From Niff officer to honorary Lucian citizen, married to the most famous adviser to the country and in charge of training the current crownsguard while Ignis helped restore Lucis from within the citadel's walls - a lot had changed in Aranea Highwind's life in the span of a few years after sunlight was restored. But apparently, work had been stressful that day at the city, if the scowl Ignis was wearing was any indication. "Hey there," she greeted him with a kiss, "How bad was it today?"
No matter what kind of frown Ignis wore when he got home from work, it could usually swiftly be soothed away by Aranea’s mere presence. Usually being the key word. Rebuilding a city wasn’t easy; Insomnia wasn’t built in a day the first time around and Ignis knew it took patience, innovation and no small amount of patience. Most people who knew him would think that Ignis had boundless supplies of the latter. He had, after all, waited for ten years for his king to return and if that didn’t show dedication and perseverance, nothing did.
There were days, however, when no amount of optimism could cut through the sheer drudgery of having to issue the same instruction over and over, in simpler language each time so he managed to get his point across. Or dealing with the bickering of the inner chamber, when myriad voices vied and squawked and made demands of the meagre amount of money in the coffers, all putting forth their arguments for why their particular department or area deserved increased funding. No wonder he wore a face like a coeurl licking piss off a nettle - as one of his colleagues had pointed out to him when Ignis passed him on his way home.
Home, though... Home was supposed to be his sanctuary. His place of peace and restfulness with the woman he adored. Unfortunately, not on this occasion. An uncharacteristic grunt met Aranea’s greeting, and he held aloft a battered old briefcase - his own, which had mercifully survived the attack on Insomnia.
“Apparently someone forgot to file the necessary paperwork to requisition more materials from Lestallum and, given the urgency, it has fallen to me to take care of it.” The annoyance he felt was evident both in the death grip he had on the briefcase handle and the terseness of his voice. “I’m afraid I may be rather busy this evening.”
From the moment they’d settled back in the city and Ignis had taken up a senior position within the Citadel, he’d made it a policy of his to leave work at work. That meant he didn’t come home and grumble to Aranea about matters of state, nor did he bring home paperwork. It was important, he felt, to maintain these boundaries. Too much of his younger life had been lost to constantly being at Noctis’ beck and call, and he’d be damned if he’d let his marriage suffer the same fate.
Ignis hated going back on that self-imposed rule.
“I really am sorry about this, Aranea.” Tone softening, he reached out to brush his fingers over her cheek. “But if I get finished at a reasonable time, I promise you won’t suffer from lack of attention. Your company is an excellent motivator.”
