Day 1 Prompt for @gladnis2018 : The one where one of them tries to make the other take a break: “If you don’t sit down and take a damn break I will tie you to the chair.“
For Gladnis week days 3 (status effect) and 7 (free day).
Chapter: 1/?
Rating: NSFW (for future chapters)
Pairings: Gladio/Ignis
Warnings: swearing
Summary: Gladio’s known Ignis most of his life and is sure he knows pretty much everything about Noctis’ professional, serious and shy advisor. When they end up switching bodies he discovers a side of Ignis that has him questioning all he thought he knew about the strategist.
Tagging: @gladnis2018
Gladio was glad for the relatively easy hunt, hard enough to get his blood pumping and some decent exercise but easy enough he didn’t really need to worry about Noctis getting hurt. He grinned as he took another sweeping swing with his broadsword at the strange creature they’d been hired to kill, some kind of mutant karlabos that was scaring tourists away from the Leirity seaside. It was ugly as hell, thought Gladio, like an enormous lobster with some weird lightning thing going on down it’s body and across the tail. Might taste good, though.
“Hey Iggy, how you planning on cookin’ this thing up?” He asked, jumping out of the way of an enormous claw.
“Ah, I’m afraid it’s size has probably compromised the taste,” is the reply as Ignis lands a highjump hit directly to the monster’s head and backsprings out of the way. Showoff.
A gun blast to his right brings him back to the battle, Ignis already switching to his daggers and flitting in and out of the creature’s clawed reach while Prompto’s bullets rain down on it’s exposed underside. A quick glance to his left showed Noctis warping out of the battle, sword being replaced by a…
“Noct, I swear if you hit me with another spell we’re not fishing for a month.”
“What’s the matter Gladio, I think you looked better after that lightning blast.”
“The hair was definitely an improvement,” Ignis quips, tossing a dagger into the air and kicking it towards the beast before retreating a safe distance. With one last uppercut Gladio follows suit, getting out of the blast zone just as Noct’s blizzara spell explodes around the creature. With its movements slowed the four rush in for the final assault, concentrating on it’s vulnerable belly as it seems nearly frozen upright, claws extended as if ready to attack.
The air crackled with energy and the smell of ozone was nearly overwhelming as the creature finally fell, it’s body shooting off one last burst of lightning at its enemies. Sensing the incoming blast Ignis pushed Noctis out of the way, bracing himself as Gladio brought his shield up to protect them both. The world went white and Gladio was thrown back, shield dissolving in a burst of blue as he went flying through the air, landing hard on his back several yards away, the death keel from the creature still ringing in the air.
With a groan Gladio slowly opened his eyes, the world slightly blurry around him as he took stock of his injuries. His back and head hurt, no surprise there, but nothing seemed broken at least. “Hey Igs, you ok?” he asked, rolling himself gently to his feet. He must have hit his head harder than he thought, his vision was still blurry and voice sounded weird. “I don’t care how that thing will taste, I’m going to eat the bastard for that.”
“Gladio?” Noct asked, his voice a mix of concern and shock. Gladio turns towards the prince’s voice, groaning at the sensation of blood rushing around his pounding head.
“Yeah, where’s Ignis? Is he ok?” A streak of blond flashes as Prompto whips around to look at Noctis, Noct seems to be staring back at Prompto but with his headache and blurry vision Gladio can’t quite make out their expressions. Now he was beginning to worry, had Ignis been injured? “Guys?”
“Uhhhhhhhhh, Gladio?”
“Prom, what the fuck? Yes, now where’s Ignis?”
“I’m quite alright, just had the wind knocked… out.. of.. What the bloody hell?!?!”
It was the alarm in his voice that had Gladio scrambling to his feet to look for Ignis. He didn’t know what was wrong, but judging by the advisor’s tone something was very, very wrong. Gladio’s mind went through all the horrible things that could have happened to his friend to cause such a reaction; everything from impalement on a tree (unlikely) to missing/broken glasses (more likely) to slightly-rumpled clothing (most likely). His brain seemed to freeze as his eyes finally found the prone form of the advisor, unable to process what, exactly, he was seeing.
Instead of a lithe form in an impeccably-tailored shirt and pants he saw a mess of dark hair, leather pants and an expanse of sun-darkened skin covered in blurry-looking lines forming what he knew were feathers. Reluctantly he looked down at his hands; long, slim fingers covered in black leather gloves, thin, pale wrists peeking out between them and the cuffs of a white pinstripe shirt. Shit.
“Shit!” Yup, now that he was really paying attention he noticed his voice was coming out in Ignis’ rich baritone. “What the fuck?”
“Uhm, I guess you switched bodies with Specs?”
“No shit princess. You have anything remotely helpful to say?”
“Now now Gladio, let us take a moment to get our bearings,” and didn’t that sound weird coming out of his mouth. “I seem to uninjured, aside from the obvious. You?”
“Everything’s blurry.”
“Ah, you seem to be missing my spectacles.”
“Damn” he muttered, searching the nearby grass for the missing item.
“Here you go not-so-big guy,” Prompto’s chirped, handing Gladio Ignis’ designer glasses. With a huff Gladio slid them up his nose, world coming into sharp focus. “Better?” Slowly Gladio rose to his feet, taking the time to feel out his new limbs. He saw Ignis doing the same, calling forth his daggers and vanishing them back into the ether, hands clenching and unclenching. One thing was for certain, Ignis wouldn’t be doing those showy jumps and flips in his body. Well, at least he was in Ignis’ body and not trapped in Noct or Prom’s short, scrawny bodies. Time to see what this baby can do. With a flash of blue he summoned his greatsword, permitting himself a sigh of relief when he felt the familiar weight settle into his hands. The relief was shortlived, however, as he felt his center of gravity begin to shift, the large sword sliding down his shoulder as he struggled to keep it up. He could feel the burn in his biceps as he fought with the weapon, muscles starting to quiver with the strain. With a defeated growl he finally let the sword drop, blade landing an inch away from a pristine leather dress shoe.
“Watch the merchandise, Gladiolus. I’d prefer to come through this with all four limbs still attached.”
“No offense Iggy but this sucks. How long ‘til I get my body back?”
“Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with this particular status effect.” Gladio looked over at the other man, unease roiling in his stomach as he watched his arm move to his face as if adjusting glasses. It was beyond bizarre seeing such an Ignis gesture on his body. Ignis aborted the gesture with a soft cough, hand quickly switching direction from his nose to his mouth. “I think our best bet is to get to the safety of Cape Caem or Galdin Quay and see what information we can find, especially if we are not back in the correct bodies by then. Perhaps contact Dave, the hunters may have come across this before.”
“Let’s go to Galdin, the fishing’s better,” Noctis smiles.
“Of course your highness, fishing should be the priority now,” Ignis deadpans, though it doesn’t have the same ring to it in Gladio’s deep bass. With a grin Noct pulls the car keys from the armiger, deftly catching them mid-air, and strides towards the parked Regalia, Prompto skipping alongside him.
Gladio follows behind the prince, slowly getting accustomed to moving in his new body. Ignis is shorter than him, and though he’s no slouch when it comes to strength he doesn’t have the same muscle mass that Gladio is used to. That much was made perfectly obvious with the greatsword incident. His gait was different in this body, walking feeling awkward and uncomfortable as the body he was currently occupying moved on muscle memory while he tried to walk his normal way.
“Damn Igs, you’re all leg, aren’t you? No wonder you swagger when you walk.”
“I do not swagger,” Ignis protested with a huff. “Even if I did, it’s better than stomping around like an overgrown behemoth,” he added under his breath.
“So, how do all those bulging muscles feel Iggy?” Prompto asks as he turns towards the two older men, camera snapping away.
“I can’t imagine photographs will be much proof of our switch, Prompto.”
“Maybe not, but WE’LL know what the pics are from, and really, isn’t that all that matters?” He responds with a laugh.
“You know I can still kick your ass in this body, right Prompto? Cut that shit out and lets get the hell outta here.”
“Spoilsports,” the blond mutters, camera disappearing in a shower of blue, a pout on his face.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The drive to Galdin Quay was mostly quiet, Noctis taking the driver’s seat to save Ignis the pain of trying to drive in the unfamiliar body. Not being able to reach Dave had put a damper on Ignis’ mood it seemed, the man beside Gladio unusually quiet and tense as he stared at his phone, probably doing research. They had rented the caravan, not wanted to risk running into daemons around the campsite with their two strongest fighters probably out of commission. With a sigh Ignis tossed his phone on the table. “Nothing?”
“I couldn’t find any mention of this effect, or that strange karlabos. I am hoping Dave might have some answers for us.”
“I’m gonna hit the shower then while princess and blonde are busy catching dinner,” Gladio says, climbing the stairs to the caravan.
“Gladiolus, a moment if you please?” Ignis spoke up behind him.
“Sure Igs, what’s up?” He didn’t know what was weirder, the proper sentences coming out in his gruff voice or his own speech pattern in Ignis’ posh accent.
“While I understand that you will need to attend to certain… bodily functions while in my body, I ask you to respect my privacy as much as possible and keep my body clothed at all times.”
“‘Course I’ll respect ya Iggy, but it’s hot as Ifrit’s ballsack out here and I’mma need to shower…”
“I would appreciate it if you didn’t. I am sure we can fix this before anything like that is necessary.”
“Listen, Iggy, I get this is weird, it is for me too having a fuckin’ conversation with myself like this, but I gotta take a piss and unless you want me to piss your pants and then definitely have to shower, you’re gonna hafta let me go.”
Ignis looked flustered, a look he rarely, if ever, saw on the stoic tactician. It was even stranger seeing it on his own face. The guy was obvious shy about his body, that much he already knew, although he had no idea why. Even through his button up tops and fussy dress uniform he could tell Ignis had a rockin body, long and lean and strong enough to make Gladio drool.
“Of course Gladio. I will ask that you only remove what is necessary and that you not… share or make comments on… anything. Please.”
Shit, he was really worried. Did he have some crazy disfigurement or something under those pressed suits?
“You got it Iggy, promise, now I really gotta go,” Gladio said, brain wracking what Ignis could possibly be hiding as he made his way into the cramped camper bathroom.
What could he possibly so worried about. Then, like lightning it hit him: Ignis had a small cock and was embarrassed. Ignis, who expected perfection in every facet of his life, had a tiny imperfection and was, obviously, upset it was about to be found out.
With a sigh he unzipped Ignis’ pants and reached in to pull him out, need to relieve himself (relieve Ignis? Damned if this body-switch stuff wasn’t confusing as hell). Pulling Ignis out of his pants he didn’t feel small, in fact his cock seemed nearly as big as Gladio’s own, perhaps a little longer and not quite as thick. What the hell was Ignis’ problem? His cock seemed just as perfect as the rest of him.
Wait a minute…
Gladio looked down with wide eyes, his brain at a standstill trying to combine what he felt and saw with the man he knew, eyes stuck on the metal beads in front of him. Ignis had a penis piercing.
Ignis Scientia, prim, proper, perfect Ignis FUCKING Scientia had his godsdamned cock pierced.
Was it weird to get turned on by Ignis when he was IN Ignis’ body? That was probably super fucked up but the sight of those two metal beads nestled under his cockhead was sending all the blood in his (?) body south. Damn, he needed to get himself under control.
With a sigh he turned the cold water on the sink as far as it could go, filling up his hands and splashing his face. Shit, glasses! Annoyed he removed the dripping spectacles from his face and placed them on the small countertop, drawing his eyes to the mirror in front of him as he did. Ignis’ face stared back, cheeks slightly flushed and those gorgeous, expressive eyes staring back at him.
Ignis had been pretty adamant that Gladio not remove any clothing but he must have realized he’d find the piercing. Did he have more? His nipples perhaps? Gladio could probably feel those without having to actually remove any clothing, right? He shook his head, banishing the thought. Ignis obviously was uncomfortable with people knowing about his body, he wouldn’t betray his trust by feeling up the other man to satisfy his own curiosity.
He didn’t know why he found this all so… strange. Gladio himself had contemplated getting his nipples pierced before realizing with the amount of training he did, often shirtless, it probably wasn’t the smartest idea. But that was Gladio, Ignis just didn’t seem like the type?? He was so uptight and straight-laced, what else could he possibly be hiding?
Written for Gladnis Week 2018 @gladnis2018 Day 5: Amnesia. Co-written with the lovely @theginia
From the rugged forests of Galahd to the crystalline shores of Accordo, folk tales and nursery rhymes were told of the Astrals. Thunder and lightning tearing the summer sky asunder? Not to fear, that was simply Ramuh practicing the foxtrot. Have you ever felt a chill run down your spine for no apparent reason? That was Shiva’s way of letting you know that someone was thinking unkind thoughts about you. What caused the seasons to change? Titan’s will, of course. Bahamut hung the moon and Ifrit made the sun burn hot and bright in defiance.
Link: Ao3
Title: Too Hard to Say
Rating: Teen+
Pairings: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Warnings: -
Summary: Gladio never liked the parties held in Insomnia’s castle, but they were especially unnerving when he already had so much on his mind.
@gladnis2018
The parties held in Insomnia’s castle were an annoyance, to say the least.
Alright, maybe that was an exaggeration: there was plenty of tasty food and expensive drinks, enough to keep him occupied for some time. But Gladio had never been good at dealing with nobility — which was ironic, considering his own lineage. All those endless pleasantries and smiles could get on someone’s nerves given enough time, and he wasn’t that patient to begin with.
Besides, he was particularly moody that night, so, instead of socializing, he isolated himself with a plate of food and a few drinks, ignoring the world around to the best of his ability.
After some minutes of eating and playing a game in his phone, he noticed someone approach him through the corner of his eye, and wasn’t too surprised to see it was Ignis. As expected, he looked impeccable in his formal attire. However, there was a hint of exhaustion on his face only those who knew him well could identify. Not surprising, considering he probably had his part in organizing the event, and then had to go around, greeting and chatting with everyone as the representative of the prince himself — who, as usual, had chosen to stay home and ignore his duties.
Gladio felt bad for him.
“So, enjoying the party?” he asked in a playful tone.
Ignis stared at him, reaching for his glass, turning what was left of the drink in one go. Gladio raised his brow, a brief laugh escaping his lips.
“Well, that answers it.”
“My face is sore from smiling so much,” muttered Ignis. “I’m still smiling, am I not? I simply can’t stop… this is a nightmare.”
“Stay with me, Iggy,” Gladio pulled the chair beside him. “You went through worse things than this.”
“Perhaps,” Ignis sat down, taking out his glasses, massaging the area between his eyes. “But I’m still fairly certain that you’ll find my deceased corpse laying somewhere on the floor before the night ends.”
“I sure hope not, you’re the only thing keeping me from dying of boredom.”
Ignis laughed, putting his glasses again.
“I have to admit I’m surprised to find you alone,” he said. “Isn’t it against some rule of the Amicitia’s family to stay unaccompanied for more than two minutes in any public event?”
“I think I scared any possible company away with my face.”
Gladio gestured towards the wound on his left eye, that he gained protecting Noctis from a bunch of assholes. Most of the stitches had already come out, which meant he now could move his face without feeling like the cut was opening again. But the scar was still evident, and he’d be lying if he said all the curious and surprised looks didn’t bother him.
“And I believed what they said, about girls liking scars…” he added with a humorous tone.
But Ignis didn’t laugh at his attempt of a joke, observing him with a worried expression. Gladio averted his eyes.
“Is it healing well?” asked Ignis.
“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure this one won’t fade with time.”
“Do you mind?”
Gladio looked at him, unsure of what he meant by that. Ignis carefully reached for his face, touching the area close to the scar with the tip of his fingers, examining it.
“I’ve said this before, but I’m glad it didn’t get your eye.”
“Yeah…”
Ignis retreated. They stayed silent for the following seconds, until a wave of nervousness made a brief, humorless laugh escape from Gladio’s lips.
“It’s ugly, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Believe me, they would have to make a bigger effort to make you look ugly.”
Gladio didn’t reply immediately. Moments like that made him wonder if Ignis’ words and touch meant something more than a close friendship, or if he was just reading too much into it.
“If you’re the one saying so…”
They changed the subject to more pleasant things. The time passed, and at some point Gladio found his father amid the crowd, standing beside King Regis, as expected from a Shield. Despite the professional smile, the old man looked tired as well. It seemed parties weren’t among the Amicitias’ favorite pastimes. Except, maybe, for Iris… Gladio was sure that little monkey would find a way to enjoy herself, no matter the situation. He smiled fondly at the thought.
His eyes met Regis’, who raised his hand in a subtle gesture to call his attention.
“Iggy…”
Gladio touched his elbow, indicating the King with a movement of his head. Regis made a sign for Ignis to approach him.
“Seems like your break is over…” said Gladio.
“Please, end my life,” muttered Ignis as he stood up.
Gladio watched as he walked away, then stretched his legs under the table. The waiter passed by, and he grabbed two glasses of champagne, one for himself and other for Ignis.
Maybe he should go take a walk outside? He considered it for a while, but decided to wait until Ignis got back. He’d rather have someone to talk to, anyway. It would make time pass faster, and in a more pleasant way.
Gladio finished drinking his champagne. Long minutes passed before he started to drink from the other glass. He could always get another for Ignis later.
Speaking of Ignis, Gladio spotted him in the distance, among a small group of older people, with his perfect posture and fake smile. It was so damn fake… How couldn’t anyone notice it?
He laughed to himself, finishing the drink. Wasn’t drinking alone such a depressing thing, though? The highest point of his night had been the few minutes he got to spend with Ignis. Now that he thought about it, that party wouldn’t have been so bad if he got to spend more time with him. He could even get to enjoy it.
He finished that drink, and when a waiter approached him again, he took another two glasses. Hope never dies, right?
Gladio kept waiting, but there was no sign of Ignis coming back. He glanced around the place, but his friend had vanished amid the crowd. Great, his last bit of entertainment was gone.
As time passed, a feeling of restlessness overcame him. Maybe he should have taken that walk, after all… But he wasn’t feeling like doing it anymore. Besides, if he started wandering alone, he’d go back to feeling self-conscious about his damn face. He knew it was part of his job as a Shield to protect Noctis with his life, and he was fine with it. He was proud of it. But he also didn’t imagine something that small… That stupid, could bother him so much.
Once again, he drank the champagne from Ignis’ glass, and it tasted bitter on his tongue. Noctis had cried at the hospital… He never saw the brat react like that before, and part of him felt guilty about it. Ignis was there too. He spent more time than he should at his bedside, when he probably had more important things to do. Just stood there, listening to his endless whining and trying to keep him distracted. That’s when he began to wonder if Ignis felt something for him — and when he realized he was hoping that was the case.
The lights at the party seemed brighter than before, and he foresaw a nasty headache on the next morning. He noticed the waiter approaching his table again, and hesitated for just a second before calling him with a gesture. Again, he took two glasses, but this time they were both for himself.
“Well, I’m already fucked up… Why stop now?”
That was a terrible way of thinking, but, honestly, he was too tired to care.
After being introduced and having to sustain a conversation with at least a dozen different people, Ignis finally managed to slip away. He was good at socializing, yes, but it didn’t mean he liked doing it. Especially when he was that tired and with a more than inconvenient headache. Maybe it was a sign that he should start sleeping better.
If he had to be honest, the only pleasant thing to come out of that night was the chance to spend some time with Gladio. Not that it was such an unusual thing, especially considering that they trained together almost every day. But for them to meet outside of Insomnia’s castle, without the excuse of accompanying Noctis somewhere, was quite unusual. And he enjoyed it. Probably more than he should.
He made his way back to Gladio’s table, and in seconds his optimistic expectancy was dissolved into something closer to dread. It was clear Gladio had been drinking — way more than he was supposed to. He wasn’t causing a scene, but had a grouchy expression, and would glare at anyone who looked in his direction. Ignis approached the table with cautious steps, but as soon as Gladio saw him, a smile appeared on his face.
“You finally got back…” he said. “I was starting to think I’d have to drink your share again.”
“Gladio,” Ignis carefully took the glass out of his hand, placing it out of his reach. “I understand that you don’t like parties, but I think you had enough for today.”
“It’s not that bad, once in a while,” Gladio shrugged. “If we have to go through this shit, then we better make the best out of it, right?”
“That’s not the issue here.”
Ignis sat beside his friend, hoping no one called him this time. He was sure that, if left alone, Gladio would just go back to drinking.
“You should be thanking me…” answered Gladio. “This way you’ll have an excuse to leave early.”
“It’s not much of an improvement, leaving early just to take care of a drunk man.”
“Really?” Gladio showed a suggestive smile. “I’m sure we could have much more fun on our own than in this place.”
Somehow, Ignis managed to keep a straight face at those words.
“I’ll pretend you didn’t say what you just did.”
Gladio laughed for a while, then looked at Ignis’ eyes, his face resting against his palm.
“You’re really beautiful, you know?”
That sudden comment made Ignis stare at him.
“Excuse me?”
“I never tell you that, but you’re so damn beautiful…” proceeded Gladio. “And so fucking smart. Man, you’re just amazing.”
His voice was loud, and drawing more than a few curious eyes to them.
“I appreciate the thought,” said Ignis, “but maybe you should lower your tone.”
“Why?” Gladio elevated his voice even more, getting up from his chair, glaring at the guests around them, as if daring them to keep looking. “So these people won’t judge me? They already look at me like I’m some kind of ugly monster, so why should I care? Why should I care about any of this?”
“Gladio…”
Ignis placed his hand on Gladio’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. But it was clear that he wasn’t feeling well. He had never been one to drink until he lost his senses, and that was what worried Ignis the most.
“I’ll take you home,” he muttered, placing his arm around Gladio’s waist, guiding him to the exit.
Gladio accompanied him, grumbling at anything in their way. Ignis went straight to his car, helping Gladio sit on the passenger’s seat, taking his place beside him. He hadn’t drunk much, but still drove slowly for safety measure. They reached Gladio’s place, where he’d been living alone since he moved from the Amicitia’s mansion. It took some effort to take him out of the car, and even more to drag him to his apartment on the fifth floor. There, Ignis had to search his pockets for the keys, hearing a few comments from Gladio about him “trying to grab his ass”. He just took a deep breath and helped him walk inside.
The place was messier than Ignis remembered, as if Gladio hadn’t taken his time to clean for at least a week.
“I’m gonna puke…” he announced, suddenly.
“By the six, Gladiolus!”
Ignis tried to guide him to the bathroom as fast as he could, but there was still a trail of vomit left behind them. Gladio proceeded to empty his stomach in the toilet, while Ignis held him by the shoulders, making sure he didn’t lose his balance.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
“I guess…”
There was vomit on his clothes, and Ignis couldn’t just leave him in that state.
“I’ll help you take a shower,” he said.
With some effort, he managed to free Gladio from his dirty clothes, dropping them on the floor, together with his own jacket — which, at that point, was only staying in the way. He turned on the shower, waiting until the water became warm, guiding Gladio to it. Once he felt the water on his body, he grunted, trying to leave.
“You need to clean yourself,” said Ignis in a patient tone.
Gladio tried to leave again, but Ignis stood in his way.
“Gladiolus Amicitia,” he said in a serious voice. “Stop being difficult and allow me to help you.”
Maybe because of Ignis’ tone, or maybe because he simply got tired to fight back, Gladio stayed put, under the shower. Ignis felt a cold shiver, and realized his clothes were drenched.
“Hey…” Gladio’s voice called his attention. “Do friends usually do stuff like this?”
“Like what?”
“Undressing each other, being together under the shower… Y’know, this stuff.”
Ignis took a deep breath. Of course he was conscious of the situation, but he couldn’t let that stop him. There were more important things than his own personal feelings to worry about.
“You’re aware that I wouldn’t need to do any of this if you hadn’t drunk more than you should, right?” he asked back.
“Way to put the blame on me…”
“Except you were to blame from the start. Drinking like that, and all else.”
Ignis turned off the shower, helping Gladio walk out of it, quickly drying his body with a towel. He guided him back to the room, carefully avoiding the vomit on the floor, walking Gladio to the bed, making him sit there as he got some clothes from his wardrobe. He found some difficulty in convincing Gladio to wear pants, but somehow managed to do it. When he tried to put a t-shirt on him, though, Gladio leaned on him, almost making him fall under his weight.
“Ignis…” said Gladio in a low tone. “You know how I feel about you, right?”
Ignis lowered his eyes, letting out a deep, tired sigh.
“I don’t think we should have this conversation now,” he said, carefully pulling Gladio away from him.
Gladio cursed under his breath.
“You’re so complicated…”
“Says the one who can barely stand on his own. Come on, raise your arms.”
Gladio did as he said, and soon he was fully clothed again. Ignis helped him lay on the bed, and only then started to pay attention to his own clothes.
“I can’t go back like this,” he searched the wardrobe for something he could wear. “I’ll borrow some of your clothes, if you don’t mind.”
“Or you could just spend the night here,” suggested Gladio.
“I think I had enough of you for tonight.”
“You could never have enough of me,” he laughed. “You’re even taking my clothes.”
“Is it even worth it to remind you of the reason?”
Ignis took the smallest pair of pants he could find and a hoodie. They were comfortable, but, as expected, way too big for him. He turned to face Gladio, who was gawking at him, bitting his lower lip.
“I just discovered a new kink…” he muttered.
Ignis counted to ten and asked the Astrals for patience. He reminded himself that Gladio wasn’t his normal self at the moment, and that he shouldn’t get mad at him. He approached Gladio, placing a pillow under his head, covering him with a blanket.
“I’m hungry…” he grumbled.
Ignis sighed.
“Alright, I’ll make something for you.”
He went to the kitchen, searching it, realizing both the fridge and the food cabinet were equally devoid of anything he could use to make a proper meal. There was, however, a few Cup Noodles and some other pre-made food on the shelves. Didn’t that man eat anything but that? He made a mental note to discuss the matter when he was sober again.
Without many options, Ignis prepared one of the Cup Noodles, approaching the bed when it was ready.
“Gladio…” he called.
But Gladio had fallen asleep. Ignis simply looked at him for a moment, deciding not to wake him.
“And you say I am the complicated one…”
He placed the Cup Noodles on the counter, and proceeded to clean the floor and put the dirty clothes on a bowl with water. He should clean them as soon as possible, but he was tired. He just wanted to lay on his bed and have a long night of sleep.
But, as tempting as the thought was, he knew nothing good could come from leaving his friend alone in that state. After a minute of consideration, Ignis took a chair, placing it beside Gladio’s bed.
“It’ll be a long night…” he thought.
Gladio woke up with his head aching. His mind was foggy, and he could remember little more than brief fragments from the prior night. He looked beside him, seeing Ignis there, sitting on a chair with the glasses on his lap, asleep.
“Iggy?”
His low voice was enough to wake him up. He looked at Gladio, putting his glasses again.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Like shit…” admitted Gladio. “My head is killing me.”
Ignis got up, stretching his back. It crossed Gladio’s mind that the chair wasn’t among the most comfortable places to spend the night.
“Where do you keep the medicine?” asked Ignis.
“Bathroom. Cabinet.”
Ignis walked to the bathroom. He came back seconds later, approaching the sink, filling a glass with water.
“Here,” he said, offering Gladio the glass and the pill. Gladio drank it, and the cold water, more than anything, made him feel a little better.
“What time is it?” he asked.
“Little past three in the morning,” Ignis took the glass from him, placing it in the sink.
“Shit…” he felt a sting of guilt in his chest. “You’ve been here all this time?”
“I couldn’t leave you alone in that state.”
Gladio closed his eyes, trying to force his memory. Things started to come back to him, and he soon wished they didn’t.
“Are you hungry?” asked Ignis, calling his attention. “You fell asleep before you could eat.”
“Ah, yeah… But—”
“Besides, you really should buy something other than instant noodles to eat,” Ignis interrupted him. “You’re as bad as Noct when I leave him alone for a few days.”
Gladio smiled, but the guilt soon made the expression fade.
“Sorry,” he said.
Ignis didn’t say anything, approaching his bed when the food was ready. Gladio ate in silence, only then realizing how hungry he was feeling. As soon as he finished, Ignis sat on the border of the mattress, looking at him with a serious expression. Gladio averted his eyes.
“I think we should talk about what happened,” said Ignis.
“Iggy, I’m really so—”
“Stop, Gladio. I’m not asking for you to apologize, I just want to know what’s wrong.”
Gladio stayed silent, avoiding his gaze.
“You’re not one to drink carelessly like that,” insisted Ignis. “There’s something bothering you, isn’t there?”
Silence again.
“Gladio…” Ignis placed a hand on his arm. “Please, talk to me.”
Gladio hesitated, not sure of how to start putting his thoughts into words.
“I don’t know,” his voice was little more than a mutter. “I’m just thinking too much.”
“About what?”
He made another pause. Ignis waited.
“I never thought too much about it, being a Shield and all. But after what happened…” he touched the end of his scar. “I realized I could just… I don’t know…” he pressed his lips together for a moment. “Die, any day, just like that.”
That word felt like a stone on his chest, but after saying it out loud, it became easier to proceed.
“It was such a stupid fight, and still… It made me realize it’s not because I’m a Shield that I’m invincible. It should be obvious, but… I never thought about it before. Being a Shield doesn’t mean I’ll always be able to protect Noct. I can fail at this… I can die, and then there’ll be no one to protect him.” His throat felt dry. “He was crying so much at the hospital, I didn’t know what to do. It… It made me think of Iris. If anything happened to me, she’d cry like that too, and it’d be my fault.”
He felt tears in his eyes, and tried to hide them with a nervous laugh.
“I’m not making any sense, am I?”
“That’s not true,” said Ignis. “It’s alright, Gladio… I understand.”
Gladio didn’t answer, his own words still echoing on his mind. He clenched his fists, all of those thoughts suddenly feeling like too much to bear.
“I’m scared…”
As soon as he said it, something broke inside him and he started to cry. Ignis put his arm around his shoulders, bringing him closer, hugging him. Gladio leaned his head against his chest.
“It’s alright…” muttered Ignis to him, caressing his hair. “I’m here with you… It’s going to be alright.”
Gladio didn’t know for how long he stayed like that, but when he finally calmed down, he felt exhausted. It was like he had cried away every single feeling that was inside his chest, and now he felt strangely empty. Lighter.
“Sorry…” he said after a while. “I think I needed to let all this shit out.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you talked to me.”
He looked at Ignis, offering him a light smile.
“I don’t think I’d be able to talk about all this with anyone else.” He hesitated for a second, then reached for Ignis face, gently caressing it. “Thanks for listening.”
Ignis smiled back, placing his hand over Gladio’s, holding it against his face.
“Iggy…”
“Hm?”
“Can you stay with me?”
“Of course.”
They lay beside each other, their bodies close, legs entwined. Ignis’ presence and warmth felt good. Comfortable. Calming.
For the first night in a long time, Gladio felt completely at peace.
My final submission for Gladnis week. Day 7: free day.
I wanted to draw a happy ABO Gladnis family with toddler twins and a third baby on the way. No story behind this, I just want these two to have a happy family full of love <3
That’s it for me everyone! Hope you enjoyed Gladnis week 2018 as much as I did <3 now I can finally read all those wonderful fanfics <3
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15747954
Title: Breaking Point
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Pairings: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Warnings: No Active Warnings Apply
Summary: Breaking point - the moment of greatest strain at which someone or something gives way.
They'd been on the road for weeks, it was only a matter of time before someone broke down, before someone got sick of everything. Fortunately for them, Ignis was always on hand to help.
Written for Day 1 of @gladnis2018 using the Sick-Fic Prompt.
At some point during their journey, they had all broken down, typically leaving Ignis to pick up the remnants of their fragmented selves and piece them together one by one. For Prompto it was the realisation that he was no longer a regular citizen, that he was now one of the guard and had a duty to uphold. Ignis had taken him to one side, buoyed his spirits and convinced him that he wouldn’t have been allowed to come with them if they didn’t think he was ready. For Noctis, it was the realisation that he was king, that people were going to start looking towards him for advice on how best to proceed. Ignis had reminded him that he wasn’t alone, that he had both himself and Gladio by his side. For Gladio it had been the fear that he wasn’t good enough, the death of his father, reminding him that no-one is immortal, that even the mighty can fall. It was up to Ignis once again to reassure, support, and encourage him.
So it was no surprise when Ignis finally broke down as well, what was surprising was how it happened.
“Specs, the button fell off my shirt.”
A sigh; “Add it to the pile Noct.”
“Hey, er Ignis? Have you seen my bag of lenses?”
A pause; “In Gladio’s bag, underneath his sweatshirt.”
“Yo, Iggy. I’m going for a run and I’ll grab dinner for myself while I’m out.”
A twitch; “That is quite alright Gladio, thank you for informing me.”
“What’s for dinner?”
A tut; "Veggie medley stew."
Noctis made his distaste for vegetables known; "Ugh, I’d rather starve. Have we anything else?"
That had been the turning point for Ignis as he turned around from the stove, a vein in his temple throbbing dangerously. No, they didn't have anything else because he hadn't gone shopping yet, and astrals forbid anyone from taking the initiative and going shopping for him! Oh no, Ignis had to do everything around here, the cooking, the cleaning, the driving, the waking everyone up in the morning. He gripped the edge of the counter and counted to ten, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth.
