#ignisxgladio

[the-huldra-king]

On the long and winding road If I say there's no tomorrow If I say there's only sorrow Would you ever leave me be?

[prompto-protection-agent]

Daggers

(I LITTERALLY had no idea what to call this, so enjoy my brain soul of an idea that apparently wasn’t that bad of an idea. Plus, even though he was kind of an ass hat, Luche needs some *cought cough* love too. He was one of my favorite jerks in KG. So enjoy!

Warnings: Violence, mentions of blood

But it’s not really horrible. Not like AHHOMGDEATHAHHH. Just fighting.

Wow I’m bad at this :D

There’s some GladNis fluff in here if you squint really hard so it’s all cool though!

So it begins——

This wasn’t normally how Gladio started his weekends. He’s also never the one to pick up someone from the hospital. Usually the other way around. Last time he was there was after his face was mauled protecting Noctis. The important part of this visit, though, was who he had to pick up.

Gladiolus wasn’t planning on letting Ignis live this one down. Apparently the advisor had ‘passed out from exhaustion’ from what he told over the phone.

It’s one thing for Ignis to be forcibly removed from his duty at the Citadel when Noctis or Gladio notice he is overworking himself, but to the point of passing out? That’s unheard of!

Ignis was standing outside the Emergency Room entrance waiting. Apparently, impatiently since Gladio didn’t even stop all the way before he opened the car door and hopped in. No eye contact. No words. Just sat in silence staring out the window.

“Bothered?” Gladio questioned.

Nothing.

“Ok. Bad day. Want something to eat?”

“No.” Ignis spat.

Gladio rolled his eyes.

“Sounds like something crawled up your ass. I’ll take you home then.”

They rode in silence. Uncomfortable really. Ignis was being uncharacteristically quiet. Even if most of it was small talk or politics. Something was off and Gladio wasn’t going to let it pass unnoticed.

“Y’know, me and Noct have told you to stop overworking yourself.” Gladio glanced over to Ignis to try a register a response. He was still looking out the window. “Would be a shame if we lost you due to paperwork.”

Ignis gave him nothing.

“What, not gonna talk? Are you mad at me for something?”

“Gladiolus, will you drop it already!”

Ignis tossed his hands forward to further set he was done with the small talk. However, it gave Gladio enough visual to see a cast on Ignis’ wrist. How did he miss that?

Gladio found the nearest parking lot and pulled over. Whatever actually happened, he wanted to know. Now. Gladio turned off the car and stepped out, waiting to see if Ignis would follow.

He didn’t.

“Alright, here’s the deal, Scientia, you can either tell me the real story on why you ‘passed out’, or you can walk back home from here. Your pick.”

Ignis sat in the car for a few seconds contemplating his options. Unfortunatly, his home was still a few miles away, and after the day he’s had…

The advisor stepped out of the car, cautiously. Gladio instantly noticed how he favored his left leg. His eyes traced back to the cast on his right wrist. Following up his arms, he noted the small tears and dirt spots. It was the black eye and busted lip that really pissed Gladiolus off, though.

“Start talking. Your not one to just get into scraps.”

Ignis looked at the pavement.

“Gladio, would it be alright if we kept his between us?”

“Just tell me who’s ass I need to kick and call it a deal.”

“Fortunately, for you, the matter was already handled, um, accordingly.” Gladio swore he saw a smirk cross Ignis’ mug.

They both sat on the hood of the car for a moment before Ignis continued.

“I always thought some of the new Glaives were a bit cocky. Arrogant I should say. Even more so as their training goes on. However, there has always been one that just never sat right with me. Lazarus I believe was his last name. First escapes me.”

“I don’t know much on the Glaives, but isn’t he one from the group recruited from Galahd?”

“I would believe so.”

“Damn shame. Heard what happened to their home.” Gladiolus clinched his fists. “Those damn Niffs know no boundaries. Anyway, this Lazarus guy is a dick. Continue.”

Ignis sighed.

“Yes. Tonight I stayed late to finish up on a report The Marshal had sent in on the last reconnaissance mission. I won’t bore you with the details.” Gladio snorted and Ignis ignored the muttered ‘figures’ and continued on. “As you are well aware of, the area we have established as our workspace is more or less off-limits to anyone but officials that work the Citadel. When I left my office space, I noticed the Glaive wandering the corridor.”-

…

Ignis had filed away the last of the report and locked up the room. He still needed to make it over to Noctis’ apartment and go over the new findings and bring the young Prince up to speed in the situation at hand. There was a set of footsteps echoing down the hall.

‘That’s odd,’ Ignis thought.

Turning to look for the cause, Ignis spotted one of the new Glaives walking his direction.

“Pardon my curiosity, but might you be lost? It’s well past hours and I do believe the Glaives should be in their bunks. Can I be of some help?”

The man smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Ya, you could actually. Sorry to trouble you this late. I’m just a new guy in these parts and Dratos sent me on an errand run. If you can give me a hand, I’ll leave in peace.”

‘Dratos left three hours ago shortly after Cor gave me his report.’

“Certainly. How can I be of service?”

“Well, as part of our training, we are expected to learn to gather information. So someone who works the Citadel has info I’m supposed to report back with. Would you happen to have any tips to narrow down my search?”

Ignis set down his bag and unbuttoned his cuff links, trying to relax a bit.

Get comfortable.

“Well, firstly, I would be secretive about reconnaissance missions. The less who know the better. Secondly, cover all your bases. Who you have contacted, persons of interest-“

Lazarus chuckled and held up both his hands.

“Slow down professor. I’m just a newbie here.” He took a couple steps forward. “Say, what would be an ideal choice if the mission were compromised by, say, an enemy whey didn’t consider?”

“Disposal. Destroy any evidence you were there.”

Lazarus dropped his hands and hugged a sigh of relief.

“Dark. But it comes with the job.”

“I suppose it does, yes. Anything else I may assist you with? Say, finding your exit out of a restricted access floor?”

The tension on the floor rose. Ignis noticed the defensive stance Lazarus took, but himself stayed relaxed. Ignis noticed the Glaive reach behind his back and prepare to grab for his blades.

“I hate to sound pushy, but, if you were smart, you wouldn’t do that.” Ignis let his voice drop and he finished rolling up his sleeves.

“Oh, come on, pal. I thought we were learning new INTEL!”

Lazarus launched the first blade at Ignis, warping to the wall just left of him. The advisor rolled out of the way of his strike and summoned his own daggers.

“Look at you, one of the kings dogs! What, raised up with a silver spoon? Must have been nice!”

Lazarus once again launched himself at Ignis, who this time took a defensive stance and countered the assult, knocking one of the blades out of Lazarus’ hands. The Glaive slashed his blade across Ignis’s chest, tearing a small price of his dress shirt.

“I thought the Glaives were well rounded fighters.” Ignis parried the strike by forcing Lazarus to follow through his momentum, and round-house kick the Glaive in his sternum. “I suggest you leave before you make a fool of yourself.”

Lazarus staggered and forced himself to catch his breath.

“That’s mighty talk coming from a desk Jocky.”

“And it’s mighty thick of you to think you can best me in hand-to-hand. I’ve been working here for as long as I’ve been allowed. Part of my chores, of course, is maintain to well being of our crowned Prince. That also means his safety is in my hands.”

Ignis threw one of his daggers at Lazarus, catching the Glaives attention, only to charge head on to tackle the man to the ground. Lazarus lost his last blade in the fall, deciding his fists would just have to do.

Ignis let his daggers fade back into their keep in the Armiger, following suit with his own fists. Lazarus laid a lucky shot straight to Ignis’ eye, breaking his glasses and knocking him on his ass. He didn’t stay down long. Ignis used his arms to launch himself back up, using his weight and momentum to knock down the rogue Glaive.

Ignis took the moment to mount himself on top of the man and attempt to restrain him. Quite barbaric for his own style, but Ignis threw a left hook to the Glaives jaw, throughly staggering the man.

Lazarus took a second to catch himself dizzy before finally launching Ignis off of him. He took his small chance to pay back with his own bought of insesant barrage of fists to the advisors face.

The elevator down the hall sounded, bringing both men back to reality. Lazarus bolted up and started to run for the stairs just down the corridor. Ignis took his chance and tackled his assailant to the ground, both men falling hard. Ignis had a hold of Lazarus’ legs, refusing the man his escape. The Glaive, however, had other plans. He struggled, and succeeded, in freeing one of his legs. Ignis tried to grab hold again, but Lazarus bright his boot down full force of Ignis’s wrist, resonating a sickening crack, causing Ignis to release his hold and writhe in pain.

Lazarus made for his escape and tossed himself swiftly down the stairs.

The elevator opened and Ignis heard a steady melody of running down the hall his direction.

——

“-Dratos and a few other Glaives showed up right after the bastard fled. I told them what transpired, asked for a ride here, and called you.”

Gladiolus gawked at his companion is shock. He wasn’t quit sure how to process this new information. What he was able to comprehend, was that Ignis did his best to stop the man.

“Remind me after your done healing to help you work on your hand-to-hand.”

“I’ll have you know I’m quite proficient at it, thank you.”

Gladio chuckles.

“Obviously not since you got your ass handed to you by a trainee. C’mon, I’m hungry and don’t lie to me and say you aren’t. My treat, hard head.”

Ignis sighed and got back into the car with Gladio. This day had dragged on for so long. With the event that trainspired by the end of it, and failing to make it to Noctis’ place, he was really just ready to go to bed.

He doesn’t remember when he fell asleep, but the last thing Ignis heard was Gladio telling him to use this time of healing.

“Take an actual break, bud. Your deserve it.”

[gundamwinglesschicken]

My two favorite old people, doing old people stuff, like stretching their worn backs & kicking each other in the rear (I’m just joking, I’m the same age, were not that old lol)

[the-huldra-king]

May light embrace the darkest hour Let it shine to orchestrate The shadows of the night