonderings
This one might be late too, but Iâm gonna have fun regardless! Journal correspondence is the first thing that popped into my head, and I had a previous assignment like that in high school with Romeo and Juliet. I just figured to adapt that and let it go where it may. So here you go and I hope you enjoy reading this along with my other entries!
      Actually, scratch that, this is WAY late and Iâm sorry! Work and life gave me huge writerâs block and I am so sorry!
      Prince Noctis tapped his pen to his temple, lost deep in thought as he stared at the blank page in the journal laid out before him on the bed. It was already at least a sixth full of correspondence between himself and Princess Lunafreya of Tenebrae. Ever since the accident that had nearly taken his life and resulted in the fateful encounter with the princess 8 months ago, Noctis had felt a strong connection to her. He wasnât quite sure what it was but he always excited to see her dog Umbra bringing him their journal back with her newest entry. It had been Lunafreya who had suggested the back and forth so as to keep in touch and to not have the Empireâs prying eyes on them. Plus, though Noctis would never admit it, it was really cute and way better then a phone conversation. He was impossibly awkward with social interactions, and at least he could behind written words.
      âŚAnd so, Iâve taken to tending the garden outside my room to help the flowers grow all over the palace grounds. Do you think that is too lofty a goal? Lunaâs last words were etched in a fine print on the left page, with a few blue petals from a sylleblossom pressed onto the paper. His next entry was supposed to go on the right page, but he wasnât sure on what to write now. Of course he thought it was awesome that Luna was getting into growing the flowers more; Heâd always had a soft spot for the blooms and loved how excited she got about them. He was just stumped with what else to add after encouraging her. Plus, he had to hurry up and get to his school work and etiquette lessons. Man, being a Prince was hardâŚ
      Thatâs when the idea struck him and he hurriedly started to scribble down his answer. He consciously had to concentrate on not smudging his words or going too wild with his letters in his excitement. After a good couple of minutes, he put down his pencil and read over his entry to make sure there werenât any errors. His young advisor Ignis was constantly drilling that into the poor boyâs head.
      I think thatâs awesome, Luna! Iâm sure your manor will look all the more beautiful for it! But I do have a question for you: What do you think itâd be like if we switched roles with each other? As in, you being the Princess of Lucis and heir to the Power of Kings, and me being the Prince of Tenebrae and Oracle-In-Training?
      Whistling quietly to Umbra who immediately sat up from his curled-up position on the floor next to the princeâs bad, Noctis secured the journal to the dogâs back within the satchel he carried. Giving him a good few rubs on the head, Noct sent Umbra on his way and got ready for the day. He was eager for once to head off to do his duties and even greeted Ignis with a cheerful hello, leaving the young advisor baffled as to what had happened to the boyâŚ
      A few days passed and Noctis was stretching out his shoulder after a particularly brutal training session with Gladiolous, his combat instructor and would be Shield, in his room. Just for once he wished the older teenager would go easier on him. He was such a jerk and Noct didnât like him one bit. How did his dad and Clarus get along so well when he and the son couldnât? His grumblings were interrupted by a loud bark and he excitedly jumped off his bed to throw open the door to his balcony. âUmbra!â The large black dog greeted him with a whine, a few licks, and nuzzles as he was ushered into the princeâs room. Noctis had soon stopped questioning how a dog could always appear on his doorstep miles above the city and now waited in anticipation for whenever the canine would return. The young boy immediately grabbed out the journal from Umbraâs bag after he gave the messenger some water to drink and flipped to where he knew Lunaâs answer would be.
      Truthfully, Iâve often wondered the same thing, Noctis. I know you wouldnât be able to inherit the powers of the Oracle, as only the women in my family can, but hypothetically, letâs say you can. It would be a lot of prayers and devotion to the gods, and it involves nothing but the upmost respect for the traditions of the position. Plus, thereâs the regular lessons on etiquette and school as Iâm sure is the same for you. But, it is nice to have people rely on you and be there to help you with your duties. My mother isnât around much to help me with the preparation, but when she is, itâs some of the most treasured time I have with her. Although enough of me; what would it be like to be a Princess of Lucis?
      Noctis sat rereading her words for almost five minutes, tracing his hand over the elegant letters, before he remembered he was supposed to write a response back. Quickly grabbing his pen from his desk, he sat back down on his bed to contemplate what words to say to Luna. Truth be told, her position was not all that different from his. That would be a boring thing to say back, so he decided to do the same as she did, and just describe his life. He started putting the words down, his pencil scratching out across the paper at regular intervals.
      Itâs almost the same as you, Luna, except both men and women in my family can inherit the Power of Kings. Weâve got a few more Kings then Queens, but theyâre all still pretty important to upholding the Wall and looking over the people. Thereâs a lot of combat training with the Crownsguard, learning about the past of our kingdom and other countries, and being taught what it means to be a royal. And yeah, the education stuff is the same here along with people being there to help me, even if they donât rely on me that much. My dadâs really busy too, but he does read me bedtime stories whenever we can and we always have fun in our car rides together. So I guess, weâd be pretty similar even with our roles reversed, huh?
      Sighing, Noct was stumped again. He said all that he could, but should he add something else? He was back to tapping his pen against his temple, lost in thought.
      âYour Majesty! Itâs time for our tutor session!â It was Ignis at the door and Noct was shocked that he had lost track of the time.
      âIâll be ready in just a sec!â Chewing his lip for a few precious seconds, he finally scrawled out one last line in the journal for Luna: I donât think I mind that at all. Just shows how much weâre alike. Rolling off his mattress and hurrying over to his desk, he rifled through the drawers until he found a woven black and white ribbon bookmark he had idly made one day while bored during a lesson. Attaching the trinket within the pages and urging Umbra to make haste with the notebook least he be caught by Ignis, Noctis hoped Luna would appreciate the gift. It wasnât much, but he thought it was pretty clever of him to make such a gift for her. Rolling his still aching shoulders in preparation for his next lesson, Noctis smiled to the sky outside. Today was gonna be a good day again.
HighSpecs Week Day 2-Rainy Days/Teamwork: What Is This?
Okay, on to the second day! I think Iâm going to try and connect all of my fics this week into each other, so this is set way before my Day 1 fic, but will be followed by a direct sequel in my Day 6 fic, and so on. Hope itâll be easy enough to follow. But anywho, onto the fic and be warned, this is gonna get angsty! Have fun!~
      The rain didnât seem to be letting up, and Ignis knew that visibility would be poor for the woman fighting next to him, let alone his own missing sight. It irritated him to no end that they were stuck fighting horde upon horde of feral creatures when they just wanted to get back to the campsite to rest. The days were getting shorter and soon there would be no light from the sun, and this in turn embolden not just the daemons that roamed the night, but also the regular fauna of the daytime hours. Ignis, and his erstwhile companion Aranea, were now embroiled with a vicious pack of Sabretooths after just finishing with a particularly nasty group of Coeurls. Gripping his daggers tighter and gritting his teeth into a snarl, he tried hard to discern where the animals were with just his hearing. It was hard without his sight to aid him, and to this day he cursed himself for being careless enough to lose it.
      âIgnis! On your right! 4 oâclock!â Aranea had called out the location of the beast and he was grateful to have her fighting by his side. His head snapped around as he let his daggers fly into the meaty flesh of the dog who had let out a dying howl as the metal sank in. Quickly retrieving the weapons with a flip, his quick and practiced movements took down each foe with his daggers finding hide with a sick thud. Aranea was constantly beside him, barking out directions and doing her own fair share of the fighting with her lance. In no time the pack was down for the count and once again they tried making their way back to the drenched camp.
      âDamn things just donât stay down, do they?â Aranea was huffing beside him, the constant battles taking a toll even on her well-trained body. âAssholes. And this rain is definitely not helping things.â
      âYouâre quite right, so the sooner we get to camp, the better.â Ignis couldnât help but let the irritation he felt at their situation slip into his tone. He was tired, hungry, and in need of a damn good rest.
      Aranea gave off a hmph as they pressed onward, and by the sound of her footsteps on the wet ground had pulled ahead of him. âYou go that right, bud. Now keep moving, soldier!â
      He squinted his unseeing eyes at the backside he surely knew was in front of him. Since when was he one of her soldiers?
      A strangled roar caught them both off guard and before they knew it, a Behemoth of all things had come charging at them through the downpour. Its grand entrance was punctuated by Araneaâs shout of something incoherent before Ignis was shoved to the side. He heard the crunch and yell of the woman who had gotten hit by the monsterâs paw, and dread filled his heart.
      âARANEA!â Pulling himself up from the muddy ground, he charged at the beast with a hoarse yell of his own. He thought he had managed to dodge another strike of its massive paw, but the tell-tale sound of his pants being shredded and the pain lancing up his left leg told him he hadnât been so lucky. Ignis fell into a messy roll across the ground and futilely tried to shove against the mud to get up again. The pain from his wound was clouding his judgement and he was starting to panic. He needed to get up, he needed to save her, he needed to-
      âIGNIS, YOU IDIOT!â An audible slice against the thick hide of the beast rang out and it bellowed once more. A rough pair of gloved hands lifted him up from the ground, and he could feel Aranea straining at the effort to get him out of the silt. âI ainât fighting this thing by myself because your dumb ass decided to be a hero!â Getting him to his feet, he felt a lance being shoved into his hands as she ran to get the Behemothâs attention once more. âUse what I taught ya and letâs kill the bastard!â Another thunk sounded, and the creature sloshed away from Ignis as it turned to the source of the irritation. âHEY DIPSHIT, OVER HERE!â
      The blind man was well and truly pissed now and followed the Dragoonâs lead in the fight once more. He was being a burden again and hated himself for it. He had no idea how bad his or Araneaâs injuries were, but he knew they had to end the fight with all haste. The lance was still a heavy weapon in his hands, but he kept up his strikes with a ferocious velocity. Aranea was doing her damndest to keep the fiend occupied as he heard her calling out and dodging in time with the monster. Ignis wished he could see her to know if she was in need of help but had to keep to the back to focus on taking it down. One well-placed slice took out its tendon on its back-left leg, and the pair took this as their time to end it. A splash echoed as Aranea took to the skies and Ignis too launched himself up Behemothâs backside towards its head. In tandem, they both came down on the beastâs neck, their lances being buried up to the shaft in flesh and blood.
      With one final gurgled cry, the fiend collapsed in a heap onto the water-logged ground. The two combatants struggled to catch their breath and Ignis could tell from Araneaâs labored breathing that she had gotten hurt worse than he had feared. Without a word, they managed to tread wearily back to the campsite, their steps heavy but fast. It had been one hell of a day, and it was only going to get worse.
     As soon as they stepped into the protective ring of the campâs barrier, Aranea let out a dreadful cough and nearly collapsed. Ignis was there to catch her, and felt even through her armor that she had some broken ribs. Guiding the weary woman into the tent, Ignis tried to rummage around for the first aid supplies. Finally finding them in the corner, he crawled back over to Araneaâs side and began undoing the clasps on her chest piece. Her hand shot out to stop him, and Ignis was nearly done dealing with her stubbornness. âAranea, if I donât get this off you, your ribs will-â
      âI know, dammit, but your leg is worse!â The clanking of her armor and the sharp yelp soon after indicated to him that she had tried to get up.
      A firm push against her shoulder was enough to send her back sprawling on the ground, and Ignis continued getting the damned piece of metal off of her torso. âMy leg will have to suffer a bit longer.â The womanâs protest was cut off into a cry of pain as Ignis finally removed the offending piece and had immediately crushed a potion against her side. He could smell the acrid scent around him and knew indeed his leg was getting worse from the blood loss, but he had to suffer to make sure she was okay. It was his fault that she got injured. He didnât hear the damn beast coming over the rain.
      Before he knew it, he too was shoved to the ground with a pained gasp escaping him. His left pantleg was being torn away from the gash on his leg and a potion was soon crushed next to it. The healing waves of magic into the wound nearly made him kick out from the pain of it being mended, but he soon realized through the haze that Aranea was holding his leg down with one hand. Once the vial had worked its magic, bandages were being swiftly wrapped around his leg as he tried to finally say something. âAranea! Your chest nee-â
      âI know, dumbass. But any longer of you babying me you wouldâve lost too much blood.â The hands tying the linen were harsh, and he bit back a yell, tasting blood in his mouth. âTry to be a good boy, okay?â
      âFine then.â As soon as the last bit of the fabric was tucked into place, Ignis swiftly got up into a seated position and grabbed at Araneaâs shoulders. âYour turn to be babied.â He could feel her struggling weakly but he persisted in starting to bind her chest in bandages as he reached for the kit.
      âFine then,â he heard her spit back at him as he began his work. The blind man had to rely on touch to get the fabric in the right place around her torso, but he was too mad to even try and consider that he was basically fondling her.
      Once done with the bandages, they both decided to turn in for the night with a few terse words and frustrated noises between the two of them. The day was just horrible and Ignis had no idea why it went so bad. Just what the hell was wrong with him? What was this thing between them now? What in the name of the Six was going on?
HighSpecs Week Day 1-Moving In/Drinking Together: One More For The Night
I am sooooo sorry this is late for the first day of my FF XV OTP week! I had work and a family event going that day so I had no time to write! But now Iâve got three days off so Iâm gonna be writing up a storm. Ignis and Aranea are my top OTP besides Noctis and Luna, and Cindy and Prompto. They just fit so well together and I canât get enough of them! A special thank you and shoutout goes to my dear HighSpecs Capitan, Eszter! You inspired me with your love of Ignis and Aranea, and I canât wait to write all about them! Well, hereâs the first story, so enjoy!
      The last box was placed on the ground with a heavy thud and Ignis soon rose to stretch his aching back. Rubbing his practiced hands against his protesting muscles, he sighed as he realized the moving in was finally done. How could a girl have so much stuff in this dire time? The world was in the middle of an apocalypse, with the skies blotted out by the Starscourge, and yet Aranea had enough clothing to clothe a small battalion it seemed.
      âHope you didnât throw out your back there, Specs.â The rough voice of his companion came from his right and he turned to face her. Being blind he couldnât see Aranea, but he had come leaps and bounds with adapting to his other senses ever since losing his sight three years ago. He felt her hand wrap around his arm and her head leaning against his shoulder. Her long hair tickled against his bare arm and he held her hand against his skin. âWeâre finally home, huh?â
      âIndeed we are, my love.â Ignis chuckled as Aranea tightened her hold on him and he in turn moved his right arm around her strong waist. âI would have never thought that we would be living together. Let alone falling in love.â A kiss on her head punctuated his last sentence and Aranea in turn kissed him underneath is chin in response.
      âYou took the words right out of my mouth, handsome.â The sensation of a smile against his neck greeted him as she nuzzled for a moment before pulling away. Tugging gently on his arm, the Dragoon guided her blind love to sit on their worn-down couch. âCâmon, letâs celebrate!â
      âWith what, pray tell?â The man was intrigued over what his love meant, and was only met with the sounds of a laugh, the clinking of the glasses, and the pop of a wine bottle. âWait, you have alcohol?â Among other commodities, alcohol was rare in the now impoverished world, and it boggled his intelligent mind as to how the ex-Imperial Dragoon had acquired some.
      âYep! I figured that this was a special enough occasion to break into my secret stash.â That explained it. Ignis didnât need his sight to practically hear the wink Aranea tossed his way. There was a splash of liquid in glasses, and her padded footsteps across the carpet as she took her seat next to him. A cooled glass was pressed into his waiting hands as she snuggled closer and brought her glass next to his. âCheers, love. And to many more!â
      âCheers.â Clinking their glasses together, Ignis brought the glass to his lips and took a quick sip. The aroma of grapes and the sweet taste of the wine soon engulfed him and he allowed himself a satisfied hum. It was a good quality red wine and Ignis couldnât have asked for a better person to share it with than the one next to him.
      They had made quite the tenacious pair at first. Ignis was still reeling from losing Noctis to the Crystal along with his brothers-in-arms, Gladiolous and Prompto, as the three escaped from the Imperial Capital of Gralea. They had managed to make it back to Lestallum in one piece and shortly after went their separate ways to help the people deal with the coming disaster. Gladiolous had departed with other Hunters to start bringing people to the city, a quick word of encouragement to his companions being all he had to say before leaving. Prompto had elected to head to Hammerhead to warn the people and to make sure Cindy was all right, no doubt, and gave his best wishes to Ignis on his new mission of intel gathering. Left behind, blind, and alone in the now unfamiliar city, Ignis stumbled quite literally across Aranea in a stroke of luck, or perhaps fate. Thinking of no other alternative, he begged the mercenary in an uncharacteristic display of brokenness to help train him to fight without his eyesight. He felt useless beside Gladiolous and Prompto and knew he would be more of a hindrance than a help to the people around him in need of aid. Shocked and intrigued by the once stoic man crying his eyes out in front of her, Aranea had agreed, and the two had been inseparable ever since. Prompto and Galdiolous had always come back to the city to check up on Ignis and see whatever information he had dug up to help fight. The two had at first been shocked to see the Dragoon right beside their old friend, but as it became a regular sight for them, the boys couldnât help but agree that it was natural that Aranea and Ignis were a thing. They had noticed the chemistry between the two, and even though Prompto had a small crush on the mercenary and Gladiolous had a passing interest in her, it was agreed she was the best match for Ignis. Her stubbornness got through to the Royal Advisor in ways the boys never could, and Aranea had lit a fire into the once despondent man with her training and constant companionship. Of course, that same stubbornness had caused no end of friction between them until the fateful mission a year ago finally brought them together as a couple.
      Said second half of their couple was now pouring herself a second glass of wine, and was asking Ignis if he too wanted a refill. Brought out of his reminiscing with a smile in her direction, he acquiesced to her proposal and lifted his now empty glass for her to fill. Settling back down into his side, Ignis wrapped his arm around Aranea as she curled herself up on the couch. Life it seemed couldnât get much better than this and he very much liked it that way. There was no telling how long it would take his King and dear friend to gather the power he needed to defeat the Chancellor once and for all, so Ignis decided to relish the small moments of comfort he had with Aranea; before they both were inevitably thrust back into the chaos of the world. Though he was always devoted to Noctis, Ignis found that he had more than enough room in his heart for Aranea and living together was just the next, natural step in their relationship. A relationship Ignis could feel would last both his and Araneaâs lifetime.
      Also as a small note, Iâll be finishing up my last three entries for NoctLuna Week and posting them up soon! Iâm so late with them and I apologize. Work and life sucked ass for me, but Iâm determined to get them out for people to read along with HighSpecs!
NoctLuna Week Day 4-Chocobros Meeting Luna: When I See You Again
      Iâve had this song stuck in my head while thinking of this fic, so that means feels time! Iâm not gonna do another song fic like my first day fic, but it is inspired by this song. Also since the Festivals are going on, why not use them for this prompt? Well, the Moogle Chocobo Festival specifically, since I havenât played the Assassinâs Festival yet. Be warned, this one is a bit of a long one and sorry itâs late. Well, enjoy!
      Noctis let out a slow breath as he opened his eyes to the scene before him. He was back at the Moogle Chocobo Festival again just like his dream oh so long ago. He was even dressed in his old festival outfit with the yellow t-shirt but without the funny hat. But everything was different now then when he had visited last time. He had sacrificed himself to save Eos, had aged ten years trying to gather the power to do so, and had left his friends and brothers behind. He even had a human companion this time as Lunafreya blinked in the sunlight, her lithe hand shielding her sight from the sun. She too had noticed the fanciful decorations around them and turned to her husband with a questioning look.
      âMy star, is this Altissia?â Luna frowned as she looked about again and at her new yellow chocobo dress. He could tell that she was surprised by the festivities, the people, and her new outfit. Plus, the live chocobos kwehing by the prize counters werenât helping matters.
      âYeah, itâs Altissia. But Iâm thinking itâs more of a dream.â Noct sheepishly swept some of his longer black hair out of his face. âIâve been here before when this festival was going on.â
      âTruly? Then, would you know why weâre here?â Luna still had unabated questions and had fully turned to him now for the answers.
      Noct just chuckled, sending some of his fringe back into his face as he shook his head. âEven when I was here way back when I never really found out âwhyâ. I tried asking Carbuncle but he wouldnât answer me.â
      âCarbuncle, the Messenger? I had never known he was connected to youâŚâ She sighed and placed a hand over her heart in contemplation. âIt would seem he was as Pyrna and Umbra were to me as he is to you, Noctis.â Taking a deep breath and releasing it, she glanced over at him with a smile now gracing her lips. âBut no matter now. I believe that since we are here, we should enjoy this carnival.â Her smile broadened as she started to walk into the light, warmly taking his hand to usher him along.
      âSounds like a date.â Noct had a similar grin on his face and even snickered as she stumbled at the thought of his words. They loved each other deeply and had even gotten married here in the afterlife; but they both were still getting used to the idea that they were together finally. Gripping her hand tighter to help her up, he took the lead to show her the wonders that had now decorated the city.
      They ventured to and fro through the streets, taking in as many as the attractions as they could. Luna let out her musical laugh every time Noct got excited about catching a tagged fish only to come up with no tag at all. Noct had an equal opportunity to laugh back at her when she was determined to get the high score with the shooting minigame. They laughed together when trying to catch a runaway chocochick and went sent sprawling into a fountain. It was a time filled with laughter and not a care in the world.
      Chirp chirp!
      Noctis stopped browsing through the prizes at the counter that he was looking to get with his medals when the sound interrupted him. Craning his neck about, he finally spotted the fluffy blue fox creature sitting on the pier. âNiveus!â He immediately approached the fox and crouched down to pet him, which Niveus allowed with gusto. âI was wondering where you were at, buddy.â
      âNiveus? Oh! Is that Carbuncle?â Luna had gracefully squatted next to him and giggled at the sight of an almighty Messenger accepting belly rubs from The King of Light.
      âY-Yeah, thatâs my nickname for him.â Noct continued scratching Carbuncle on his belly as the fox merrily squeaked in happiness. Though all too soon he rolled back to his feet and shook himself off. Indicating to Noctisâs right front pants pocket, he chirped out what sounded like an exclamation.
      âOh right, you can talk through my phone. Hang on a secâŚâ Rooting the device out, he surprised to even still have a phone on him. Then again, this place was special and anything could happen. Activating the messenger app, he noticed out the the corner of his eye that Luna was reading over his shoulder as well at what Carbuncle had sent him.
      Sorry I took so long to see you! I had a few friends to bring with me this time!
      âFriends?â Noct looked up and regarded Niveus with a confused look. âYou mean me and Luna, right?â He was a bit shocked when the fox shook his head no, and redirected his attention to his phone to read the next text.
      You both will see! Theyâll all be arriving at the pier soon, so you might wanna step back!
      âWhoâŚâ The king merely gave a shake of his head and stood up, bringing Luna to a standing position with him. âAlways with the surprises and unanswered questions, huh old friend?â Carbuncle just chirped happily at him and he gave a small roll of his eyes. âCâmon Luna, letâs do what he says.â
      âWell, all right.â His queen was frowning as they obligingly took a few steps back while watching the pier. âI wonder who Niveus meantâŚâ
      Their questions were soon answered when after blinking a couple of times, a multitude of people instantly appeared on the dock. They all look shocked and completely befuddled as to where they were. Noctis couldnât believe his eyes and, judging from the loud gasp Luna had let out, she didnât either.
      It was their friends and family, their loved ones who had passed on and the others who were still yet living: Noctâs friend and Shield Gladiolous was shaking his head in disbelief while a woman frowned in concern at him. His best friend Prompto was glancing around at all the decorations as their mechanic companions Cid and Cindy followed his example. His advisor Ignis was blinking up into the sky with the mercenary Aranea by his side. Lunaâs brother Ravus blearily rubbed his eyes and their maid Maria was on the brink of tears to see him again. The reporter Dino stumbled over a plank and the cook Coctura was there to catch him as the Marshal himself, Cor, had an unnerved expression for once with his second in command Monica inspecting the surrounding area. Sania the biologist was gazing in wonder at the city along with the lead Hunter Dave while the journalist Vyv couldnât stop taking pictures. Iris, Galdioâs little sister and Noctâs friend, wearily took in her surroundings with Talcott, the butler and friend to Irisâs family, right next to her, and three old Kingsglaive soldiers, Nyx, Crowe, and Libertus, rejoicing at the sight of one another. Lastly, Noctisâs father, King Regis, and Lunafreya and Ravusâs mother, Queen Sylva, smiled warmly at their children and the gathering of their companions.
      Noctis was paralyzed in surprise of seeing them all again, even the ones he barely had even known in life. Luna was crying joyfully with her hands over her mouth, and nearly collapsed to her knees had Noct not unfroze himself and kept her standing.
      âCâmon, letâs go see them againâŚâ Taking a deep breath, he guided himself and Luna through the small crowd to the group, Niveus skittering along behind them. Coming to stop just short of the landing, the king put on the biggest smile he could and greeted his friends. âHey you guys!â
      âNOCT!â Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto all roared in unison as they charged into Noctis, landing in a pile of hugs and tears. Iris, Talcott, Cindy, Cor, Monica, and Regis were joining into the hug pile soon after, as Cid, Dino, Coctura, Sania, Dave, Vyv, Aranea, Gladioâs companion, Nyx, Crowe, and Libertus all happily watched on. Luna was similarly pulled into a tearful hug by her brother, mother, and maid which she returned with aplomb.
      The introductions were soon made once they all had calmed down and the situation was explained to the best of Noct and Lunaâs abilities with Niveus chiming in. Once pleasantries and bygones were dealt with, as Ravus was forgiven for his disastrous deeds and apologized profusely, with Aranea giving her side of the story and was vouched for by Ignis of all people, and the three Glaives aired their grievances and soon accepted what had happened, it was decided that all present would make the best of whatever time they had at the Moogle Chocobo Festival. Striking off, most of the group pulled forward with Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto staying close to Noct and Luna.
      âSo youâre the great Lady Lunafreya, huh?â Gladio gave an approving smirk to the woman in question, as the other woman holding his hand, who had been introduced as Floriana, giggled.
      Lunafreya gave a bow of her head and smiled back warmly. âYes, but please, call me Luna.â She swept her gaze among the three men and the women who accompanied them. âItâs an honor to meet my husbandâs closest friends and brothers.â
      âThe honor is all ours, La-I mean, Luna,â stuttered Ignis with a small blush as Aranea snickered next to him while she held his arm. âYouâre as radiant as I remember seeing in the papers.â
      âMan! I canât believe you two actually got married like you wanted!â Prompto had pouted a bit at the thought of not being with his friend when he got married, but had perked right back up thanks to Cindyâs help as she walked beside him with her hand in his. âWish I coulda been there with ya, but nowâs better than never!â
      âWell said, Prompto,â agreed Luna as they all made their way to catch up with the others. âI could not have said it better myself.â
      âYeah, itâs great to see you guys again.â Noctis was grinning from ear to ear and was the happiest he had ever been. His brothers were alive and were helping to rebuild the world, just like he had hoped they would. They had even found their perfect matches in Floriana, Aranea, and Cindy, and was sincerely hoping theyâd all get married soon like he had with Luna. Sania, Dave, Vyv, Coctura, Dino, Iris, Talcott, Cor, Monica, Cid, and Libertus were also doing their part in the healing process, and Noctâs heart swelled at the thought. Though the remaining people of the group that had come to visit him and Luna were dead like them, Ravus, Regis, Sylva, Maria, Nyx, and Crowe had all promised to not be strangers in the Astral Realm now that they knew Noct and Luna were there with them.
      Hours seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye, and yet Noctis, Lunafreya, and the ones they loved did not mind in the slightest. They all laughed together playing the carnival games and explored the city to their heartsâ content. At night, they found the best seats they could and watched the fireworks explode with color in the darkened sky. Noct had pulled Luna close, his brothers next to him, and silently thanked the Astrals and Carbuncle for giving him this chance to reunite with those he loved dearest. It was all he could have ever asked for.
NoctLuna Day 3: Lake Date-Would I Know That I Could
I'll edit this properly later as I'm on mobile and can't be arsed to get my computer going. But I may come back and do a proper story with this too, who knows. But I hope you enjoy this bit if poetry!
Would I know that I could.
The question, the thought,
plagued my mind.
Would I know that I could do anything to be with you?
Would I know I that could
hold your hand
As we walked through the brush.
Would I know that I could hold you close
As I lifted you up the rocks.
We had taken in the moonlit night
Hand in hand, heart to heart,
Nothing to come between us.
Would I know that I could show you my skills
As I tried to land the best one.
Would I know that I could impress you
As you laughed and cheered.
The fish would be strong but I stronger
Man versus fish, land versus water,
in my element as you watched.
Would I know that I could try my best to cook
As I hurriedly prepared the meal.
Would I know that I could still make you giggle
As you ate without nary a sneer.
We had talked and laughed over our stories
Tale for tale, word for word,
with the night drawing on.
Would I know that I could lend you my jacket
As the dark took a slight chill.
Would I know that I could make your heart flutter
As you accepted it with a blush.
We walked together around our lake
Arm in arm, beat for beat,
nothing more needing to be said.
Would I know that I could kiss you
As we had drawn to a stop.
Would I know that I could pull you closer
As you kissed me back with your love.
Breath for breath, yearning for yearning, love for love.
Would I know that I could never see you again
As I awoke with a gasp.
Would I know that I could only see you in my dreams now
NoctLuna Week Day 2-Noctisâs Birthday: A New Star
Finally done with Day 2! Sorry it was so late, since work kicked my ass and this story was too lol I nearly went to description-y on it but pulled myself back to focus on the two main subjects, Noctis and Lunafreya. So, enjoy and have fun and hopefully tomorrow will come out easier to me xD
      âHappy Birthday!â The shouts came from all around him and the party poppers rained down confetti and sparkles. King Noctis just laughed, happy to be surrounded by his friends and loved ones. By some strange twist of fate, or perhaps Bahamut decided to be nice for a change, Noctis had been given a chance to live again on Eos. His beloved home had come a long way in the two short years since he had returned, and three years since he had sacrificed himself. Surrounding him were not just his stalwart allies who had survived the ten years of darkness, but also those who had been saved by his light by curing their daemonification. And the one person he cherished more than he could ever imagine was by his side, hugging him softly around the waist.
      âAnother year older, hmm?â His wife and beautiful Queen, Lunafreya, was as radiant as ever in her white blouse and black skirt with the new gray knitted shawl she wore lovingly draped over her shoulders. Noctis had been incredibly shocked upon awakening to see that not only was he alive again but that Luna had been given a chance to live alongside him. Their powers as Oracle and Chosen King were gone, but in their place was their lives. And Noctis figured that was more than enough for him and Luna.
      âYeah, and I wouldnât have it any other way.â Noct just hugged her closer and the party continued into the night with drinks and food aplenty. Galdiolous nearly flattened Noctis into the ground with a few slaps to the back, his smaller wife Floriana chiding him for being so rough while wrapped up in Gladioâs arm. Ignis had joined in the chastising as well, but his fiancĂŠ Aranea only told him to lay off, playfully smacking his shoulder from their curled-up position on the couch. Prompto just laughed and snuggled closer to his fiancĂŠ Cindy, who was trying to gently calm down him down in his drunken merriment but only wound up laughing along with him. Iris was chatting with Cor and Monica, Talcott close behind her while he conversed with Dino and Coctura, two of the Starcured and close friends to the king among others.
      Luna had soon excused herself to the balcony and Noct had followed with worry etched into his face. Though the city was quiet now after the dayâs festivities in the kingdom, the party behind him in his private chambers was as loud as ever even as he walked outside. He found her stroking the window basket filled with sylleblossoms overlooking the city in the cool night air. His queen had looked a bit pale and sickly over the past few days and tonight was not any different. "Luna? What's wrong? You still feeling sick?"
      She then turned to him, with the most joyful smile on her face as she closed the distance between them. "Everything is perfect, my star." Taking his right hand, she placed it on her abdomen and stroked the back of his hand lovingly. "I found out today that, we are to be parents!"
      "What!?" Noctis could hardly believe his ears or touch, but in an instant, it clicked. Wrapping Lunafreya in his arms with a shout of jubilation, it was the best birthday gift he could have ever received. He was going to be a dad! âThat is amazing, Luna!â To even emphasize his point he had spun her around in a small circle, oblivious to the world except for the woman carrying his child.
      Luna laughed along with him, holding on for dear life in his arms. âYes, yes my star! Now please,â she patted his arm to be let down and gasped for breath. âBe gentle. I am as excited as you are, bu-â
      âGah! Iâm sorry Luna, I got ahead of myself.â Noctis softly kissed her forehead and rubbed her back, his eyebrows knit together in consternation. âAre you going to be okay?â
      âI will be fine.â Her demure smile assuaged the fears in his heart and they lovingly embraced. Parting, Lunafreyaâs blonde hair shifted with her gaze as she looked over at the now silent gathering behind them. âThough I think we should tell our guests the good news as well.â
      Chuckling, Noct could only agree and started to guide her back to their loved ones. âI think I scared them with how I acted. Some king I am, huh?â
      âYou are my king, and my husband.â She squeezed his hand in emphasis and walked steadily next to him. âBut most of all, you are Noctis. I would be surprised if you had acted any differently.â
      âTrue. And guess we better add âfather-to-beâ to that list too.â The king smiled warmly and his queen returned it in kind, the pair entering the light of the room once more.
      âWhatâs up?â Gladio cocked his head to the side with his arms crossed. Floriana nearly mirrored her husbandâs expression with a hand on his arm.
      âIs aught amiss?â Ignis frowned in confusion, his now-seeing eyes alight with curiosity and Aranea just as curious next to him.
      âHey, Noct, Luna, everything okay?â Prompto had perked up and was sitting attentively in his seat. Cindy had an eyebrow raised and was perched on the armrest next to her fiancĂŠe.
      Grinning together and nodding, they both announced the happy news to their loved ones: âWeâre going to be parents!â
      The party once again erupted with shouts and the expecting couple was soon lost in a sea of hugs, well wishes, and congratulations. The talk very quickly shifted onto what the child would look like and it was a heated debate on whether the child would have black or blonde hair, if they would take after Noctis or Lunafreya more, or heavens forbid have Noctisâs temperament. Noctis was sure to stay by Lunaâs side for the rest of the night, an arm never leaving her side. He held not one, but two lives next to him now, and he was not about to let anything happen to them. Noctis had his own little star to look forward to and he felt as if the world was a bit brighter; a world that he would cherish together with his child. His family.
      I really love the Noctis and Luna are getting their own week here on tumblr! I have loved them since day one and I will be participating in the entire week. So thank you to the organizers of the week, and please enjoy my first entry!
      I kind of liked it your way,
      how you shyly placed your eyes on me.
      Did you ever know that I had mine on you?
      It was strange to meet the Prince of Lucis, even stranger still given the circumstances of their meeting. Princess Lunafreya regarded the young boy across from her with a curious look as he glanced down from in front of his father. He had come to her home of Tenebrae to heal after a grievous injury from a daemon and could barely stand even with his fatherâs support. Lunafreya could tell he had been sheltered and unaware of the world as the young boy fidgeted, with his rich black hair falling into his sight. She put on her warmest smile and smoothed over her white dress, calmly approaching the darkly dressed boy.
      It was King Regis who made the first introductions as he cleared his throat and urged his son forward. âCome now, donât be shy. Say hello to the princess.â The man always had a kind look on his face and had an even kinder demeanor. It served to endear Lunafreya to him, and she suspected the same for her family as her brother Prince Ravus and her mother Queen Sylva smiled a bit wider when greeted by the king. Regis gave his son a gentle squeeze to his small shoulders to reassure him as the light from the bay windows glinted off of his ring on his middle right finger. Witnessing the gesture, Lunafreya silently wished she had had a father like King Regis growing up before her thoughts were dashed away as the boy looked up.
      Darling so there you are!
      With that look on your face.
      What she had first noticed were his brilliant blue eyes. They shone and shimmered in the afternoon sun and held a wide range of emotions. Shyness, disquiet, fear, pain, curiosity, all of it simmered within the depths of his sapphires. He had a rounded face and unrefined features befitting his age of 8, and was garbed in a black, short sleeved sweatshirt, with a black shirt, black shorts, and black shoes with white outlines and white socks. All in all, he was very cute and it made Lunafreyaâs smile grow even wider.
      As if youâre never hurt.
      As if youâre never down.
      This in turn caused the boy to finally grin as well, lighting up his once gloomy features. âI-Itâs an honor to meet you. Iâm Prince Noctis,â he gave a small bow which made her giggle, âand Iâm happy to be here, Princess Lunaf-âŚâ Noctis faltered over her name and had a look of consernation as he tried again. âPrincess Lunaf-f-fâŚâ
      Shall I be the one for you,
      Who pinches you softly but sure?
      âLuna is just fine, Prince Noctis.â Luna giggled as she reached out her hand to the prince, taking his small hand in hers. âAnd I welcome you to my home. Welcome to Tenebrae.â Their eyes met then, blue on blue and she felt a deep connection from their gazes. Luna already knew he was to be the Chosen King and of the sad fate that awaited him later in life. But that was many years down the road and as the Oracle in training for him she wanted to be there for him now. She had vowed to stay by his side and what better way to start their partnership then by having him be comfortable as he recovered among the groves of her birthplace?
      If a frown is shown then,
      I will know that you are no dreamer.
      Noctis had looked downtrodden soon after not being able to pronounce her name, but brightened up again after Lunaâs words. His grip on her hand tightened and he nodded in ascent, his grin widening enough to show his teeth. âThanks, and you can call me Noct if you want.â He cast an excited glance around her room before returning his attention back to her once more.  âItâs really pretty here!â
      His father was beaming along with his son and chuckled in relief. âIndeed it is, my son.â Beckoning to the glass doors leading outside with a twinkle in his sapphire eyes, he patted both of the young children on the shoulders. âCome, let us try walking around the garden if you are up to it, Noctis.â King Regis looked slightly troubled at something, but was quick to dismiss it when he noticed Luna had caught his glance. The burdens of ruling a kingdom never truly allowed him time with his son, and knowing his destiny only worsened the feeling of loss. All he could do was help his son heal, and raise him as best he could. Luna knew this and was more than willing to help the older king with his burdens.
      So let me come to you
      Close as I want to be.
      They both were interrupted in their thoughts by an enthusiastic cheer from Noct who had already started toward the entrance to the garden. âLetâs go, Dad!â He had turned to look at them and nearly stumbled, but Luna was there to catch him. He sheepishly thanked her as he stood again and shook his head, his smile never leaving his face and the glint of happiness never leaving his brilliant blue eyes. âDo you mind showing us around, Luna? I wanna see whatâs out there!â Luna could already tell that he was the same as her in that they both wanted to have time with their parents, and that he was practically leaping at the chance to be with his dad.
      Close enough for me
      to feel your heart beating fast
      and stay there as I whisper
      She gave a small incline of her head and matched his grin with her own. âI would be more than happy to, Noct.â Guiding her small retinue to the world outside, she once again took Noctâs hand and gave it a warm squeeze. âPlease, feel free to lean on me if you tire.â With his nod, she led the way into the cool air of the outdoors. Her practiced steps took them to her favorite spot in her mansion: the field of sylleblossoms she had so lovingly cultivated.
      Noctâs eyes had lit up in excitement and he had let go of her hand to crouch down and admire the flowers. Luna joined him with King Regis watching over the two of them, the feeling of ease washing over their small party. She was soon explaining all there was to her flowers and Noct was drinking in all of the information. His sapphires eyes never left her face as she talked, and she admitted she quite liked the admiration. She regarded him with a look of wonder with her own grey blue eyes, and they both smiled in companionship, their hands touching amidst the grass and sylleblossom flowers of the field.
      how I loved your peaceful eyes on me.
      And did you ever know that I had mine on you?
      Orpheus leaned up, the joints in his back popping as he stretched from being hunched over his homework. He had been pouring over the arithmetic for over an hour now and still had his history pamphlets to get through. It had been a bit boring as he already knew most of the information thanks to learning it all from his dad. Being the son of such an intelligent man really did a number on his brain and spine though. Seriously, he wondered to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck, how does Papa do it?
      The man in question soon nudged the door open to the living room, his arms full of groceries from his market trip. He looked a bit haggard with his hair flopping over into his eyes, brows pinched in concentration. Orpheus immediately jumped up to help and left his paperwork behind him. He honestly wanted to be rid of that headache for a little while.
      âHmph, it doesnât get any easierâŚOh!â Ignis startled when his son grabbed two of the bags that had been perched in his arms. He was quick enough to recover and offer a grateful smile as he made his way to their kitchen. âWhy thank you, Orpheus. Would you mind helping me put away the supplies as well?â
      âSure! No problem, Papa!â Orpheus was quick to jump at the chance to hang out with his father. Ignis was constantly busy with helping run the city of Insomnia and Republic of Lucis in general. As such, he often did not have a chance to spend much time with his family, so every little moment counted. Together, father and son made quick work of the groceries, putting the items in their proper places all the while making small talk. âHow was work? Did they finally get that law through?â Orpheus paused as he held one of the cans of vegetables, waiting for a response.
      âWith flying colors, actually,â Ignis smirked, placing the eggs and cheese into one of the drawers in the fridge. âThe only problem that was holding most of the Senate back was the small tax hike needed to fund the hospital, but with a talk to the people, it was approved unanimously.â He stood up and stretched with a hand on his back, his joints cracking not unlike Orpheusâ own. âIt turns out the outer lying citizens donât mind paying a bit more in order for the hospital to be built in Cleigne. It would mean much more accessible healthcare to them and the Hunters of course.â He bent again to reach for the next bag, only to be stopped halfway by Orpheus, who was holding the bag up for him after taking care of the pantry goods.
      âThatâs awesome!â The kid beamed, his father returning it in kind as they finished storing the last of the food. âReally, it was a smart idea for you to suggest that hospital.â
      âAs much as I would like to take credit for the deed, Iâm afraid it was President Leonis who originally thought of it.â Ignis tossed out the leftover bags and made his way over to the coffee table where Orpheus had abandoned his schoolwork, his son following behind him. âI merely helped to push it forward. Now then,â he gestured to the scattered papers, âletâs try to finish this before dinnertime, hmm?â
      Orpheus tried to make another comment, but all that came out was a groan. I know Papa means well, but this stuff is kidâs workâŚ, he mused as he reluctantly took his seat again. Picking up his pencil, he made to start the task once more when he noticed that his father had actually sat down next to him. âPapa?â
      His tone of surprise made Ignis give another smirk. âWhat? Canât a father help his child with his homework?â
      âOh, n-no, of course not; Itâs just thatâŚâ Iâm usually left to myself since you have work things to doâŚOrpheus intentionally left his last thought unspoken as he didnât want to sound ungrateful for more time with his perpetually busy dad.
      His fatherâs eyes shone with understanding, the skin around his right eye crinkling in concern while the scarring around his left eye prevented the same action. âI know, my son, but I believe itâs high time I tried to change that kind of behavior.â He quickly tried to pass off the worry with a grin but it did not reach his eyes. âEspecially with you about to enter into middle school soon.â
      Thanks to inheriting his fatherâs vast intelligence, Orpheus was only 8 years old but already well on his way to start 6th grade in the fall. In fact he was the smartest out of his siblings, but that by no means made them dumb, and he knew that fact quite well. It was a fact that he hated. It made him feel horrible for overshadowing his older sisters and brother as he was the youngest and the special treatment his father just decided to give him only made it worse.
      Just for me, huh? Gee thanks Dad. Hope Lucie, Julian, and Fraxinea donât throw a fit when they hear that. I get the brains while they get the brawn and I have to sit through lectures while they go out there doing something in the worldâŚThe childâs silence spoke volumes in the quiet room, and the scarred man next to him frowned in consternation.
      Ignis tried to speak up to break the sudden chill. âOrpheus-â
      âWhen will I get scars like you and Mom, huh Dad?â His fatherâs face was struck with awe at his sonâs audacity and this only emboldened Orpheus to continue. âWhen can I fight instead of just doing all of these stupid worksheets and tests? All this thinking with no action? I want to be strong like Lucie, or Julian! Or like Fraxinea!â Orpheusâ voice grew steadily louder through his tirade until at the end he was shouting. âWHY DO I HAVE TO BE THE SMART ONE? WHY CANâT I FIGHT!?â
      In an instant, Orpheus regretted what he said when he saw his fatherâs expression just crumble, as if his heart had been shattered to pieces. Though his rage had been building for months now over his somewhat forced accelerated learning, seeing his dad turn away in shame made him feel horrid about himself.
      âOh, Orpheus,â Ignis finally whispered, his normally powerful voice trembling with sadness, âyou do not want these scars. They robbed me of my sight, and very nearly of my life.â
      âDad, I-Iâm sorry. I didnâtâŚâ His small hand tried to reach out to his fatherâs arm but abruptly dropped it, fearing a reprimand. It was Orpheusâ turn to be interrupted instead, his father still speaking in a wavering tone.
      âI still thank the Six that my eyesight was returned to me just before your brother Julian was born, but those years spent in darkness were some of the most trying in my life.â Subconsciously, Ignisâ long fingers rubbed the scar over his eye, almost as if he was trying to scratch it away. âI was a burden to everyone, my brothers and my king, and failed horribly in my duty to be Noctisâ eyes and shield to the world. My other injuries barely let me continue with the journey, and had it not been for your mother being my light in the darkness, and your uncles for staying by my side, I fear I wouldâŚâ He chocked then, the tears he had been trying to hold back now freely falling down his face and onto the parchment underneath him. âI fear I would have ended it all, and let Leviathan and that bastard have the last laugh for what they did to meâŚâ He trailed off as his frame shook from his sobbing. The pain from his old memories and scars were plain on his face though he soon buried it in shame into his hands.
      Similar streams of sorrow were raining down Orpheusâ face as he made to reach out to his father once more. He had heard only snippets of what had happened during the Starscourge Wars, as both of his parents had not wanted to recount their struggles. But seeing his dad freshly reliving the past because of his careless words before him broke his own heart. Without a word, he gently pushed Ignisâ hands out of the way and placed his own small hands over the wounded skin of the manâs face. Orpheus pulled him close and rested his forehead against Ignisâ in a gesture he had seen his mother Aranea do whenever he had spied on them. It was a small comfort to Ignis and it always seemed to calm him down whenever he seemed to be freaking out over things. It did the trick as Orpheus felt his fatherâs arms encircle him in a hug and the both of them stayed motionless for several moments.
      âIâm sorry Papa.â Orpheus finally broke the silence when his and Ignisâ sniffles had subsided, pulling back slightly to look his father in his matching green eyes. âI didnât mean to hurt you so badly. I just want to be there with you and Mom when you fight together against any bad guys. I want to be with Lucie when she hunts with her lance. I want to be with Julian as he trains with his daggers for the Shields. I want to be sparring with Fraxinea with our fists. I justâŚâ
      âI know, Orpheus.â His father had pulled him into another embrace, his hand brushing through his sonâs honey brown hair. âI know how frustrated you feel. There have been many times in my life where I wanted to fight with physical means rather than words. And indeed I did so that you and your siblings may be able to live in a world free of darkness. But,â he slightly smiled as he released the boy again, âEven though you wish to be strong like us, you indeed already are.â
      âI am?â His statement only served to throw Orpheus for a loop, the childâs brow furrowed in confusion.
      âYes, you are. There is a great pride to be shown in learning about and understanding the world and people around you.â Ignisâ smile grew wider and his expression softened at last as encouraged his son. âThrough that, you can fight for what you believe in, for the spoken word is a weapon in and of itself. Itâs what I do every day at my job in the government and how I was able to help realize the construction of the hospital, among other things.â He chuckled, letting his speech sink in as the realization dawned on his childâs mien.
      âWait, yeah, youâre right!â Orpheusâ answering smile was just as brilliant as his fatherâs. He finally felt at ease having gotten his feelings off his chest, and could feel excitement at what his dad had just said. I really can be like Papa and Mama. I can fight just as hard as they do with my words to make Eos a better place!
      âWell now.â Ignis gave a relaxed sigh and shifted, bringing both of their attentions back to the homework lying in front of them. âSince that is over, why donât we work on this together? And after dinner, what do you say to helping me out with my own work? I think itâs high time I start training you much like your siblings in your own path.â
      âSeriously? Dad, Iâd love too!â Orpheus could scarcely believe his ears when he had heard his dadâs offering. He was going to get to be around his dad more and get to learn from him, just like he had wanted.
      Ignis seemed to pause for a few seconds before adding on, âAnd, if you still want, I could deign to train you in the ways of combat as wel-â
      His next sentence had been cut off as Orpheus tackled him into a tight hug and sent both tumbling to the floor. âYouâre the best, Dad!â
      âI do try!â Ignisâ busted up laughing as he returned his sonâs enthusiastic glomp and they laid there trying to catch their breath before sitting back up again.
      âI canât wait to tell Mid!â Orpheus said about his best friend, the youngest child and only boy of the Argentum family, who was turning into quite the gunman like his father Prompto. âHeâs gonna be so stoked!â And I get to spend more time with Dad just like he does with Uncle Prompto!
      âIâm sure Midas will be, but as of now, letâs get started. Shall we?â Ignis shared in his sonâs excitement, his eyes sparkling with emotion.
      âYou got it!â Eagerly Orpheus grabbed his pencil once more, and together father and son worked on conquering the beast that was homework. Their banter was relaxed and carefree as they solved problem after problem, wrote word after word. The joy and warmth were palpable to the two, and when the rest of the family came home from their own activities of work and school, they could feel it too. Aranea wrapped her arms around Ignis in a tight embrace as she was welcomed home, and Lucie, Julian, and Fraxinea all piled on top of Orpheus. Hearing the news of Orpheusâ new training, the family decided that dinner would be celebrated at their favorite restaurant. The siblings were all excited that their youngest brother would finally be training with them, and chattered amongst themselves as they got ready to go. The parents couldnât be prouder of their kids as they ran about and gave each other knowing looks as they held hands. The scars of their pasts would always be there, but with their kids able to spend their days free of the nightmares they had faced, their hearts felt healed and whole once more.
         The sunlight beating down from the heavens was harsh against Ignisâ back as he ran, dodging around a couple of bushes that had the nerve to be growing in his path. Duscae was quite the beautiful region when things werenât so hectic but that wasnât the case this day. He could feel his panic building and try as he might it was hard to stifle. His heart was thundering in his chest and his head was throbbing from the exertion. It was supposed to have been a good day, spent with friends and family at their yearly camping trip, yet it had turned into this disaster.
        âDude! Slow down!â A voice called out to the harried man and he turned, nearly colliding with a low branch in his haste. His old friend, Prompto, was hurrying to catch up with their older friend, Gladio, right on his heels. Ignis finally came to a stop as the other two reached him and all three of the companions paused to catch their breath.
       âMan, I thought I was a fast runner!â gasped Prompto, bent over at the waist with his hands on his knees and wiping his scruffy chin.
        âHeâs giving you a run for you money, thatâs for sure.â Gladio huffed along with them, running a hand through his hair, part of which had come out of his ponytail. âIggyâs a man on a mission. Doesnât get more serious than that.â
         âQuite right, which means we must keep moving.â Ignis was irritated at having had a delay, the trail growing colder with every second, and went to go back to his chase when a strong hand grabbed his right arm. Looking with his good eye, he could see it was Gladio.
         âWeâll find âem Iggy, but donât run yourself ragged looking for them. Weâre as worried as you are.â Though both he and Ignis bore similar troubled looks on their faces, Gladio was right. It would not be good to be in a frothing state at this moment.
         âYeah! With us on the case itâll be a cinch!â A smile cracked Promptoâs mien as he finally stood upright, throwing the two of them a thumbs up.
         âRightâŚâ Taking a couple of deep breaths to calm himself, Ignis shoved his shades back up on his nose and squinted around, Prompto and Gladio doing the same. The brightness was not doing him any favors and was hurting his eyes something fierce; especially his left one which had just recently regained its sight. He closed it in hopes it would diminish the pain but kept his right eye open, searching. Finally he spotted a scrap of cloth lazily waving in the breeze off of a bushâs limb and hurried to grab it. Studying the flowery pattern, he knew they were on the right track.
         âThis way! And donât dally!â Ignis took off towards the thicker part of the forest with his comrades following close behind. They had spent the next couple of minutes running north until the scared kwehs of a chocobo and shouts of children reached their ears. His heart plummeting into his feet, Ignis was the first to break through the tree cover to the scene now unfolding.
         A vicious pack of Coeurls had cornered three black chocobos towards an outcropping of rocks, the birds trying to keep them away with angry squawks and pecks. Hidden behind the mounds were several mops of hair just barely visible over the top, trembling in fear. Jet blacks, dirty blondes, light brown, silvery blondesâŚ
         With a roar, Gladio unstrapped his greatsword from his back and charged at the cats, taking a huge swipe at the group to make them scatter. Prompto wasnât too far behind, unholstering his pistols with a steely look in his blue eyes as he started firing to further disrupt the pack. Ignis leapt into the fray last with a snarl, whipping out his daggers and expertly hitting the eye socket and neck joint of one of the offending animals and fully capturing the beastsâ attentions. They worked together like a well-oiled machine as they effectively dismantled the animalsâ own unity, their years of experience hunting and fighting giving them the advantage. A well-aimed kick from Prompto sent a Coeurl staggering where Ignis awaited, his daggers giving off a flash as they sliced through the catâs jugular. Seeing its brotherâs fall, another was ready to pounce at the manâs exposed back before a gigantic blade came slicing through its spine, bisecting it clean in two as Gladio came up from the side. Within minutes of the fight starting it had ended, the dead bodies of the pack lying strewn across the clearing and the comrades standing none the worse for wear.
         Several curious heads soon popped up from behind the rocks, and seeing that the coast was clear and the three men that had come to save them, the kids rushed out all at once with their chocobo guardians following to greet their rescuers.
         âDaddy!â Two raven haired children were quickly swept up into Gladioâs embrace, the man giving them a huge bear hug with his sword planted forgotten in the ground.
         âPops!â Twin blondies tackled their father Prompto to the dirt, with him barely having enough to time holster his guns before his girls were on top of him laughing.
         âPapa!â The remaining three, two sliver-blondes and one brunette, were encircled in Ignisâ arms in a warm embrace, his daggers safely strapped back to his legs. He crouched on his knees and buried his face into them, his heart finally relieved of its stress. The chocobos gave happy kwehs and nuzzled their masters along with the kids, ruffling their feathers in contentment now that the danger had passed.
         âJust what were you all doing out here?â Ignis looked down at his children, searching their faces for answers. His oldest, Lucie, was the first to speak up.
         âWeâre really sorry, PapaâŚâ she pouted, her green eye shining in apology while the other was covered by her eyepatch. The scrap of fabric he had found had belonged to her skirt, and he was grateful to see that his daughter was otherwise unharmed. She shoved some of her silver blond hair out of her face before she continued. âWe were just taking Ebony, Midnight, and Blacky out for a ride when those Coeurls jumped us and the chocobos just took offâŚâ
         âYeah, but you sure showed them jerks what for, Daddy!â Belladonna, Galdioâs daughter, piped up from the shelter of her dadâs arms with a grin.
Her older brother, Ratree, shushed her quickly. âSissy! Donât use a bad word!â She was quick to respond with her tongue out before earning a stern look from Galdio.
          âYou rascals gave us one heck of a scare, thatâs for sure.â He sighed, ruffling their hair before setting them down and sheathing his sword onto his back once more. He then picked them both up again with one arm, depositing them onto Midnight and grabbing the reins.
          âAwe, we didnât mean ta!â Lillith frowned, her and her twin Cuprum having already clambered off of Prompto, allowing him to get up.
         Cuprum had her arms crossed, nodding in agreement with her sister. âShucks, itâs not like we WANTED to scare ya nâ the uncles, Pops.â
          âWe know, but that doesnât make us any less worried about you kids.â Prompto huffed, helping his girls onto the back of Blacky who trilled quietly in preparation to return to their camp. âI swear, your mom was about to whack me with a wrench for letting you guys outta my sightâŚâ
         âAuntie Cindy mustâve been kidding!â Ignisâ second child, Julian, was looking incredulous as he spoke, glancing down at his father for reassurance from the saddle on Ebony. He was practically the spitting image of the man, right down to the way he arched his eyebrow inquisitively. Except for his silvery hair, which he had inherited from his mother. âRight, Papa?â
         Ignis, letting out a small groan as he placed his youngest, Fraxinea, onto Ebonyâs back behind her brother, just smirked at his son. âIâm afraid not, Julian. Your mother had much of the same sentiments and would have used her lance to skewer me, if she hadnât been, ah, âindisposedâ at the moment.â He chuckled, knowing that Aranea wouldâve still done it anyways had he not taken off with Gladio and Prompto at that moment.
         âIs Orpheus giving her trouble again, Papa?â Lucie furrowed her eyebrows together and shifted in her seat uncomfortably. âHe really needs to be born soon so he can stop giving Mama so much grief.â The oldest out of all the children, she always made it her business to look after everyone and so was maturing as quickly as her father did when he was her age, speech patterns and all.
         âHe will come when he is ready, my dear.â Ignis gave her a kiss on the cheek, and took the lead of Ebony, guiding the small group back out of the forest.
         âAt least Cereus isnât doing that to our mom now!â Belladonna said in reference to her and Ratreeâs youngest brother, who had just been born not a month ago. Ratree elbowed her and they nearly broke into a fistfight until Gladio stopped them.
         âENOUGH, you two. Save the sass for when we get back to the campsiteâŚâ His long legs were keeping an even stride in the direction of the haven, though he was exasperated at his childrenâs usual antics.
         The warmth of the sunâs rays bathed them as they made their way towards their encampment at a much more leisurely pace than moments before. Ignis couldnât help but smile at the sight of his children chattering on top of their ride. Fraxinea could only babble along with her siblings, her brown ponytail swinging in time with Ebonyâs strides. In no time they were back to safety, the rest of their loved ones coming to greet them. Cindy instantly chastised Prompto whilst smothering their twins, causing him to just sheepishly apologize. Belladonna and Ratree cooed over their baby brother Cereus with their cousins Jared and Amaryllis begging them to come and play as their parents Iris and Talcott watched with matching grins. Gladio got a soft hug from his wife in gratitude for the rescue and a genuine smile from Cor for a job well done. Aranea lastly hobbled over to her small family, Biggs and Wedge close behind, and they along with the children devolved into a pile of hugs with Ignis in the middle.
         The scarred man counted his blessings as he pulled his wife close, feeling their son kick his side from within her; surrounded by the most precious people in his life. Giving Aranea a soft kiss and seeing the sunlight dance in her eyes as she laughed, perhaps he had been too harsh the sunâŚ
       The cool breeze was a blessing against Ignisâ fevered skin as he stepped out from the shelter of the Leville Hotel into the night. Sweltering temperatures had once again assaulted Lestallum for the fifth day in a row, and only the darkness could bring relief to its denizens and visitors alike. Unfortunately, the record high temperatures had caused the Exineris Power Plant to be in danger of a meltdown, and so men were recruited to work along with the women who usually ran the plant to keep it from disaster. Ignis and his friends were no exception to the rule and he, Prompto, Galdio, and even Prince Noctis worked together with everyone else in the hot confines of the generator rooms, sweating buckets of sweat and ending every day covered in grime.
   Wearied again from another long day, Ignis was among the dozens of people who had taken to the streets to absorb some of the coolness of the midnight hours. Wandering to and fro in just his tank top and shorts like the many others around him, he soon found himself leaning against one of the many guardrails looking over the plant while lost in thought. The centerpiece of Lestallum was old and this heat wave could not continue lest the machinery give way and plunge the city into darkness, leaving it at the mercy of the daemons that roamed. It truly agitated him that there was nothing more that he or his companions could do to try and ward off the looming panic other than spend their days slaving away in the sweltering heat.
    Ignis soon cast his gaze to the stars that were weakly shining through the haze of the cityâs lights, willing his mind to take him to simpler times. The times of his childhood when all he had to worry about was one wayward princeâŚ
    âAwe câmon Ignis! We just HAVE to go out!â A familiar pout was on the young princeâs face, and it was all Ignis could do to not give in to those puppy dog eyes.
    âYour father would most assuredly dismiss me from your service if we were caught outside at night,â the burgeoning advisor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. âLet alone wandering past the outskirts of the city just to see a meteor showerâŚâ
    âBut this meteor shower only happens once every 100 years! And we canât even TRY to see it in the city because of all the lights!â Noctis was being extremely persistent in the matter, and was even tugging on the sleeve of Ignisâ dress shirt in childish pleading. âYou said so yourself that youâd hate yourself if you missed it, so letâs go!â
    âNoctis, I know what I said, but putting ourselves in danger just to satisfy a mere fancy will do nothing but cause more regrets than pleasures.â Secretly, his heart did indeed want to see the sky lit up with the streaks of the Ophiuchus Meteors as they burned in the atmosphere. But for all that his royal charge begged and pleaded, he could not in good conscience risk their safety.
    A deal had finally been struck after several more back and forth arguments, with Ignis deciding if they could get high enough, the light pollution would be diminished enough to chance a glimpse at the event. Noctis readily agreed and the two boys ascended into the west tower of the Citadel. Given their small size they could easily dodge the Crownsguard personnel that patrolled the hallways and finally found the perfect spot to watch the stars. The huge brass telescope Noctis had received from his father a year early had done wonders for showing them the splendor of the starsâŚ
    âMind if I join you?âA voice jostled him from the fond memory, bringing him back to the present with the sight a young brunette with a warm smile.
    âOh, no, not at all,â Ignis gestured to the railing to his right, and the woman sidled up, placing her arms against the metal bar in a crossed position. He gave her a once over, noticing that she didnât look that much older than him, and was wearing a tight fitting top and shorts not unlike he was. Watching her take a deep breath of the chilled air, she turned her head towards with a small grin.
    âEnjoying the view?â She spoke with a slightly rough cadence, waving her calloused hand over the expanse before them. âIâll admit, itâs not much to look at. Especially after all these years.â
    âNonsense,â the bespectacled man retorted with a slight quirk of his mouth. âAge can be quite the improvement on many parts of life. Young or old, there is beauty in everything.â
    This elicited a laugh from the girl, the mirth coming out in short bursts with Ignis joining in with his own chuckle. âWell well now, arenât you the charmer?â Calming down, she gave him a searching look, the blue of her eyes alight with curiosity. âHave we met somewhere before?â
    Ignis frowned in concentration, his own green eyes glancing towards the heavens once more while thinking. A moment later the recollection flashed through his mind. They had often worked side by side in the shifts at the plant, passing water buckets back and forth in their busy efforts to keep the generators cooled and pistons functioning. He had admired her strength as well as the way her body had moved with the practiced grace of a professional, and regretted not asking her name until now.
    âIndeed, we have. I was conscripted alongside my three friends into helping you and the townsfolk keep your beloved plant from overheating.â He watched as the realization dawned on her before continuing. âForgive me, charmer you may have called me, but I am a gentleman who has forgotten to ask the lady her name.â
    She was once again giving him that infectious giggle, her hand covering her rosy lips before extending it out in front of her. âHecate. Friends call me Catey.â
    âIgnis.â He gave his name in kind as he took the waiting hand in a genial handshake. He quickly noticed that her grip was gentle, yet firm, and it was very warm. âMight I ask what brings you out on this night, Hecate?â
    âStargazing,â came her simple answer as she looked up into the sky, her hazelnut hair swinging behind her in its half-braids, half-loose style as she did. âItâs been a favorite pastime of mine and with all the work at the plant, this is the first time Iâve managed to get outside all week to see âem without immediately crashing once I got home.â
    âThe same as me then. The stars hold so much mystery and wonder, that I canât help but cast my gaze to them whenever I can.â His face broke into a smile, an expression that was rarely ever present on his face. Finding a kindred soul with the love of the cosmos seemed to be a one in a million chance, and yet here she stood.
    âRight? Theyâre just so beautiful!â Hecate turned back to him, her eyes shining with excitement and a matching grin that showed off her dimples. âYâknow what? Why donât we get out of here and talk about space over some drinks? I know this awesome bar just down the street that serves the BEST cocktailsâŚâ
    She had left her invitation wide open and Ignis was more than happy to seize the opportunity. âI would love to, Hecate. Please,â he gestured back to the lively street behind them, âlead the way.â
    âItâs Catey to you,â she chortled, heeding his motion by shoving off of the guardrail in one fluid move and starting to walk towards their destination.
    âOh, so are we friends now?â He acknowledged the nickname as his long legs kept an even pace with her shorter strides, his tone contemplative.
    âOnly after a few drinks, Iâd say so.â A wink was thrown his way as Hecate sped up a little more, giving the air of a challenge as they made their way to the bar, weaving around the many other denizens of the nightlife.
  âWell now, we shall seeâŚâ Ignis watched her swinging hips in front of him as he followed suit, and noted that Gladio had indeed been right about the appeal of the strong women of Lestallum. He allowed himself another low chuckle and shook his head. Tonight may be yet another night filled with wonderâŚ
      It had been a long day of driving in the Regalia, and Ignis was more than happy to have the chance to stretch his legs. The royal entourage of Noctis, Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis had made the drive from Galdin Quay to Hammerhead to help deliver some sorely needed supplies as a favor to Cid and Cindy, and was now getting ready to set up camp. As a surprise, the trio of ex-Imperials of Aranea Highwind and her two subordinates Biggs and Wedge had accompanied them with their motorbikes. When asked as Gladio was packing up the last of the supplies at the port, Aranea mentioned that she wanted to make sure the parts for the new headlights that Cindy was making would get there in one piece. Though a little miffed for doubting the integrity of him and his friends, Ignis nevertheless welcomed the soldiersâ presence as they made their way to the garage. There had been a small herd of Garulas blocking the road, and with their help, the boys had no trouble clearing the way.
      Now, after picking up groceries for themselves and their guests, Ignis was grabbing the last bag out of the trunk. Gladio was with Biggs, setting up the tents and such, Prompto had accompanied Ignis while shopping but ran off with Aranea and Cindy soon after, while Noctis went to get firewood with Wedge, and Cid was dozing off in one of the camp chiars. Reaching into the depths, oddly enough there was one more bag than the man had anticipated; tucked away behind the parcel he now carried.
      âWhat the devilâŚ?â he muttered as he bent low, bringing the bag out into the light of the late afternoon sun. It was a short, square box filled with an odd of assortment of pastries that he could only describe as donuts. Frowning, the advisor to the wayward prince knew that he had not purchased them with the other ingredients, leaving onlyâŚ
      âPromptoâŚâ A sigh escaped the man as he shook his head and made his way back to the now erected campsite on the outskirts of Hammerhead. The boy had an incorrigible sweet tooth, and must have sneaked the box in with their purchases when Ignis had had his back turned. No doubt the blonde gunslinger would try to gorge himself on the snacks with the prince, Noctis, and completely spoil their dinner. Setting the food down on the dining table, Ignis had gone to check on the stove when lo and behold, Prompto popped up next to him, Aranea and Cindy in tow after taking a tour around the camp with the energetic ray of sunshine.
      âHeeey, Iggy! Need any help?â The freckles on Promptoâs face were spread wide with his smile as he skipped up to the makeshift kitchen. Ignis wondered how on Eos he could have such boundless energy. And judging from the subtle glance the blondie threw at the girls, it was all to impress them.
      âIt would have been nice having some help carrying this lot from the Regalia, but it seems youâll have to settle for helping cook.â The girls laughed at Promptoâs sputtering and sheepish look, and Ignis allowed himself a small smirk. He definitely took any chance he could to mercilessly tease the youngest member of their four-man band. It was a bit of a small game to them, kept them knitted together through jokes and jibs.
      âIf yâall need some more hands, Iâve two more right here!â Cindy, their loyal mechanic and friend, offered. Prompto had been smitten with her since day one of meeting her, and did everything he could to win her attention. Ignis sometimes wondered if she was just playing hard to get or if she honestly did not return the boyâs affections. Either way, she looked after the men as much as the Regalia and it was always a warm welcome from their travels.
      The ex-Dragoon of the Imperials stepped around from the back stove, a cheeky grin playing on her visage. âGot room for one more? Iâm just as handy with a knife as I am a spear.â A wink and a laugh at Ignisâ shocked expression, and the deal was sealed. Aranea had a way of getting what she wanted and it always left Ignis bewildered as to how. Women were dangerous and Aranea seemed to be a master at it.
      Dinner thereafter was a quick affair as Ignis directed his three compatriots in the art of preparing their feast. Prompto was put on sauce and vegetable duty, Cindy on table setting and drinks, and Aranea on meat prep and grilling with Ignis assisting her in both. Aranea had not lied about her skill; easily slicing through the meat with precision as the bespecled man watched and transferred the pieces to the cooking area. He rather admired the camaraderie they had developed, and struck up an easy conversation with her as Prompto and Cindy did the same.
      Soon finished, with Noctis and Wedge having returned with arms full of firewood and having started a roaring fire and joining Galdio, Biggs, and a now-awake Cid, dinner was served to the delight of everyone. The steak and vegetables had come out excellently of course and the group was tucking in and chatting about random topics of their fancy. The advisor soon noticed his prince was pushing his vegetables to the side of the plate like usual. It always perturbed him that the young royal had such a strong distaste towards necessary nutrients. Shaking his head, he happened to glance back at the doughnuts that were still on the table and an idea sparked into his mind.
      âPrompto,â Ignis called over to the boy across the firepit. âForgive me as it had slipped my mind, but what exactly are those confectionaries that you so readily slipped into the groceries?â
      The freckled youth had a look of embarrassment on his face again before responding. âO-Oh, those. Yeah, the shopkeep saw me eyeing them and said I just HAD to try them! She said they were called âpoon-shkeesâ or something, but there was no way I could say no!â He rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke, nervous of the reproach that he could hear was about to come from the older man. âWe havenât really had a chance to have any sort of dessert stuff lately, so I thought, why not?â Prompto finally looked up, his blue eyes trying to search Ignisâ green for any sort of reprieve.
      Ignis surprised him and everyone else who was listening in with a smirk. âWell, if Noctis would be as so kind to eat some of his vegetables, I donât see why we couldnât enjoy some dessert.â Gladio barked out a laugh at Iggyâs clever gambit and was soon joined by everyone else.
      âWhat? Iggy, not cool!â Cornered with his companions finding amusement at his expense, Noctis seemed to mull over his decision before finally taking a bite of the asapargus and grimaced. The moment was memorialized with a flash of Promptoâs camera and more laughter. Ignis could only beam in triumph, and mentally filed away the tidbit for future use.
      Once the plates were (in Noctâs case, mostly) clean and placed to the side for washing, Prompto excitedly grabbed the box of doughnuts and started passing them out to everyone. He shoved one into Ignisâ waiting hand and another just as quickly into Araneaâs, who was seated to the advisorâs right. As the photographer dashed around to the next person, the man studied the pastry he now held. It was somewhat of an oval shape with powdered sugar dusted all over its surface. Taking a bite, he had an explosion of flavor in his mouth, the crème filling nearly gushing out by accident. Though it was his favorite flavor of chocolate, it was almost overwhelming to have so much in his mouth at once.
      A laugh at his side made him turn in his seat. Aranea had also taken a few bites of her dessert, but didnât have nearly as much crème dribbling from her mouth. âYouâve got to take it slow, hotshot!â Reaching out before he could react, she deftly wiped the sugary goodness from his chin with her finger and stuck it in her mouth to lick it off. âOoooh, you were lucky to get chocolate. I got strawberry.â Laughing again at the dumbstruck look on Ignisâ face, she gave a coy wink before turning away to strike up a conversation with Cindy.
      Ignis just sat frozen in his position, his once-bitten pastry laying forgotten in his twice-shy paralysis. He had no idea how to even start processing that not only had Aranea touched him without permission, but had done so with a brazenly flirty move in front of the gods and everyone. His brain was being so slow to bring him back down from La-La Land that another camera flash startled him out of his reverie.
      âPrompto! Delete that photo at once!â Tossing his treat aside into his chair, he made to go after the younger man who had skipped off giggling. Aware he was making even more of a fool of himself by giving chase, Ignis just couldnât seem to care as he had to make sure such an embarrassing picture was not left for posterity. It did the trick of sending everyone into a laughing fit, and indeed, helped bring the group even closer in comradery. Ex-Imperials along with Lucian nobility and commoners alike delighted in the scene of the bespecled man chasing after the blond gunslinger. It made for a good end to a long day with good friends, good food, and good memories.
A lot of you guys have already read a bunch of stuff from the actual official website, but actually one of the things in Overwatch that reveals the MOST about the characters are the voice interactions. Here are some things you can find out about them:
Mcree is Reaperâs student/apprentice
Reaper believes his current state is Mercys fault
Zarya doesnât like Genji and distrusts him
Pharah has some kind of grudge with her mother, either out of spite for not spending time with her, or perhaps because she didnât treat her well.
D.Va and Lucio are fans of each other
Reinhardt is ALSO a fan of D.Va
D. Va on turn, is a fan of Meiâs blog/journal.
Despite knowing that it is Genji, Hanzo refuses to accept Genji as his brother, and dislikes him
Junkrat has some kind of amazing treasure and Hanzo/Reaper question him about it, trying to get some info out of him.
Mei and Mercy knew each other before Mei went into cryostasis.
Also! Junkrat doesnât even know Roadhogâs real name. On Kingâs Row, he has a line about  âJamison Fawkes the first and duke, uhâŚRoadhog? Say, Roadhog, what is your real name anyway?â
Roadhog is Junkratâs bodyguard/dad. At the start of a match, heâll say âHey, stay out of troubleâ And Junkrat says âIâll be on me best behaviorâ, which means this is apparently a normal thing for them.
Also, on Nepal, Junkrat says âThis place makes me wanna be an atheistâ, which means heâs not currently an atheist.
Zenyatta is a member of the Shambali, which seems to be an offshoot of tibetan buddhism focused on Omnics specifically.
Tracerâs chronal accelerator is capable of significant enough time travel for her to meet a copy of herself, or at least she believes it is.
Also, when Reaper sees Mercy use her ult, sometimes he says âSeriously?â like heâs pissed that she can bring people back to life so easily.
When Tracer kills Reaper, sometimes she says âDeath Comes!â and then cracks up. Tracer thinks Reaper is stupid and edgy confirmed.
Tracer and Hanzo are nerds who reference old memes in life or death combat situations. When Tracer ults someone, she can say âSomebody set up you the bomb!â, and when Hanzo caps a point, sometimes he says âAll your base are belong to me!â
The FFXV boys have their ages set finally after 10 friggin' years Noctis is 20 years old. Ignis is 22 years old. Gladiolus is 23 years old. Prompto is 20.
moon: it is a tragedy, yes? that you have all the light in the galaxy to offer, while i may only reflect yours?
/
sun: but dear moon, i am lonely, i am poison to the touch. too often the ones i love come away with burns. if you dream, dream to be the stars, for mortals send up their dearest wishes and secrets to the stars.
/
stars: envy us not, we are but pinholes against the canvas of the sky. envy the moon, the center of the masterpiece, the sovereign of the wolves and the tides and the night.
âcelestial dialogueâ, paperharbors (via paperharbors) @cinensis This is so eclipse au!!
