ɢʟᴀᴅɪᴏʟᴜs ᴀᴍɪᴄɪᴛɪᴀ (ex_cupnoods206) wrote in valloic, @ 2021-04-29 10:55:00 |
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Entry tags: | !: action/thread/log, ₴ inactive: gladio amicitia, ₴ inactive: ignis scientia (2) |
LOG: IGNIS & GLADIO
Gladio always liked coming out to the Skyhold stables to visit with the chocobos. It was a nice break from city life and with the weather getting warmer too it was a nice way to spend the morning. Especially when there was a brand new addition.
Gladio sat cross legged on the grass, Henruit beside him dozing away in the late morning sun, and Gladio watched Ignis with the black baby chick across from him. Which was - well, quite possibly one of the most pleasant things Gladio had seen. Ignis looked years younger as the chick contently settled into Ignis' hands and it made Gladio's heart ache.
He fumbled for his phone and got it ready. "Hey, Iggy, look up, gonna take a picture -" he instructed and waited for Ignis to look up in his direction before snapping a couple quick shots in a row. "In case Prompto shows up, he'll be crushed if we don't document it," Gladio said, though he set the photo as his own lock screen as he did.
Ignis was chuckling as his head tilted back to the chocobo chick snuggled into his hands. The little thing seemed quite content, having settled away from her earlier trills and now just fluffed up, leaning in. He’d been up to the stables a few times with Gladio and Noct, to say hello to their chocobos, but certainly had not expected the black chick to be there on their visit today.
“Should you show that to Noct, let me know if I need to remind him just how ridiculous he is with animals at any given point.” Not that he expected Noct to do anything more than some good-natured teasing. “And truly no one can resist the urge to cuddle an adorable chocobo.” With that, the fluffy black one cooed and puffed out her feathers happily, as if she was letting him know she approved.
Gladio had definitely fallen into staring territory, but could he really be blamed. It had become so rare in the last few years to see Ignis (or himself, or Prompto for that matter) anything close to carefree. And while it was becoming a somewhat more common occurrence here in Vallo it still managed to catch Gladio off guard.
He laughed softly at the comments about Noctis. "Gods remember that cat in Galdin? How much running around he made us do to get the perfect dish for it." Though there was nothing but fondness in the words. He reached across the little space between them to pet the baby chocobo, and if his hand happened to brush against Ignis' he didn't seem bothered to immediately pull back.
Ignis broke into a grin. “How could I forget?” It was a fond memory of his, at the time it had been such a brief reprieve from everything that was happening in their world in general. It was a good reminder that Noctis was still Noct, despite it all. That hadn’t changed over their time, as things got worse. But it was a memory that would always stick with him.
Just like the chocobo riding, and the camping and fishing and-- Ignis sighed down at the black chick in his hands, and let his finger brush against Gladio’s. “Back at Insomnia, I still remember how much I had to talk the groundskeepers out of getting him in trouble. He would lure animals into the garden by befriending and feeding them. Galdin was far from the first time.”
Gladio smiled at Ignis' memories from way back then. The little bits of a charmed childhood Ignis and Noctis had managed to carve out for themselves in all the trappings of duty and being royal.
"He sure was something else," he replied, with fond amusement in his tone. "Still is."
He let his hand linger on the chocobo chick, and Ignis' hand. It was a small touch really, but nice. Grounding as he realized he wasn't going to get much better of a chance to broach what had been on his mind for a while.
"You know I kind of half expected you to read me the riot act when you found out about us," Gladio said. The words were still light, but an opening. And some truth behind it, he knew he was breaking countless rules and protocol by dating Noctis, and more than that he knew how Ignis felt about Noct. The sort of feelings that should have dissuaded a friend from making any kind of move.
“Still is,” Ignis agreed, repeating the statement with a wry smile. His smile fell away to a little surprise at Gladio’s statement.
Even if it was fair, given-- well. Everything. It had been their primary job to keep Noctis as much on the path as they could, including knowing about every hookup Noct managed in his youth. Well- teenage youth, anyway. But they had never had to deal with dating, out of Noct’s own self-preservation, and this was still uncharted territory.
Let alone it being one of them. Gladio, Ignis had to remind himself, with the quietest pang of jealousy that he pushed down. “I didn’t see what purpose that would serve. It’s never been-- as long as he’s-- you’re both happy- That’s what’s important.”
It was only half of the truth, but it would have to do.
The answer was, well, pretty much what Gladio expected. Fair, diplomatic… and at least a little bit full of shit. Gladio huffed a small noise and let out a slow breath. "You practice that one, Iggy?" he asked, a teasing tone to the words.
For what was probably the millionth time he wondered how the hell this bridge was going to be crossed. How they could get from he and Noctis and Ignis to he, Noctis, and Ignis. And for the millionth time he told that voice in the back of his mind to shut up that liked to point out maybe that wasn't what Ignis even wanted.
But he figured they weren't going to get anywhere if he didn't at least try to have an honest dialogue about any of this.
"You're my best friend, Ignis, I know you want me - Noct - to be happy, and I know you'd never begrudge me that. Just like I'd never begrudge you being a little bit upset with me," he paused for a brief moment. "And not because of protocol and rules and all that shit," which was about as close as Gladio had ever gotten to calling Ignis on his feelings for Noct.
Ignis stiffened a little, his shoulders getting more of their royal posture back, a reminder of his training and his years in court and-- everything he’d focused so very hard on, so he didn’t focus on this. Feelings.
They would do him no good. Back home, he served. He showed his love through loyalty and actions, with all of them, knowing that nothing would ever come of it. Here, he was-- at a loss. When he arrived, with things changed, with there not being protocol or rules or a prophecy, they had lived their lives and Ignis couldn’t begrudge them of that. But he could mourn the idea that it wasn’t him.
He’d certainly felt sorry for himself, in those first few days. He still had waves of it from time to time, but every moment made him feel unbearably selfish, wanting those touches or looks to heat his skin as they did each other. That wasn’t fair.
“I- Ah-” Ignis cleared his throat. The chocobo cooed. There was noise and he was thankful for it, to hopefully cover up his pounding heart. “You’re mine, as well. You both are. But no good would come of me being upset with either of you for living your lives while you have the chance. I-- am just thankful you’re both healthy and whole.” Because that’s all I can be.
Gladio let his thumb brush lightly over the inside of Ignis' wrist before he encircled thumb and forefinger around. Touch as gentle as the situation itself was. "Maybe not entirely whole," he said, and he wondered if Ignis could feel the pointedness of his gaze. The depth of emotion in his eyes, the wanting inherent there.
He longed to say more, to voice that there was no difference in what he felt for Noctis to what he felt for Ignis. That Ignis was just as big of a part of any future Gladio now imagined for himself in Vallo. But he hesitated, unsure if Ignis was there, if Noctis was. Worried that it could be so very easy to ruin what might be by rushing into something.
"But uh - " he began again after the brief pause, "I - I would have rather been able to talk to you before anything happened with me and Noctis." His hand moved back to stoke the soft feathers of the chocobo chick. "And for that I'm sorry." Gladio knew that he really couldn't control that, with Ignis not even being in Vallo when things had changed. But the sentiment was there nonetheless, the apology sincere.
Iggy’s brain shorted out with that touch. Which was ridiculous, as Gladio had touched him countless times before. They all had put hands on backs, on shoulders, on wrists and lead him through doorways or things. Though, if he was being honest with himself, his heart rate always skipped a beat when that happened.
He had just gotten very, very good at ignoring it. Ignoring what he couldn’t have.
Maybe not entirely whole. What did that mean? Would Ignis spend the rest of eternity wondering, because he didn’t have the courage to open his mouth and ask? Likely.
“Consider yourself forgiven.” It was probably a little too easy, but he couldn’t and wouldn’t be mad at Gladio, not for this. Not when he couldn’t blame him for falling so helplessly in love with Noctis just as he had done. “And I mean, that, truly.” His hand ended up on top of Gladio’s, seeking that touch again with a steady grip. “You’re my best friend and I won’t have you feeling guilty.”
Gladio had been good at ignoring the effect those little touches had, but once he'd let guards down he was hard pressed to put them back up. Ignis' hand on his felt warm, hopeful somehow. A far cry at least from running for the hills.
"Well that was far too easy," Gladio joked lightly before he paused for a moment.
"Thank you, Iggy," he followed it up with, a warm sincerity to the words. And despite his earlier joking, he hadn't expected Ignis to be harbouring too much ill will or resentment, but he still felt better having taken the time to apologize and somewhat clear the air.
"You uh - got any name ideas for this little guy here?" he asked, a chance to shift the conversation to lighter topics if Ignis wanted it. The chick, as though knowing it was being chatted about made a few soft trills.
“Sometimes I like to give you a win,” Ignis answered breezily, as if his heart wasn’t pounding out of his chest and he wasn’t having palpitations. He shifted the weight in his arms, glad Gladio was giving him something else to focus on, another question.
He was sad he couldn’t see the feathers under his fingers, but imagined them as he ruffled them as the little chocobo trilled at them both. His head turned, as if to look where the two adult chocobos were, and Ignis tilted his chin up in thought. “Hmmm. I believe I might have to go with Barramundi, to keep with the fish theme. Or do you think I should not give him such lofty goals and stick with something like Dace?”
Gladio wasn't surprised that Ignis took him up on the change of topic, and he was fine with it. He had gotten used to serious conversations with Ignis over the years, but they generally didn't stray into personal matters and more in matters related to the crown. He figured taking baby steps into the first was maybe for the best.
"Very kind of you," Gladio replied with a soft laugh at the win comment.
"Barramundi is a mouthful," he pointed out, "but it does have a certain distinguishment to it." Gladio looked back down to the chick and gave it's head a little ruffling. "What do you think?" he asked, like he'd actually get an answer. "Dace?" there was silence. "Or Barramundi?" a trill at that and Gladio laughed.
"Think he picked one for you," he said.
With a deep chuckle, Ignis leaned down to press his cheek into the feathers, close to a hug. Having an opinionated chocobo chick would be no real difference in having opinionated best friends, it seemed, and Ignis would have it no other way. It was only by the grace of the gods that he managed to not make a joke about the mouthful they could all handle.
It would have been uncouth. So he went tamer, softer, with a gentle smile in Gladio’s direction. “I’m glad to see he shares the same high quality tastes as I do, then.”