#fleurs fic

[ivorydice]

So I haven’t read ffxv fic in forever but I saw it was noctis bday so i decided to reread old favorites and I remembered your Fleurs fic. Thank you for sharing that with us (and your other fics too). I was wondering if you could share anything about that or any of your other older fics? I really like the concept of the royal kids growing up codependent/trusting only each other and then having to deal with being free. Or Luna and noct trying to learn to use their magic without guidance.

(I'm so sorry it's taken me a while to answer this! Had some stuff happening irl haha)

Oh man, I reaaaaaally hope I can work on Fleurs again sometime soon, because I absolutely love the relationship between Noctis, Luna and Ravus (+ Ardyn) in that fic. (Although recently I've been considering changing up 2 big (angsty) plot points, so some big brainstorming sessions might have to be made about what gets changed in future stuff lol.)

Ummmm what to share haha. Obviously the dynamic between the kids is a very long time thing, like it continues after they get to Insomnia and it has big effects on everyone involved. Like you said, they tend to only trust each other, although Luna has learned to trust some others given that she's had more opportunities to go to the outside world thanks to her Oracle status/duties. Although she has this thing where while she doesn't like to be confined (especially in small places, where she's most likely to get panic attacks thanks to being locked in that small bathroom too often) and likes to go out more often, she's also very anxious about leaving/being separated from Noctis, even if he's perfectly safe in the company of Regis or others. But she's definitely more "sociable", meanwhile Noctis gets overwhelmed by too much noise/movement happening at once and of course he doesn't trust anyone but Luna and Ravus.

It's hard on people in the Citadel too. For Regis it's heartbreaking and he so desperately wants to connect with his son but he tries to be respectful of the huge gap between them. Likewise with Ignis, though he does bond with Noctis after a time. And of course, there's the discovery of where the kids were kept the whole time; Regis and Clarus (and Cor, even though he leads missions into Niflheim so it’s not a surprise for him) are horrified and angry by photographic evidence of that little room and when their belongings are shipped over from Niflheim, and they're even more heartbroken and angry when they find some of the belongings are happy memories for the kids when they clearly didn't have a normal upbringing whatsoever (understatement haha).

Also I remember at the time not being sure if Prompto was ever gonna be in the fic or not, but he managed to worm his way in anyway lol (as a soldier/crownsguard member), and he ends up being good for Noct becoming more independent and interacting with people other than Luna and Ravus.

And of course just because Iedolas and his gang gets defeated and arrested on war crimes, Ardyn isn't out of the game at all. He's still got plans up his sleeve and a conflict going on with Noctis. Because, you know, Ardyn's gonna Ardyn lol.

Also random fact: Fleurs literally only exists because of this gifset. And then other pictures of Noct’s hair being white. I'm pretty sure the train of thought was something like "Ardyn bleaches Noct's hair as a way to humiliate him" or something lmao that is so weird.

I'm sorry lol this is rambley and long and probably doesn't even make any sense. But thanks for reading my fics, and thanks for this message! <3333

[ivorydice]

Do you have a snippet from Fleurs you’d be willing to share?

Okay, this is probably a random/weird/unexpected scene to share lol (part of the scene, anyway), and it’s still unedited/ugly/first draft writing, but I’ve always had such stupid fondness for this part, and I have no idea why, but I thought I’d share this XDAlso, long snippet lol? Like over 700 words or something? That ain’t a snippet, come on me XD

The field was already in ruins.Scorched lands, burning grass, smoke filling the air, metal debris litteringthe place.And still more magitek troopers came, arriving in on airships, dropping out andfiring before they had even landed. Some of them were bigger than others,carrying bigger weapons, but they were more flimsy, as if they had been rushedout of whatever factory line they were built on.Niflheim was clearly desperate at this point, trying to build stronger units,failing in their haste to get their soldiers ready.The pitter patter of paws against the dirt, fast and dodging out of the way offire and smoke and explosions. Nyx looked up immediately, leaning around thethe rock he was behind, and he almost grinned at the familiar sight, felthimself jerk with panic when he saw the MT coming closer.“Damn it, you choose the worst times,” he muttered, and he got up,rushing out into the battlefield.The magitek trooper wasn’t focused on him. Its spear was being held back, readyto launch, and Nyx sped up, sprinted as fast as he could, readying his weapons.He launched himself into the air.One weapon went flying off to the side, to his left, to a safe place. The otherwent straight for the MT’s head, shattering it, just as it launched the spear.Nyx connected with the soft body, wrapped his arms around it, and he pulledwith his other blade, warped them both into safety, and they rolled togetheralong the grass.Staring up at the sky, he caught his breath back, summoned his blades back intohis hands, and received a warm lick along his cheek. “Damn it, Umbra,” hechuckled.More licks. Big, wet, sloppy things across his face - apparently the dog didn’tmind the dirt and sweat - and then a sharp bark.Nyx groaned and got to his feet, crouching down in front of the dog. “Okay, youknow the drill,” he said. He held out his hand. “Gimme paw.” Umbra made asnorting-sneeze noise, held up his paw, and Nyx chuckled, held out his otherhand. “Gimme the other paw.”Umbra put his first paw down, then raised his other.

Nyx took his hand back, reached into asmall pouch he had attached to his belt, and took out a small biscuit, throwingit up into the air. “Catch!”Umbra raised up on his back legs, mouth snapping for the treat, but he missed,fell back down as the biscuit hit the goggles across his eyes instead, bouncingoff and tumbling to the grass. The dog looked down at it, then seemed to glareup at Nyx.Nyx snorted. “Hey, don’t give me that look, it’s not my fault you suck atcatching.” He picked the treat up and held it out to the dog, grimacing when hefelt a tongue slobbering all over his palm as Umbra ate it up. He ruffled thedog’s fur, running his hand over his head before tapping the goggles. “Hey,just goes to show that these work, though, right? And you kicked up such a fussabout having them on.”Umbra cocked his head, then sat down on his haunches.“Right,” Nyx nodded, then rolled his eyes at himself. Here he was, on thefrontlines, in the middle of a battle, explosions and gunfire still setting offin the distance, and here he was talking to a dog. He reached out forthe bag wrapped around Umbra, opening it up and taking out the sheet of paper.“Let’s see what you’ve got for me, huh?”It wasn’t good news. A single sheet of paper with only a single sentence, andeven then he was tempted to burn it right now. But it was best to show the Kingfirst.Nyx let out a sigh and pocketed the paper, then reached into the bag again,took out the spare sheet and the pen already waiting there, writing his ownmessage before popping them back in, sealing the bag up. Umbra waitedobediently, as he always did, staying still, not even flinching at the soundsof war going on.They were good dogs, Umbra and Pryna, and they were used to war by now.“Okay, you know where you’re going?” Nyx gave the dog another final stroke,patting his hand on his back end. “Take that back to Libs. And don’t get deadalong the way, you hear?”Umbra barked at him, then let his tongue hang out.

[ivorydice]

Reread Fleurs Captives today because it is amazing. Wanted to let you know the part where Ardyn locks Ravus in the bathroom still gives me chills!

Ahhh, thank you!!! T_T I remember that being one of the more intense scenes to write (although that’s to be expected I guess?), and I’m glad it turned out rather well ^_^

[ivorydice]

Have you thought about how noct is going to be reunited with lucis in fleur captives? Like how exactly are the niffs going to deliver him?

Lol I know exactly how it’s going to happen, as I’ve pretty much had it planned out since I started the fic (in fact, I’m pretty sure it was the first scene I had in mind, and all because of a random gifset I saw lol).You know, I actually can’t seem to explain it, because everything seems to come out as weird rambling instead (what are words, I have no idea lol), so here, have a random preview instead of the scene before Noctis’s return, because why not, and hopefully that can answer instead XD (btw major first draft warning)*

Twelveyears, and the war was finally over.It seemed like a dream, atoo fragile dream, like he would wake up at any moment and return tothe nightmare that was real life. But time kept ticking on, the daywas already underway, and he wasn’t waking up.Regis wentthrough his morning routine in a bit of a daze. He showered, hebrushed his teeth, he got dressed, he stood in front of his bathroommirror as he put on his crown. An old man stared back at him from hisreflection, older than how he should have looked, younger than how hefelt. He didn’t think he had a single strand of hair left thatwasn’t grey, there didn’t seem to be any patch of skin thatwasn’t marred by wrinkles or scars or other signs of age.Twelveyears.Todaywas the day. The war was over now, the declaration of surrender hadbeen signed nearly a week ago, and already Iedolas, his officers andhis council members were being taken into custody on charges of warcrimes.He had finally done it. It had taken far too long, ithad cost the lives of so many people, it had revealed betrayals hehad never thought were even possible, but they had all done it.Thewar with Niflheim was finally over.And today was the day thechildren would be returning home, after solong.Ravus, Lunafreya, Noctis.They were coming home,they were being returned to him after years of captivity.Andyet he felt almost sick with nerves.The last time he had seenNoctis, he had been an eight year old boy, barely able to walkwithout assistance, quiet and withdrawn after a brutal attack from adaemon. He had been a small boy with a round face and bright,beautiful eyes.He would be twenty years old now, twenty onelater on in the year. He was a mannow.What would he look like? How long or how short would his hair be? Howround was his face, how bright were his eyes? Would he resemble hisyounger self, would he still look like someone Regis knew, would hebe someone he could recognize?Or would he look like someone completely different, barely even ahint of the boy he had once been?And what would he be like?Would he be as kind as he was? Shy? Determined? Sweet-natured? Orwould he be angry at Regis, would he loathe him for taking so long inrescuing them?Twelveyears.Thewait was almost over. In a few hours, Regis would have to sit in thethrone room and receive the final prisoners - the chancellor and afew other council members, the ones who were seeing about thetransportation of their captives - and then he would finally meetwith those missing children, he would finally see what the years haddone to them.He wanted it to be done with already and yet,at the same time, he was dreading it approaching.

[ivorydice]

Speaking of Noct getting Ardyn confused with his dad, that scene in Fleurse Captives still haunts me. I know why you skipped over the immediate aftermath because of narrative reasons, but was Noctis ever able to articulate to Luna and Ravus what ACTUALLY happened?

Unfortunately no D: Noct was far too confused about what had happened to actually make any sense of it at the time, and Luna and Ravus were fearing that everything that had happened was finally getting to him, that he was losing his mind, and Noct quickly realized that they wouldn’t really believe anything he had to say because of those reasons, if that makes sense?

[ivorydice]

Look if Fluer Captives doesn't have Ignis running up to Noct and sobbing his eyes out...IDK but I'll be a tad miffed.

Weeeeeellllllll...okay, maybe it won’t have him doing such a thing lol, but I can tell you that there will be quite a few bonding/emotional moments between the two, and Ignis is very protective of him :O

[ivorydice]

Yeah, I can't see Ardyn going THAT far in Fleurs!verse. He seems more about the mind-games. Even the part where he choked Noctis was mostly about causing mental anguish to Luna and Ravus. So like... I could see him making an off-hand comment to teenage!Noct about what a beautiful (fetching?) young man he's becoming, and it setting off hella red flags to Luna and Ravus (and the implication going straight over Noct's head), but nothing more. Because that's not his game in this fic.

Yeah, he’s definitely way more interested in toying with them mentally than anything else, even making such a comment about teenage!Noct would probably just be another way to play with them, to make them paranoid and fearful.

[ivorydice]

aaaaaahhh!!!! ardyn bleaching nocts hair, controlling noct in as many ways as he can, including his identity and how he looks. would that include giving noct a nickname, something cruel and demeaning, another way to deny noct his own identity

It is absolutely about controlling Noct in all ways and stealing away his identity, and I like to think it works even better now after the Episode Ardyn stuff came out and we learned more about Somnus :OOO New names or nicknames would definitely also have to be included in that (I did have this idea of Ardyn forcing bleach haired Noct to call himself Ravus to try and mess with his head and his sense of identity, but I think that might not be a thing lol). Ardyn is pretty cruel in his search for revenge in this fic haha.