WHAT. The candy hearts for Valentine’s Day are mean. And naughty. WHERE. Galdin Quay WHEN. During the Valentine’s Day Plot! WARNINGS. Annoying candy and some PDA. Second-hand embarrassment. STATUS. Complete!
It was early enough in the day that the tables weren’t full at Galdin Quay and lunch was an easygoing affair. It left Ignis with enough of an attention span that he could continue feeding his boyfriend and listen to him go on about the game he was currently obsessing over. The tom kha gai soup steaming in front of Ignis was coming together nicely as he added the coconut milk to it.
Ignis was in full-chef mode as he finished and plated the soup, using his kitchen rag to swipe down the edges of the bowl before they were placed off to the side for the waitress to take. Even with Noct’s, he took the attention to detail seriously as he chopped cilantro for the top. But not much to avoid complaint.
There was at least a little green showing in the soup as he set the bowl down in front of Noctis. Who was staring (glaring, perhaps?) at a candy sitting in front of him on the counter. “What’s earned that bothered look? Is it because it’s white? The white ones are the worst flavor. If you can call those chalk hearts flavor, anyway.”
Noct had come to the restaurant knowing it was early and he could probably get a little time with Ignis or at least visit and then go fishing for a bit. Valentine's was close and he remembered last year and the pressure for romance that seemed to crop up around town. He didn't mind romance, obviously. But balked at any strange holiday telling him he ought to woo his partners.
Actually, he balked at anything but those partners trying to tell him what to do. Especially the strange candy heart that had appeared on his table while he was staring shamelessly at the curve of Ignis's waist. It was weird enough that it appeared but more worrisome was the pull to obey. He was still glaring at the dumb thing when Ignis approached.
"What? Oh." Noct grimaced and stuck the candy in his pocket to throw away later. "I don't even know where it came from."
Three more thunked to the table next to his plate. All three said dance. "Uh. I don't suppose that was you…"
“Certainly not.” That was an easy denial, and Ignis wrinkled his nose even at the idea. “If I were to put out candy, or give you candy, it would not be that sorry excuse of chalk.” He wasn’t even sorry about being a little snobby on the end of Valentine’s Day candy there were so many better options than the hearts.
But these had appeared out of nowhere and that was puzzling. Ignis picked one up and snorted before putting it back down. That seemed to trigger another three to join it, all of these also said the same thing, and he raised an eyebrow. “While I do appreciate a good dance with you, I promise that this is not some elaborate ploy to pull you around.”
Noct snorted a laugh at Ignis's food snobbery. It was cute. Definitely cuter than the annoying candies staring up at him. He tried sweeping all six of the candies into a pocket with the first, even though the action was harder. Like he felt compelled to stand and do a little jig first.
"Bummer. Would've been a pretty impressive prank," he said through gritted teeth. Nothing happened right away and he foolishly started to breathe a sigh of relief. "Maybe this is one of those where we just have to ignor--"
Hundreds of candy hearts tumbled from above out of nowhere, raining on top of Noct's head. He sat very still with his eyes closed in defeat until the torrent stopped. People were definitely starting to stare now, which made this all a lot worse. He was going to have to dance in front of strangers in his boyfriend's restaurant or risk being buried under candy hearts in front of them all.
He stubbornly stayed put. "Will you still love me if I end up in traction because of Valentine's candy?"
Ignis abandoned his cooking station - not for the first time and certainly wouldn’t be the last. Orders weren’t coming in right at that moment anyway, so he made his way around the circular kitchen to get in closer to Noctis.
Another batch of candy fell into the bowl of soup he’d just placed on the bar, and his face wrinkled before he forced himself to move on. There would be more soup in the future, not tainted by candy. “I will still love you even if my restaurant is buried by Valentine’s candy.” He was firm on that, with conviction. But still leveled a look onto Noct. “But I do not know if even your stubbornness can outlast just how much candy will end up around you. You may have to think of the fish, Noct.”
Noct warmed nicely at Ignis's answer. He hadn't really been looking for validation but when he was surrounded by little piles of candy, it certainly didn't hurt to have. Another shower of hearts fell into his lap and Noct gave an aggrieved sigh.
"Fine, fine. Six, just--" Candy scattered across the floor as he pushed to his feet and started to dance stupidly in place. Everyone was definitely watching. This was the worst. All the time he spent at this restaurant and now any regulars would have this memory when they looked at him.
"That better be good enough!" He stopped moving and waited, looking up and around him at nothing in particular. Nothing happened. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "The fish better be safe."
Ignis’ mouth twitched with gentle amusement, but not in a way that he was cruelly laughing at Noct’s embarrassment, just-- that he enjoyed watching his boyfriend move.
Thankfully his resting bitch face was typically enough to stop anyone from laughing right in their tracks. So nothing more than a quiet shuffle before regular conversation started back up at the tables. Ignis stepped in a little closer, and reached out a steadying hand.
He wasn’t the first of them to reach to public displays of affection, but made an exception for Noctis. “You know, you could have asked me to dance. I don’t know that it would have spared you embarrassment, but at least then you could have grabbed something inappropriate in public for comfort.”
Noct's face was on fire, but he was hiding it with a petulant frown. Even that expression softened though, as Ignis touched him and spoke warmly. He leaned in closer and sighed. "I didn't want to drag you into this. What if it wanted a specific dance and it was ridiculous!"
He turned a sharp gaze towards the ceiling, afraid he had cursed himself by saying as much out loud. Nothing dropped to the table but that didn't stop him from narrowing his eyes suspiciously before he turned back to Ignis.
"You don't have to stop working for--" A single candy appeared again in front of him. Well, it was between them really, on the corner of the table. It said grab his butt. Noct slapped a hand over his face and grumbled from behind it. "Oh gods. I can't even tell which of us that one is for."
Ignis huffed out a gentle laugh this time. “I know Prompto is better for the Macaroni, but I would attempt it to alleviate your embarrassment.” He ignored the reassurance from Noct, who he appreciated looking out for him but work could wait.
At the sight of the new candy, a blush blooms on his cheeks Well. It wouldn’t be the first time someone’s butt was grabbed here at Galdin Quay. It wouldn’t be the first time Noct’s butt was grabbed here, even, though not by Ignis’ hand.
Until now. As he “took one for the team” so to speak, and reached forward to wrap a hand around Noct’s hip and further on. Gladiolus and Prompto would have been so proud, even with the blush taking over his face. But the candy didn’t disappear, and several more dropped down to answer Noct. “I suppose that means it isn’t me, then. Very well. I accept.”
"The Macaroni," Noct barely managed to sputter a laugh before he was watching Ignis descend towards him with an obvious plan to test the candy's target. It helped that Ignis looked a little flushed. Noct didn't feel quite so ridiculous about his own heated face. No matter all the general PDA they were all guilty of from time to time, it was usually without anyone paying attention to them. Now they had an audience, pretending not to watch as Noct made a quiet squeak.
"I can't believe this is how you finally groped me in your restaurant," he sighed. He sounded amused at least. And he laughed at Ignis's dignified consent. Noct paused long enough to shoot a warning glare at the tables around them - making anyone who had been looking quickly glance away. A handful of candies plinked to the table again, joining all the ones piled there. Rolling his eyes, Noct got out of his chair to kiss Ignis's cheek, grabbing a handful of his butt at the same time. "I should probably run away. Who knows what else these things are going to want me to do."
“This is exactly how I envisioned it,” Ignis deadpanned, but it didn’t take long before a smirk took up the side of his mouth. That blush was still there and he couldn’t will it away, half due to the thrill that shot down his spine as Noct’s hands found their target. He had to push off the thought, as they were in public, and the more attention on him, the more uncomfortable both of them became.
The candies vanished with their goal met, and Ignis kept a firm hand on Noctis so the royal couldn’t go running away so quickly. “Not so fast. If you leave and it goes badly, I would never forgive myself.” He still took a quick glance around and spotted his afternoon relief, chatting and smirking not far. “I’ll get Demane to hop into the kitchen early.” It was said in a tone that would take no arguments, as Ignis had already made up his mind. Noct wasn’t going anywhere without him. “Would you prefer to hide out in a room here or go home?”
Ignis's flush was the only plus side to all of this nonsense. Noct enjoyed watching that handsome face try to stay stoic before it slipped into mildly embarrassed good humor. It didn't hurt that Ignis didn't simply send him on his way either. Not that Noct was surprised. Ignis was always so good at taking care of him. Even when the problem was really, really dumb.
"I would prefer to go home, but I feel bad stealing you from work." He scowled around the room. The restaurant was nearly full. But he'd be lying if he kept pretending he cared that much. He was a selfish royal about some things, even now. "Ok, no, that's not entirely true. I don't mind stealing you if you don't mind." Leaning over, he murmured for Ignis's ears alone. "If any other hearts show up, you could tell me to do the thing and then it wouldn't be annoying…."
“I don’t mind,” Ignis confirmed, though the whisper had his face heating up again far too easily. Leave it to Noct to know just how to push those buttons. “Is that how it is, then?” He pressed a kiss to the side of Noct’s head fondly but didn’t say no.
“Should you become plagued by more terribly tasting candies, I will take over as required.” To start, Ignis put on his stoic, bossy face. The kind he’d used back when they had been in Insomnia and Ignis had to get Noctis to attend meetings. “Don’t go anywhere. I’m going to go speak with Demane, I’ll be right back.” He squeezed Noct’s arm before slipping off to the other side of Galdin Quay, despite the risk of letting Noct fend for himself against candy hearts.
"You're the best, Ignis." Noct was feeling a lot better with Ignis in agreement and sounding bossy. That smoky voice and serious face was a deadly combo that had been kicking his butt since he was a horny teenager after all. With escape from the watchful eyes of dozens of diners on the horizon, Noct dug out enough money to leave a tip on the table and then he turned towards the door.
He was just going to stand there but then a heart appeared on the table corner next to his elbow and it said strip so obviously he didn't have a lot of options. He stumbled backwards towards where Ignis had gone, watching as one candy turned into six, raining down on his shoulders as he moved.
"I'm really starting to hate this holiday." He turned toward Ignis as he caught one of the candies. "I gotta go, Specs!" he said loudly. "Or this is going to get rated R real quick." With that for a warning, he threw the candy as far as he could towards the door and warped to follow it.
It was probably a good thing Demane had agreed with only minimal teasing, as Ignis found himself standing there sighing a heavier sigh than all of the weight of his upper body. “Noct, wait--” And then the king was warped and on the opposite side of Galdin Quay in the time it took him to blink.
Ignis had half a mind to stay behind now that Noct had made a hasty exit, but picked up one of the candies left behind and the earlier blush came back in full force. He barely got out a polite “excuse me” before he took off after Noct.
At a much slower rate, as he had nothing to throw to follow in the same warping path.