#ardyn izunia x reader | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

agent-cupcake · 1 year

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heavensent

Pairing: Ardyn Izunia x f!angel reader

Synopsis: For the prompt Ardyn + holy. Fallen angel daemon Ardyn rejected your offer of salvation, deciding that it would be more fun to ruin you instead.

Warnings: explicit smut, noncon, minor elements of torture, violence

Tags: au: angels and demons, tentacles, double penetration, throat fucking, voyeurism, cum eating, spit kink

Notes: I'm sorry about the blaspheme :(

Words: 7.1k

Pain was the crude cudgel that forced you awake. It hit without any subtlety, demanding your urgent attention the second you managed even the slightest hint of consciousness. Every muscle burned, each pulse of blood through your head pounded like a hammer against your temple, and your wings, only half folded, hurt. They hurt very badly.

Why?

“Are you awake?” a man’s voice asked, the words muffled and far away, nearly beyond your comprehension. You groaned weakly. The sound of a storm howled away outside, a riotous gale of wind and rain and thunder clapping angrily. Its chill crept up your clammy skin, making you shiver. It was so cold. “How you could manage to sleep through a storm like this… Well, it’s beyond me.”

Trying to fight through the fog of dissociation, you blinked a few times, getting a blurry look at your surroundings. The room was dark and empty. Everything, save for the pain itself, was icy cold. And all of it, every piece of the situation in which you had awoken, was horribly, utterly wrong. That allowed you some clarity beyond the pain, beyond the confusion. Enough to realize you were chained to a chair with metal handcuffs, your back aching from slumping forward and your feet bare and numb. A collar sat heavily around your neck, set with a chain that snaked somewhere behind you.

The speaker, a man who loomed as little more than a shadow with the light of a storm behind him, watching you from across the room. His eyes glowed in the dim light, a cruel, malevolent yellow.

“You will forgive me,” he told you, his voice smooth and friendly. Adjusting yourself with a painful heave upright, you attempted to shake out your wings, acting on the animal impulse of fight or flight. Flight, always flight. But you realized immediately that the right one refused to extend, shooting red hot agony down all the way to the base of your spine. The left fared slightly better, but the pristine white plumage was coated in tar-like ink. Dried blood matted the feathers. Your blood. “I’ve never kept birds before, I’m afraid I wasn’t entirely sure how wings are best clipped.”

“What did you do?” you asked, horrified as you looked at the wreckage. For some reason, they weren’t healing the way they should have been. Your mouth tasted like blood, the words stilted and heavy.

“I didn't want my little birdie to fly away so soon."

Finally, it hit you, memories filtering in past the pain and fear and discomfort. “Ardyn,” you said, identifying the man in front of you. Lightning flashed behind him, haloing his curls. Wingless and condemned and fallen, but still Ardyn. That was why you had descended, why you took the risk of a mortal form. After finding him, you had hoped he would speak with you. You couldn’t remember what happened after that.

“That He would send his favored daughter to put an end to my life is most telling, don’t you think?” he asked, crossing the room with a casual, stilted gait. Each fall of his boot was unbearably loud. “It rather hurt my feelings. Whatever could I have done to earn His ire?”

“No, He didn’t,” you said, your voice soft and hoarse. Tears blurred the sight of him looming above you, looking every bit the shadowy daemon he had become, a creature corrupted by starscourge and the sin of man. One who had clipped your wings. The right one still refused to extend or fold, stuck in a crooked, half unfurled position. Even if the feathers weren’t chopped, flight would be impossible.

Ardyn crouched down to meet your eye, his head cocked at a curious angle. “What was that?” he asked. “You don’t mean to tell me you’ve come in defiance of His orders, do you?” Whatever expression you made, most likely one of crippling guilt and regret, made Ardyn smile. “Oh, that is flattering. You were always so exhaustingly dedicated to following the rules, I must have really ruffled your feathers if you were willing to go to such extremes to kill me.” He looked pointedly at your injured wing before donning an over-the-top apologetic look. “That might have been a poor choice of words, I beg your pardon.”

“Not kill you,” you told him, refusing to be distracted by the cruel jab. If he thought you were an assassin, perhaps you could understand why he would do this. You just needed to make him understand, to convince him of your intent. Hopeful, pleading, begging him to listen. The Ardyn you once knew would understand, of that you were certain. “I came to save you.”

Ardyn didn’t move for a long moment. The storm raged, your heart raced, the pain pulsed. And still, you hoped. Prayed.

Slowly, crinkles fanning out from his eyes first, the corner of his lips curling up, he smiled. It was a horrible, evil expression. Dread enshrouded him, crushing against you as firmly as a vice. It was all you could do to meet his eye, air catching raggedly in your throat.

“No, no, no, darling,” Ardyn cooed. “That simply will not do.” His hand played along the length of chain connected to the metal collar around your neck before closing in a fist, roughly tugging you forward. You yelped, caught suspended as the chain securing the handcuffs pulled taut. The strain made your shoulders scream, your back muscles unintentionally flexing and hurting your injured wing all over again. “As I hope you'll come to understand, it is not I who is in need of salvation.”

Your breathing had become too fast, too frantic, tears making fresh tracks down your cheeks. In your weakened mortal form, flight was one of the few magics you were able to retain, and he’d already stolen that. The only reason for an angel to take the shape of man was to walk among them, you had to sacrifice much of your true form for it. That meant power, that meant knowledge, that meant divinity. That meant you were stupid and injured and trapped and you didn’t know what to do, didn’t know where you were or what was going to happen.

“Hush,” Ardyn cooed, releasing the chain so you could fall back and ease the strain on your arms. “There will be plenty of time for that later.”

You sobbed, shaking your head. The human emotions were more intense than you were prepared for, primal in the way they festered and erupted. In a time when you desperately needed poise and control, you faltered. The angelic part of yourself was easily overpowered by emotion, by fear.

“Ardyn, please. I wa-want to talk. Please just listen.”

He waved a dismissive hand, standing up. “Oh, do spare me your holier than thou drivel, it’s positively sickening. I do not want for salvation, nor do I have any desire for forgiveness. The time for that has long past, and I will not suffer the insult. As you can tell, I’m quite happy.” He turned towards you, arms outstretched and his smile glistening in the half light. “It suits me, wouldn’t you agree?”

It was as you had been warned. There were no traces of the kind, gentle soul you had once known. Rotted through with corruption and the daemonic scourge of man’s folly. You had, with only the best of intentions, brought yourself to the devil’s door. Heaven felt so, so far away, your mortal form severing your inherent connection. All the power, all the light, wasn’t strong enough to pierce this place.

“Don’t cry,” Ardyn scolded. “Rejoice in the chance I’m gifting to you. You have the privilege of setting an example, of being a martyr. Your fate will be a tragedy, a warning to those who believe His power to be greater than mine. Another angel fallen, stolen from the heavens and delivered into the corrupting embrace of sin. Think of it, my dear.”

You gasped, shaking your head in mindless, mute rejection. The utter magnitude of what he was saying was borderline incomprehensible, but the sinking terror of it had you sobbing, your shoulders straining and the metal cuffs biting painfully into your wrists. You knew that taking a mortal form made you emotional, irrational even, but that wasn’t enough to steady you. All you could do was cling to belief and faith, to whatever righteous conviction you felt that brought you to making such a reckless choice.

“You cannot make me,” you told him. “I will never relent to sin. I will never fall, no matter what. Not like—” You cut yourself off, unable to finish that biting, cruel thought. But Ardyn knew, his sharp smile made that obvious.

“Not like me, hm?” he asked. Ardyn gasped dramatically, a hand covering his heart. “You wound me.”

“It doesn’t have to be like this,” you told him softly. “He will forgive you, He will forgive anything. Ardyn, please, listen to me-”

“I considered that I might recreate my own torment and leave you here to rot for a century or so,” Ardyn said, breezing past your appeal. “But it does seem like such a waste. I would prefer to savor this moment. To see the look in your eyes as you’re dragged down into the darkest depths of hell, to know the taste of despair from one who has been promised eternal paradise. And so I began to wonder what the effects of sin might have on one such as you, one who is pure of mind and flesh. One who cannot hope to have any defense.”

“Ardyn, please,” you begged. “Please stop.”

“Sin,” Ardyn said, practically purring the word. “Not pain, I shall spare you that torment for now. Carnal sin. Lust, desire, pleasure. Have you any idea of what I mean, my dear?”

“Ardyn, please,” you begged again, knowing your words weren’t getting through but unable to come up with anything better. You thought this would be so easy, that he would see, that he would understand what seemed so obvious.

“Alas, I am unable to do anything of the sort with my own hand,” he said, crouching down in front of you again. “You are positively irradiated with His light.” Ardyn raised a hand, brushing a single fingertip across your cheek. Although all you felt was the zing of his touch, flinching away in fear, he hissed, something like smoke twisting up from where his flesh had met your own. “But it need not be by my hand that you are debauched, only my orchestration. I don’t doubt that there will be much you stand to lose even after you’ve been stripped of His blessing. But until then, a proxy must suffice.”

“Stop,” you begged again. Saliva pooled thickly on your tongue, as if you were speaking through sludge. You may as well have been saying nothing at all for the effect it had.

“But I’m getting ahead of myself, you really must forgive my anticipation,” Ardyn said, standing up. He walked around you, behind the chair. “Allow me to free you of these gaudy shackles. They’re unfit for such a devout servant of heaven.” You flinched when he lifted the chain connecting your wrists, but you felt the weight of a key. Felt the unclick of the lock.

“Are you ready?” Ardyn asked as the metal cuffs clanged to the floor. You hadn’t felt him get close, but the air of his words disturbed the hair around your ear. You turned to face him with your shoulders high, toppling out of the chair and onto the floor with a heavy exhale in your desperate to put space between you.

Ardyn wasn’t there. Instead, something caught you from the other side, catching the chain connected to the collar and jerking you back. You lashed out with fingers curled like claws, mindlessly thrashing, but your wrists got caught. At first, you thought it was Ardyn, you craned your neck around to see him, but there was nothing. Whatever held you emerged from the darkness, but it was tangible. Cool and smooth. Not quite flesh, yet unmistakably alive, undulating and pulsing as the inhuman limbs moved up your arms, binding them together behind your back. When it hit your injured wing, you howled, but no matter how much you struggled, the tendrils only continued to grow, slithering up your arms, crawling over your skin like vines.

“What is this?” you demanded, panic and dread building at the profane touch.

Only the howling wind answered the question, pounding against the windows. A second shadow limb wrapped around your ankle. Yelping, you tried to pull your foot away. Another caught your other leg. Snaking up your calves. The tendril that had originated around your arms had split, one of them wrapping around your waist to wrench you upward. How many were there? Pulsing and growing and splitting to well and truly bind you, to hold you still. They looked like shadows given form, almost. Glistening like ink, but not wet. Crackling with profane violet sparks of magic. Black smoke faintly rose up from wherever the things touched you, but they didn’t shrink away in pain the way Ardyn had. It made no sense that such things could be alive, but they felt alive. They seemed to move with intent.

“Stop this,” you begged, jerking and lurching against the bindings.

Ardyn laughed. You hadn’t seen him move, but he sat in front of you in your vacated chair, watching with those unnervingly yellow eyes. The shadows, the tentacle-like mass of starscourge, was quickly encompassing your entire body. It came directly from him. And his face, shown now in truth, was ashen and dripping the inky liquid, crackling with purple daemonic magic. A daemon.

“I wouldn’t fight them if I were you,” he said. “You could hurt yourself.”

“What is this?” you asked, your voice shrill with fear. “Stop it! Ardyn, please.”

“One might think you wanted this to happen, coming to me in such a tempting form.” His eyes scanned you slowly, nearly as invasive as the tendrils sneaking beneath your clothes, searching for skin. “Although, those clothes do you no favors,” Ardyn muttered. Just like that, your clothes withered to black dust, a rot that originated wherever the tendril touch them and slowly burned its way through. He had nothing to hide his true intentions, but that was the thing that made reality set in. Your long, shapeless dress, your bra, your panties—all of it, dust. Sin, he said. Carnal sin. “Ah, yes. That’s much better. Let there be no secrets between us.”

Your left wing trembled, trying to extend, to cover yourself. As soon as it moved, another shadow tendril secured it to your back. The right was, mercifully, left alone, but it was useless, twitching weakly, painfully. The way your arms were held behind your back forced your chest forward, nipples stiff in the cold air. Chills covered your body, disgust and shame the only real source of heat in this terrible, cold room. You had always thought that hell would be hot, but this was worse. Here, in this cold place of evil and of stone, Ardyn intended to use the material representation of sin itself to defile your flesh. You closed your eyes, desperate to shut him out. No matter what, he would not sway you. He would not ruin you.

“I like that look,” Ardyn said. “You truly believe that you are beyond corruption. I have no doubt that you will cling to your faith throughout this night and the next. You will falter as time wears on, but you will stubbornly refuse to be brought low no matter what fun we have.”

A shadow circled one of your painfully stiff nipples before curling around it. Shocked, disgusted by the invasive touch, your eyes opened wide to look at Ardyn, but he only smiled, elbows casually braced on his knees. You gasped in something like pain when the tendril pinched your nipple, sparks of mindless sensation scattering through your gut. Another slithered between your ribs, doing the same to the other breast.

“Stop,” you begged, closing your eyes again to shut it all out. At this point, that was impossible. Your entire body was hyper sensitized, it was all you could feel.

“But there will come a time, my dear, that you no longer remember what it is to hope. The pristine feathers you so proudly flaunt will blacken, and you will think only of the betrayal you have suffered. Damned to an eternity of being the devil’s plaything by the Father you revere. And for nothing more than the sin of your foolish kindness.”

“No,” you said, your voice breathless and tight. “Never.”

“Well,” Ardyn responded dismissively. “I told you it will take time. It is best to live in the present, don’t you think? This is, after all, a very special moment.”

One of the tendrils began to crawl up your thigh. Its destination was obvious, but you screamed when it bumped the outer lips protecting your pussy, thrashing like a wild beast. Mindlessly terrified, disgust swelling up in your throat. Tightening around your thighs, the shadow jerked your legs open wider in response to your pathetic attempt at escape. Your hips twitched, muscles trembling with strain, but there was nowhere for you to go with the scourge limbs keeping your thighs spread, another holding your hips to keep you from wiggling away.

“Stop,” you plead breathlessly, dizzy from how fast you were hyperventilating. “Stop it, now!”

“Would that I could, my dear, but I think they’ve taken a liking to you.”

All you could do was let out a pathetic, whimpery wail. It would be better to let this happen with some grace, to shut your mind off to the exploitation of your body and rise above it. To refuse to engage in your own ruination. But you couldn’t. The ones on your nipples continued to pinch and pull, never overstepping the line of pain but always threatening it. All it did was incite disgust and horror, but there was a purely physical reaction you couldn’t control. And, ignoring your attempt at displacing it, the shadowy tendril exploring between your legs continued to gently probe between your legs, smooth as it slipped past your slit to slide across the warmer flesh.

When you screamed at the unwanted touch, a thicker tendril shoved past your lips as if waiting for the opportunity, muffling your cry. Starscourge tasted of ink and ozone and blood, a foul combination. Although it only rested shallowly on your tongue, it made you gag, your body attempting to heave despite the lack of movement you were allowed. Worse was the feeling of it. The way its smooth surface seemed to pulse, constantly twisting and writhing.

If you vomited and choked, would Ardyn stop this? You weren’t sure. You had to focus on your breathing, on controlling your body. As soon as you came to that conclusion, you were given a little shake, your legs pulled even wider, and the tendril between your legs landed against your clit. The way you screamed pressed your tongue against the thing in your mouth and you felt the way a shudder worked down its length. Continuing to pulse, it thrust shallowly into your mouth, swelling up enough to make your jaw burn.

“Breathe through your nose,” Ardyn instructed you brightly, like he was offering a tip while training. “If you faint again, who knows what I might be forced to do to revive you.”

Focusing on his words was impossible. Between your struggle to breathe past the shadow thrusting languidly into your mouth, the one rubbing little circles against your clit, and the ones secured around your abused nipples, your brain was more than overloaded. Drool slipped past your lips as the scourge limb pulled out, sliding past your chin and onto your chest. Something else was coming out of it, another fluid joining the deluge of saliva. Thicker, tasting of scourge. It filled your mouth and you couldn’t get rid of it fast enough whenever the tendril pulled out, having no choice but to swallow.

“O, Father,” Ardyn called dramatically. “We ask thee to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy accursed son. Amen.”

You sobbed, a flicker of genuine hatred sparking within you that he would mock something so sacred as sacrament.

“Was that too far?” Ardyn asked. “I’d have thought you would embrace a reminder of the familiar.”

A weak moan of protest rumbled in your throat, silenced before it could really be voiced. The tendril between your legs pulled away for a moment, giving you a second of hope that it was over. When it returned, however, it was slightly thicker, slick with what you could only assume was the vile liquid you were choking on.

This time, it was rougher, rubbing hard and fast circles against your clit. You couldn’t help the way your body responded, it was the same as choking on the limb fucking your mouth and the same as the sparks of sensation the ones on your nipples continued to send through you. A bodily function, not one of your mind.

You couldn’t help it.

“Just like that, darling,” Ardyn said, his voice low and smooth.

You whimpered, twitched. Your entire body strained against the various shadowy limbs holding you still, your hips attempting to move away from the pleasure being forced into you. Dizziness had crawled from the base of your skull and left your mind buzzing numbly. Thunder struck and you peeked down at the pair of evil yellow eyes watching you unravel.

“Go on,” he encouraged you sweetly. So sweetly.

You squeezed your eyes shut as you came. Unable to move, the most you could manage was the slight tilt of your head, the tightening of your muscles beneath their shadowy confines. The feeling had an indescribable heat to it, a bright flash of sensation and then the warmth. It was like nothing you had ever felt before, at least not while wearing a mortal form. Pain and emotion were much stronger to a human brain, but so was pleasure.

The tendrils around your nipples had finally tipped over the edge of pain, pinching too hard considering how sensitive you had become. But there was nothing you could do about it, not with the rush of pleasure as the one between your legs continued its assault against your clit, and not when your mouth was still being used by the thicker scourge limb. At this point, the inky liquid it secreted was coating your chin and chest. You dared not consider how much of it you had swallowed.

Once you finished twitching and trembling your way through your first orgasm, the tendril between your legs moved downward, leaving your swollen clit to rest. Pleasure wasn’t enough to make you ignore the danger as it prodded at the fluttering muscles of your entrance. You knew full well what it intended, but your rejection was reduced to nothing but incomprehensible grunts as the thing continued to use your mouth.

“I’m afraid to say, my dear, that you’re positively dripping,” Ardyn said. You tried to object, but your words were muffled. Looking down at him was difficult, the thing in your mouth keeping you from moving your head too much. In your teary periphery, you could see that he had pulled his chair closer, lips pursed as he inspected you. “What a cruel little minx you are, tempting me in this way.” Ardyn sighed, sitting back. “Fortunately, I have learned a great deal about patience in recent years. You will have what you want for now, I’ll claim my share later.”

The tendril resting against your entrance shuddered in the same way the one in your mouth had, swelling up and secreting more of the inky liquid. It was slightly sticky, thicker than your saliva. As if to distract you, the scourge limb fucking your mouth—reaching all the way back into your throat at this point—began to pulse and shudder with a final surge, dumping more and more of that viscous liquid down your throat, overflowing from where your lips were stretched around it and you choked and gagged and whined in distress.

“By the time I get my turn, I daresay you’ll be an expert at that,” Ardyn said cheerfully as the shadowy tendril pulled out of your mouth. Gasping for air, you tried to spit out as many sticky globs of the thing’s secretions as possible, but it had infected your mouth, your throat. You could have sworn you felt it in your belly, swishing around your insides and infecting you from the inside out.

Finished with whatever preparations it intended, the scourge limb between your legs pushed firmly against your entrance. You opened your mouth, intending to object, but Ardyn cut you off.

“Careful,” he warned. “I’ve no interest in hearing you complain incessantly. There are better uses for that mouth of yours.”

“It won’t fit,” you said tightly, watching the shadow prod between your legs. Ardyn didn’t respond, his eyes dark as he watched the thing push at your entrance again. The flesh between your legs was coated with the same dark, stick liquid coating your chest, laying heavily on your tongue. The same that dripped down his face. The blunted head pushed into you with a solid thrust, heavy and uncomfortably hard around the clenching muscles. You could feel its wrongness, the too-smooth texture of its flesh, the way it seemed to pulse and undulate beneath the surface.

“Oh, would you look at that,” Ardyn said, feigning awe. “It looks as if it fits to me. What do you think?”

You weren’t sure if you meant to say something, or if the open-mouthed shock of sensation was the only response you were capable of. The tendrils holding your body forced you further down onto the scourge limb, cruelly pushing it deeper in little jolting bursts. It split you open, relentlessly making your pussy stretch around it while it trembled and twitched, its surface continuing to inhumanly ripple against your inner walls.

“Stop,” you finally got out, sobbing and panicked at the unbearable ache of being stretched open. “No more, it—it hurts.”

“What did I say?” he asked.

You couldn’t remember. The only thing you could possibly focus on was the intrusive pain as you were dragged down a few more inches, your body unwillingly yielding. When you screamed—if not in pain, than in objection—a new tendril pushed into your mouth just as the last one had, shuddering and swelling and coated in even more of the inky liquid.

“You can’t say I didn’t warn you,” Ardyn told you. Surprised, you clamped down hard around the scourge cock—and what’s what it was, wasn’t it? What else could it be?—buried deep into your cunt, crying as it settled. Likely because to go any further would seriously damage you. As it was, you could only imagine what the thing was doing to your insides.

Instead of fucking your mouth like the last one had, the shadow seemed to want to explore, its tapered tip feeling around your mouth in a way you’d almost call curious. The effect was the same, your cries and groans and pleas muffled, but maybe you were grateful it was being more gentle. When your tongue nudged against it, an absurd amount of the inky liquid dripped out of it. There was nowhere for it to go other than down, slick in your throat, heavy in your stomach. At this point, the foul taste barely registered.

“An angel would never deny sacrament, would she?” Ardyn asked. “Good girl.”

You whimpered, wept. Your uninjured wing twitched, your fingertips and toes fluttering. Not that it mattered.

The shadowy mass of limbs worked together to fuck you, dragging you up and down its cock no matter how you twitched or struggled. The aching pain of being split apart wasn’t as insistent as you might have thought, but the wrongness was gruesome. There was no sound of flesh meeting flesh, just the lewd noise of so much wetness being squished in and out, of the guttural noises you couldn’t help but make, muffled by the thing in your mouth. It wasn’t going fast, but it went so deep each time. Too deep, pressing into you until pain made you spasm around it.

The tendrils around your nipples had never stopped either, even though the pleasure had long since become painful overstimulation. The one in your mouth seemed content to simply remain there, maybe because Ardyn wasn’t thinking about controlling it directly, his attention focused elsewhere.

Ardyn groaned, low and long, and you finally dared to open your eyes. It made sense that he would be touching himself, that this would bring him pleasure, but the sight was more than you could bear. Someone you once trusted, that you once respected, reduced to a daemon watching your violation with a lustful gaze, his hand slowly working his cock. Luxuriating in this.

Feeling you looking, Ardyn caught your eye, his gaze alight with mischief and cruelty. No shame, of course. The shame was all yours, and it blazed as acutely as the pain and the disgust. Thunder clapped from far away, lightning lending temporary radiance to his frightening face. Then it faded and you squeezed your eyes shut.

“There’s no escaping this,” he told you. “You are just as guilty as I, taking pleasure in your desecration. I fear the pearly gates will be locked shut from now on.”

He couldn’t hear your words of despairing denial, but your muffled sound made Ardyn laugh nonetheless. To prove his point, the larger limb wrapped around your waist split, dropping down over your pelvis. It pressed down there, making you aware of how deep the scourge’s cock went with each thrust, the heaviness of it inside of you. Your hips twitched again, mindlessly lost in a second of sickening pleasure. You realized that he was right. At the very least, if this kept up, you were going to come again. Disassociating from the sensations wasn’t an option, you couldn’t mentally reject this.

Not finished proving his point, the tendril curled down, settling against your swollen clit. Each time you were dragged up and down, it rubbed those same circles against you that had been your undoing before.

And then it was all you could do to beg for forgiveness because you knew what was going to happen, you could feel your pussy tightening as your body tensed up in preparation to come again. The smooth flesh with its unnerving movement felt so good inside of you, rubbing your inner walls in a way that felt just as wonderful as the one against your clit. So deep. Pressing against the tendril settled against your pelvis, giving you the measure of how thoroughly you were being used. It should have been a terrible thought, but it wasn’t.

Ardyn moaned, and that was all it took to send you over the edge. Now that you knew what was happening, somewhat, the pleasure was even more intensive. Expansive. Bright and so, so good. Unbearably good, you luxuriated in the way its cock filled you up, the way it touched your clit, the odd texture. Even the tendril in your mouth, lazily spurting out globs of the inky liquid, was deliciously pleasurable.

It didn’t stop. You came down but the torment didn’t so much as pause, working you right back up.

“You like being used, don’t you? A rather detestable trait of the servile. What a pathetic little thing you are,” Ardyn said, his voice low and laden with lust. You groaned, your back arching as you came again, tightening and shuddering in the embrace of his shadows. He laughed. “I intended to save this surprise for another time, but it seems as if you’re ready now.”

One of the shadow tendrils had made its way behind you, leaving a slick black trail until it landed against your puckered back entrance. Your eyes snapped open, some sense of reason returning with a deluge of panicked disgust. Even lost in a wave of filthy pleasure, you were aware enough to know that sodomy was a step too far. Beyond too far. Dirty, filthy, crude—you tried to tell Ardyn that, biting at the shadow in your mouth, but it didn’t matter. Ardyn watched with a vague amount of amusement at your pointless squirming, his eyes dark.

“Oh no?” he asked, feigning cluelessness. “You’re not ready? It’s terribly hard to hear you, my dear.”

You wailed. It hurt to move, but you didn't care. There was no way he would go this far. It was disgusting, surely he wouldn't.

“Calm down, I understand,” Ardyn told you indulgently. “I really do. But don’t you think you’re being selfish? Everything I’ve given you, and you would deny me this? I thought better of you, I truly did.”

Ignoring him, you thrashed as hard as you could, taking advantage of the way some of the limbs had loosened. But then they tightened, painfully digging into your thighs and arms and torso. Rather than risk letting you escape, the second cockhead which had only been teasing the ring of muscle roughly pushed in.

“Serenity,” Ardyn said as you went completely still, whimpering like an injured animal. “Surely you can remember that. With me now—Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.”

You groaned, the sound stuttering as the shadowy tendril in your mouth steadily fucked your throat. And then you just wept because there was nothing you could do, nowhere for you to go. The starscourge cock in your ass was following the same patterns as the others, shuddering, producing more of that liquid to ease its way, and getting thicker. It wasn’t as rough as the one in your pussy, at least, but the distress and pain of something so unthinkably, unbearably wrong was worse than any pain.

The entire time, you were jerked around by the one thrusting into your cunt, given no peace by the little tendril against your swollen clit. The second scourge cock seemed content to simply settle shallowly in your ass, letting you deal with the agonizing burning stretch while being exploited pleasurably otherwise.

Pleasure. You cried louder as you realized what was happening, what you were being pushed into again. Another orgasm, even like this, even being used for one of the most sinful of acts. More and more of the liquid coated your throat. You were losing control, your body giving into the assault. To spare itself, maybe, but also because it felt good.

When you came, the cock in your ass pushed deeper. It had produced more than enough of the slick excretion to make it an easy slide, and even the stretch was less distracting when you were more focused on the way your pussy clamped down around its other cock, your clit pulsing against its smooth touch. At this point, your jaw just hung slack so your mouth could be used however it wanted, your throat sore but still managing to swallow. You were being used in every way you could be used. The weight of it all was sublimely terrible, excessive in the worst, most terrible of ways.

“And you seemed so sure you wouldn’t like it!” Ardyn exclaimed in a teasing tone. “You really should trust me, my dear. I know best when it comes to these things.”

You groaned weakly. Wanting to beg him to stop as you came down from that high because every single one of your muscles was trembling, worn out and miserable. For a moment, you thought that overstimulation had become numbness, but another thick glob of the inky liquid was shot down your throat and the fire rekindled somewhat. They weren’t finished yet. No, Ardyn wasn’t finished yet. You could hear the filthy sound of his hand working up and down his dick. He’d been taking this slow, savoring it.

The scourge cock in your ass had begun to thrust in time with the one in your pussy, spearing you in a jolting back and forth. Both were, for want of a better word, selfish. Likely in the same way Ardyn himself was. They were trying to fuck you hard and deep, to claim you fully regardless of the fact that you felt full to bursting, ready to split between them.

Your mind was far gone enough to relent to it all. The touch on your clit and pinching your nipples helped, even if overstimulation had driven the sensations beyond what could be considered pleasurable. The cock inside of your ass shuddered, releasing more of the sticky liquid to ease any uncomfortable friction. It didn’t hurt anymore. It felt good. You weren’t sure why, but it did. It made you come again, shuddering apart and crying around the tendril fucking your mouth. They didn’t stop, they didn’t even slow down. It just continued.

You had become entirely limp, unable to tell if you were coming again or if the pleasure was just too intense to rationally sort through. Ardyn was moaning, but his words fell on deaf ears. It was all you could do to keep from shattering. Each second you felt convinced you couldn’t handle another moment of the torment, and it still didn’t stop.

The tendril pulled out of your mouth and you wilted, weeping and whimpering and wrung out beyond rationality. “Please,” you begged, globs of blackened saliva dripping onto your chest. You couldn’t open your eyes, your breathing was wild. A high pitched keen left your mouth as you came again, squeezing both cocks as your body drew tight all over again. That sound collapsed into a sob, a moan. There was no difference. “No more, no—”

You didn’t get a warning before the mass of scourge tentacles disappeared in its entity. They didn’t pull out, they didn’t relax, they were simply gone. With a cry of shock and a grunt, you dropped painfully onto the ground, your body loose and heavy and empty. Small mercy that you had been tilted forward, falling onto your front rather than onto your injured wings. Agony radiated up your legs, shooting up from your knees. When you tried to get traction, you slipped. The floor was cold and covered in a mess of slick inky fluid.

Before you could make sense of any of it, your head spinning, you heard the squeal of chair legs on stone. And then, from far off, the clap of thunder. The paradoxically cheerful chiming of chain links. You were wrenched upward by the collar around your throat.

Lightning flashed, giving you a view of Ardyn above you. There was no pretend in his dark eyes now, only the inhuman cruelty he’d embraced. He was touching himself still, fast now. With intent. Each pump of his fist brought the flushed red tip of his cock close enough to your face that you could smell him. There was no place for you to escape, the grip he had on the chain connected to your collar was unyielding no matter how you tried to squirm away.

“Look at me,” Ardyn said. The sound of his voice made you flinch, whimpering. But you did, looking up at him with fresh tears in your eyes. “Oh, what a look that is…” He groaned, his words teetering on the rapturous cusp of release. “Open your mouth for me… Yes, and your tongue…” You felt nothing about your immediate obedience, only wanting it all to end. Ardyn groaned happily, tugging even more firmly on the chain. “Be a good girl and swallow.”

When the first spurt of cum hit your tongue, you weren’t expecting it. It made you flinch back again, kept in place by the collar. He pulled the chain even harder, painfully jerking you forward. Whimpering and squeezing your eyes shut, you managed to keep your mouth open and tongue out, holding still for each burst of salty, musky cum as Ardyn worked himself through his orgasm. It felt like it took hours. Hours of horrible discomfort and pain and cold. You had to swallow even with your mouth still open, forcing down globs of cum so you didn’t have to taste it, to get it over with as quickly as possible. Your jaw ached, your throat hurt.

“Go on, my dear,” Ardyn said when he was truly done. “Don’t waste a single drop.”

Wincing at the taste, you closed your mouth and laboriously choked the rest down. It was probably better than the scourge, but towards the end, you’d grown almost immune to the taste of that liquid. This was different. But you did it.

“So obedient,” Ardyn cooed, his voice disgustingly saccrahine. “Let me see now.”

You opened your eyes, unsure of what he meant and wanting nothing more than for this nightmare to be over.

“Your mouth,” he prompted, crouching down to get a better look at you. He smiled sweetly, innocently. “This is the last thing I’ll ask of you, I promise.”

Numbly, you opened your mouth for him once more. Ardyn inspected it with bright eyes, that smile fixed in place. You didn’t expect him to suddenly jerk the chain to pull you forward, or for him to spit into your mouth, but all you could manage as a reaction was a whimper, your face scrunching up in disgust as you unconsciously swallowed that too.

“Such a filthy little thing,” he said softly, smugly. “I promised you martyrdom, but I fear that you’re too depraved to claim such a title. You spare yourself pain now, but at the cost of your virtue. It really is too cruel, isn’t it? You poor, pathetic angel.”

Ardyn gave you a look of exaggerated pity, frowning in pretend sympathy of the way your face was crumpling into a fresh bout of tears. When you tried to pull away, he didn’t stop you, releasing the chain and standing up, fixing his clothes. You collapsed to the floor, curling in on yourself instinctively.

“I must go now,” Ardyn said, his footsteps loud as he left you. “Do be good while I’m gone, hm?”

At first, you didn’t think you had the strength to speak. You tried once, but couldn’t get the words out. But when you heard the sound of a door, you realized what was about to happen, and immediate fear became more important than anything else. “You’re leaving me here?” you asked again weakly, sniffing and wiping your face as best you could. Everything was damp and sticky, all you were really doing was smearing it around.

“Well you can’t expect me to take you out looking like that,” Ardyn responded, turning halfway toward you. His eyes scanned your form critically. As if he wasn’t the reason you were in such a sorry state. “Another time, perhaps. But don’t worry. The windows aren’t locked. If your faith is justified, you should be able to fly away whenever you want.”

Ardyn laughed at that as he left, the sound echoing against stone, knocking around the walls.

The door slammed.

You sobbed, and you prayed in hushed, broken whispers. The only answer you received was that echoing laugh, knocking around in your head.

#ardyn izunia #ardyn izunia x reader #ardyn x reader #ffxv #ffxv ardyn #ffxv ardyn x reader #final fantasy xv #my writing #tw.noncon #not sfw #haha this one is a bit dark #leedle bit

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itsgeecheebitch · 5 months

Text

Until Darkness Descends

Chapter: 42/?

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV

Rating: Explicit

Series: The Fall Part 1 of 4

Main Pair: Ardyn Izunia x Reader

Sec Pair: Gladiolus Amicitia x Reader

A few days passed when the team finally located the regalia. Turns out the empire had it all along just as Gladiolus had suspected. With the car back in your possession, and your plans for Cape Caem falling into place, you and the boys made your way to Lestallum. None of you had any intention of leaving Iris and the others in the city while you sailed east to Altissia.

Cid had informed you of a safe house he built near the lighthouse in Caem. Quiet, spacious, remote, a perfect hiding place from the empire. Iris, Talcott, and Jared would be safe there unlike in Lestallum. While Iris and the others were currently living amongst refugees from the capital, strength in numbers didn't mean much when they had a close connection to the five most wanted ‘fugitives’ Nilfheim was after.

Leaning your head back, the sun beamed down on your face, turning the inside of your eyelids red as you closed them. You hoped they would agree to go. While Cape Caem wasn't as exciting as a bustling city, it was safer and they would be surrounded by guards who would protect them. The deep rumbling of an engine disturbed your musings, alerting you to something huge flying overhead.

Opening your eyes, you saw a massive platform soar through the sky. The insignia for the empire stared back at you from the platform’s edge. A dizzying bout of unease rushed through your system. It was flying in the direction of the city. Lestallum had remained a free city state for so long, but something told you it would be the empire’s next destination…and soon. So soon it made the back of your neck prickle with raised hair. You needed to get the three of them out of the city before that could happen.

The sounds and smells of the city greeted the five of you as you arrived. The fetid stench of sulfur from the factories curled around your nose, nearly burying the savory scent from the food stalls that dotted the industrial landscape. Parking the car, you and the boys made your way to the Leville.

The sun was on your back, heating your skin till it glistened with sweat. Once you arrived at the hotel, you found Iris standing in the lobby alone. Her cheeks puffy and her eyes rimmed red. Dread froze your stomach solid. You knew something terrible had happened even before she said it.

“Oh Gladdy…”, she whimpered.

Muscles tensed, Noctis approached her. “What's wrong?”

“It's Jared…something happened!” Iris cried. Without another word, the boys escorted her to one of the rooms you had pre-booked, your gut in knots as she revealed everything that had happened. A few days ago Niflheim soldiers had stormed the Leville, looking for you and the boys after you had regained the regalia. Enraged that you weren’t there, they slaughtered Jared in your stead.

Ice spread over your chest like a tumor till all you could feel was guilt. You knew Jared for as long as you knew your boyfriend and his sister. Although he had alway maintained a certain level of decorum, as dictated by his profession, he was always warm. Kind. He didn't deserve to die when he did nothing wrong. A tear slid down your face before you realized it had fallen.

You wondered who it was that ordered the manhunt. Was it Ardyn? Was that why he allowed you and your friends to drive off with the regalia? A shudder rushed across your body. You knew they would retaliate for what you did to their base, but you didn’t think it would result in one of your own paying the price for it.

The door hinges keened as it was forced open. Your heart broke in two when you saw it was Talcott standing in the doorway. Rising from his chair, Noctis knelt in front of him, opening and closing his mouth while he tried to find the words to say. “It's not right, we should've been here.” He said.

“I…I couldn't stop them!” Talcott cried.

A part of you wanted to comfort the boy too. Pull him into your arms and promise that everything would be okay, but you knew it wouldn't be. At the end of the day he would still be left without his grandfather, the only family he had left. It was probably Ardyn's fault that he was orphaned a second time.

You missed the rest of the exchange and watched as the little boy walked away. The ghost of his tears haunted you and made your chest swell with unshed tears.

“I'm taking Talcott and we're going somewhere else.” Iris said, wiping her eyes with the backside of her hand. “Lestallum isn't safe anymore. We can't just stay here and wait for them to come back!”

Gladiolus knelt down beside her and placed his hand over hers. “We actually came here to make arrangements for you and Talcott to go to Caem. We'll make sure you guys get there safely so you don't have to worry.”

“Who's taking us?” She asked.

“Monica more than likely. she seemed on board when we last called.”

“Okay...are we leaving together?”

“Unfortunately, no.” You whipped your head around to Ignis who was leaning against the wall. A frown was on his face as he delivered his next words. “It'll take Monica a little over two days to reach here from where she is currently stationed. We cannot risk delaying our arrival.”

A shadow of disappointment darkened her crestfallen face. It didn't seem fair to leave Iris and Talcott all alone after what happened. They already spent so many days alone with their grief only to be told they had to do it a second time. But it couldn't be helped. Noctis needed to get to Altissia as soon as possible. During their encounter with Gentiana, the group found out Lunafreya planned to awaken the water goddess.

You guys had no way of knowing when she planned to do it, which was why you had to get there as soon as possible. But still, this situation didn't feel right.

Your boyfriend seemed to agree since he said, “don't worry I'm not going anywhere.” Then he turned to address the rest of you. “I'll hitch a ride with Monica and keep Iris company.”

“No, I'll stay back.” You said before you could stop yourself. “Noctis needs his shield, he can't risk losing you while the empire is on our trail. In fact, if any of us is going to stay back then Iris may as well ride with you guys. there'll be room in the back and I'll just hitch a ride with Monica and Talcott.”

Gladiolus stood up from his position on the floor and folded his arms over his chest. “Nah, it'll be too dangerous.”

“So is leaving her with Monica as her only defense.” You reasoned. “The empire knows our faces, they may even know that Iris is an Amicitia. if the empire wants to strike someone close to the crown, then they would do it whether or not she is with you. Iris would be more protected riding with the four of you than with Monica.”

The room fell silent with everyone contemplating your words. Ignis was the first to break the ice, rubbing his chin in that way of his that let you know he was thinking. “You make a rather compelling argument.”

“I say we take her with us, it might be fun.” Prompto said.

Noctis turned to you. “You sure you're okay with staying behind?”

“Yeah.” You replied. “It's the least I could do.” It took some convincing but Gladiolus agreed eventually. When that was settled, Iris went back to her room, leaving the boys to discuss their frustrations over Jared. Prompto proposed getting revenge on the empire and Noctis remembered the flying Niflheim base they rode passed on the way here.

It was a unanimous decision once the suggestion was made and the boys took off in search of the base, leaving you to watch over a heartbroken Iris and tearful Talcott. You tried to cheer them up as best as you could for the rest of the day, rented movies from the hotel’s cinema library, played cards, and strolled through the building.

But at night with the kids tucked in bed, it was you who was swamped with thoughts. The room was dark with only a thin stream of silver light to illuminate the four walls of the room. Noctis and the others weren't back yet and would more than likely not return till tomorrow. It was in that moment that your mind began to play, haunting you like a tune echoing through an abandoned opera house.

Memories you hadn't thought about in a while floated into your head like notes of sweet perfume, making your chest twinge with bittersweet nostalgia. You remembered the first time you met Jared. It was on a cool evening. The desert wind was cruel as it whipped your face and brushed the ring of inflamed flesh that was around your neck.

You were eleven at the time. Ardyn hadn't visited you in over three weeks and your parents were becoming crueler by the day. Thoughts of running away were what propelled your legs despite the burning in your chest. Pins and needles danced on your face, freezing the tears rushing down your cheeks. You turned a corner and bumped into something solid and warm before crashing onto the ground.

When you looked up you saw wisps of white hair and a face weathered by years of hard work. Panic bubbled in your throat at the first trace of recognition. You’ve seen this man a few times before. At a distance and occasionally accompanying the Amicitia family heir. He worked for them. If he worked for a powerful noble family then that meant he more than likely knew who you were.

The bubble in your throat popped, flooding your body with searing adrenaline. What if he asked where your parents were? What if he took you back? Your mind raced, competing with the thrashing of your beating heart. But instead of one of your nightmare scenarios coming to life he knelt down on the ground, dropping his bags of groceries as he did.

He asked if you were alright. When you didn’t answer you saw his eyes zero in on the angry welts wrapped around your neck. You slapped your hand over the marks and quickly healed then. Much to your surprise, he didn't ask about them and instead offered to buy you tea and a warm meal, which you accepted after a brief moment of hesitation. Since then, Jared had become something of a grandfather to you. He was aware of what most people pretended to not notice. He helped you befriend the Amicitia children so you could have a home away from home whenever you needed an escape.

You released the balloon building in your chest and sobbed into your pillow. He was a good man. He didn't deserve to die. Never again would you be able to see his warm smile, or taste his pancakes, or even talk to him. A sharp pain cleaved a chunk of your heart. You just keep losing the people you care about left and right. You lost your circus family and now you lost Jared…and it could've been Ardyn's fault.

The door groaned and you sat up. Wiping away your tears, you expected to see Talcott or Iris when the clawing scent of citrus hit your nose. Your eyes hardened at the towering shadow moving through the dark. A blade of silver light peeled the shadows from his face, revealing his brilliant amber eyes.

You turned away. “What do you want?”

“I came to check on you, my dear. I know my...affection must've troubled you.” Ardyn said. Warmth leeched down your legs at the memory his words had inspired.But you choked it down quickly before it could reveal itself on your face.

“That kiss is the farthest thing from my mind right now” You mumbled. Your glare cut through the darkness till you found his gaze. “Did you send them? The soldiers that came here, did you order them to kill someone close to the prince?”

The floorboards creaked the closer he came to your bed. “No, but I was aware of it nonetheless. It was Lieutenant Fleuret who orchestrated the ambush. I advised against it, but it seems he heeded none of it. I truly feel sorry for your loss, my dear.”

You felt your animosity, as fragile as it was, crumble to dust and float away on the wind. An all encompassing despair took its place, slamming into you like violent waves against a rocky cliff. The bed dipped. His hand wrapped around the back of your head and guided you down to his chest. Your fingers curled into his coat as you sobbed.

You breathed him in, soaking up that tropical scent that accompanied him wherever he went. It flooded your lungs, warming the melancholy that trapped your insides in a block of ice. Then you remembered yourself. “You need to go.” You pulled away but Ardyn refused to let you go. “You can’t be here.”

“I come as a friend and nothing more, you have my word.” It was a weak argument but it was enough to shatter the last of your defenses. You didn't fight him as he guided you back into his arms. You knew this was anything but platonic. There was love in the way he rubbed your back. His lips were a feather light touch on the top of your head. Now that his affections were made clear as day, you couldn't read his touch as anything else than what it truly was.

Instead of turning it away, you invited it with open arms. You cried into his chest, knowing it wasn't right to find comfort in the arms of another man. You just made a promise to yourself that you would be a better girlfriend for Gladiolus, all it took to discard that promise was one little visit from the man you never truly stopped wanting.

You were foul in every sense of the word but at this moment you didn't care. Gladiolus was miles away and left you to face your grief on your own. You weren't strong enough to stand under the full weight of it by yourself. Nor were you strong enough to withstand the full depth of your failure. Twice had you failed the people who needed you most. You weren't there when king Regis fell to his enemies and you weren't there when Jared met his demise.

Glittery green light swirled around your fingers like fireflies, as if reminding you of the power that coursed through your veins. You sighed and the light faded away from your hand. What was the point of having the ability to undo death if you couldn't use it to save the people you cared about?

Your face lit up with an idea. You looked up at Ardyn with a face damped with tears. “What did they do to his body? to Jared's?” You said. Hope rode hard on your lungs, making your breaths come out in thin gasps. Maybe there was a way to bring Jared back. Ardyn was a prominent politician in the empire, one with enough power to bring you Jared’s remains unquestioned.

Sympathy flitted across his face and your hopes died on a whimper. “There is nothing left to salvage of his remains, I'm afraid.” His arms tightened around you. “Even if I could scrap up what is left, it would not be enough to revive him, I'm sorry.”

Ardyn rocked you, silencing your anguish with gentle shushes and feather light caresses. He tucked you in once your tears finally stopped. Without a word, he rose from the bed and approached the door. Only stopping when you whimpered, “don't go…”

The shadows masked the way his shoulders tensed and he came back to the bed. Your side warmed as he laid down beside you and pulled you back into his arms.

It was about an hour or so ago when you fell asleep, but Ardyn remained. The moon shone brightly against your face, illuminating every lash that laid against your cheeks. His finger whispered across your jaw, so softly, barely touching, as though you were a freshly painted portrait he didn't want to disturb.

Almost two weeks had passed since he began to wonder who you really were. The more he looked at you, the more that crushing agony devoured his chest. He had longed for you for so long. Longed to touch you, to kiss you, to talk to you, now that he had you he was about to lose you all over again.

This time by his own hand. Over the past two weeks he agonized over his options, combing through every scenario in the hopes that one would leave you alive. He considered just killing Noctis. But just like you he was under the gods’ protection. He wouldn't die until he became the chosen king and fulfilled his role.

Ardyn considered stealing you away ahead of time. Hide you within the heart of the empire and kill Noctis when the time comes. But just as the prophecy dictated, if he allowed himself to be happy with you, to fully embrace his love for you, his powers would weaken and he would succumb to his brother’s descendent.

No matter the scenario the end result remained the same. Unless he was willing to forsake his revenge he had no choice but to hurt you. Ardyn held you tighter against him. There was another option he considered, but only briefly. He could spend his final days with you before offering himself up to the slaughter. It was the only option that would leave you happy and live, the only one where he would be able to enjoy his wife before losing you forever. But it was an option he could not take.

He had come too far to let it all go to waste now. No matter how much he cared about you it would never be enough to quench his need for revenge. If that was the path he chose then he did not deserve to be with you. He did not deserve to hold you in his arms and bask in the temporary peace it gave him. Peeling away from you, he rose from the bed and conjured a piece of paper from thin air.

Scribbling a quick note, he left his number at the bottom of the page and left the note for you on the nightstand. His heart was heavy as he reached for the door. He knew he shouldn’t have but he looked back at you one final time. You didn’t deserve what he was about to do to you. But Ardyn was no longer the selfless healer you fell in love with 2,000 years ago. He was a hardened monster that could only deliver pain and the only thing you would ever receive from him was pain. Opening the door, he walked away with his heart breaking off piece by piece.

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simple-simpin · 1 year

Text

a rude awakening

Ardyn Izunia x GN! Reader

Summary: You are an assassin sent to kill one 'Somnus Lucis Caelum'. Now if only you could tell the difference between east and west.

CW: Attempted murder

Words: 2.2k

Every night sky in the now fallen Solheim was filled with thousands of memorable constellations. Many of them were dedicated to the Astrals, such as the Hand of Titan, or Bahamut's Blade- both of which were visible tonight. It was getting rather cold this late in the year, further accentuated by the faint white clouds that escaped your mouth. From your pocket you pulled out a crinkled envelope that had already been opened hours before. The letter inside was neatly folded but you swiftly straightened it out.

"Target, Somnus Lucis Caelum. Residence..." You whispered silently to yourself, needing to double check every piece of information before doing the job. Further down the page you reviewed the information on your target's location. At this time of night, he was expected to be fast asleep in his bedroom, located within the east wing of the castle. According to hearsay, he was a very heavy sleeper so the job shouldn't be too hard.

"Not too hard." You recalled the words of your employer. You were breaking into a fortified castle housing the land's most prominent nobility, how on Eos was this supposed to go smoothly? Just then you recalled the reasoning behind this job, why you absolutely had to succeed. The Caelum brothers would one day rule this land, there was no doubt about that, but the previous idea of them doing so together was no longer a possibility. If only their parents could see the rift between them now. From what you’d heard, it was hard to believe that the two were even related.

If Somnus was allowed to live, countless hardships would transpire under his leadership. The people needed Ardyn as their ruler, lest more innocents be slaughtered in his younger brother's wake. That is why you lay in wait amongst the flowerbeds of their elaborate garden. You tried to keep a level head. "Just finish this quickly..." You spoke in your mind. You were rather out of your element with this job, having travelled very far from your home village, and yet you felt more annoyed than stressed. You would prefer to be laying in your own bed right now.

When the two guards by the garden left for a perimeter check, that was when you made your move. You ran quickly, but quietly along the soft grass and began climbing the west wing of the castle. Your agility was actually one of the reasons why you became an assassin, well, that combined with poverty and grey morality. Climbing up the old stone bricks wasn't an issue; as the aged cracks and intricate designs presented many places for you to latch onto.

Soon, you found yourself up by one of the smaller windows. With one hand gripping the bricks, you unsheathed the dagger from your belt and thrust it between the window frame. When you forced the handle down, a small crack could be heard from the lock snapping apart. Just like that, you found yourself stepping into a grand, pale hallway. It was so majestic for such a bleak part of the home. At the end of said hallway stood what must have been the door to your target's bedroom. The nameplate said only Lord Caelum.

Off in the distance, you could hear either guards or servants speaking in calm voices. No one had yet been alerted of your presence. A simple twist lock was now the only thing standing between you and your target, the type of lock that any idiot could learn how to trick open with enough time. You spent a minute messing around between the handle and doorframe before it clicked open. There would be no turning back now.

Click. You closed the door quietly behind you. Taking a deep breath, you felt nerves clawing up your chest. 'Here comes the hard part...' You thought, lifting your forehead from the wood and turning to face the dark room. You never did enjoy the aspect of killing in your line of work, which is why you only accepted the vilest of targets. A fact that you had to constantly remind yourself of. Aside from your practically silent movements throughout the room, the only sound to be heard was soft breathing from your target. The moonlight from outside cast a faint spotlight upon his sleeping form, allowing you a better look once you approached.

He looked... so peaceful as he dreamt. Occasionally, his eyelashes would twitch, or he'd take a deeper breath than the last as he explored the product of today's memories. The corners of his lips tugged just barely into a natural smile, surrounded by well-kept stubble. Long, dark, maroon hair lay splayed out messily against the pillow and his arms were crossed loosely across his diaphragm. His blanket seemed to have gotten twisted in the night as it barely covered half of his body. For an unidentifiable reason, part of you almost wanted to fix it for him.

You shook your head irritably. That is not what you were getting paid to do, you had a job to carry out. Shakily, you gripped the handle of your dagger once again, this time raising it almost above your head. Just one good stab and it will all be over... You'd already ended a handful of monsters in your life, this was no different. With a short inhale and a rush of adrenaline, you brought your hands crashing down toward his chest, blade aimed directly at his heart.

It didn't pierce. All of a sudden, you felt a strong grip around your wrist and you were pulled down onto a soft surface. It took a moment for your brain to catch up, a little dizzy from being tossed around so quickly. When you finally opened your eyes, you were staring up into light brown one's that twinkled in the moonlight. He looked down at you with weary amusement, clearly tired from being woken up before dawn. His hands did not falter as they kept yours firmly against the mattress.

"I will grant you a moment to explain yourself, but do not take me for a fool." He spoke, voice rough from waking up. His hair hung forward in locks, just barely tickling your now burning skin. Your mind went into overdrive, torn between coming up with a good excuse and trying to not look down at his practically bare body. "I-...I was-" You couldn't muster anything as your brain blanked. His head cocked a little to the side as he waited. Just then, his thigh felt the most curious crinkling of paper in your pocket.

He released your hands to open up the envelope. "Wait!" You tried to sit up, only to be sent back down against the pillow. Being straddled was not a scenario you had expected for this job. ‘Not too hard...’ The words of your employer rung once again. Damn him. You glanced around for your weapon and saw it discarded on the floor. "Ah..." Your target piped up. "Perhaps I should ask you to explain this instead?" He held the note up after he'd finished reading.

You went into salvation mode. "Please I- My family is poor. A stranger cornered me and- He threatened to hurt them, I-" Your voice died in your throat. The man on top of you glanced over the note one last time before folding it up. "You expect me to believe you made it up here with no prior experience?" He asked in an almost condescending tone.

You dropped the faux fear that once distorted your features. "Very well." You voice was now cold, monotone, and rather vexed from having your work interrupted. Quickly, you bolted up and grabbed the back of his hair in your fist. As you pulled him aside, you wrapped your now free leg around his waist, effectively reversing your roles. "I accepted this job for the money- and to rid this world of an especially cruel man. Two birds, one stone." Your hands rested firmly against his chest. He didn't fight back, at least, not yet.

Instead, he chuckled. "In that case, I'm afraid you're out of luck... Your letter states that you are looking for Somnus, and yet, you've stumbled into the wrong bedroom." He smirked, hands still resting calmly at by his sides. If it were not Somnus whom you'd just attempted to murder, then this must be... Realization swept over you like the waves of Leviathan. You had just tried to assassinate House Caelum's eldest brother, Ardyn... The one who was blessed by the Gods, revered by the people. Killing him would bring down a wrath most unimaginable.

How could you have been so irresponsible? Had he not woken up, your actions could've guaranteed a evil tyranny take place. Cursed be your employer for not including a physical description.

"You’re-… It seems I'll have to take my business elsewhere, apologies for disturbing your rest." You were just about to leave when his hands moved to your waist, pulling you back into place. The touch caused your breath to hitch in an unexpected, albeit pleasant way. "Oh? Am I supposed to let you sneak out of here and take my dear brother's life?" He asked, almost offended that you would disrespect his duties as an older brother. Somnus may have torn many families apart and stolen hundreds of lives, but Ardyn could never wish the same to befall his own flesh and blood.

You smirked as a glimmer of his protective nature shone through. "Am I to understand you wish to fight for him? It would be a shame to destroy this lovely room in such an unsavoury way. " You said slyly. Whilst the furniture didn't look particularly expensive, just about every visible item looked like it could hold sentimental value. "I have no desire to harm you, of that you are already aware. No, I wish to make you an offer." He spoke. There were only two reasons why anyone would typically strike a deal with you. Either they were trying to undervalue your work, or they were bargaining for their life. You preferred to stay away from them and protect your reputation, but no one is perfect.

"An offer?" You asked with intrigue. There were plenty of things that a man of nobility could tempt you with... so long as it wasn't a flimsy IOU. Those never paid off very well. "I can pay you triple that of your employer, if you will spare my barbaric brother's life tonight." Ardyn spoke calmly from under you. Currency was a wonderful thing, but loopholes were far greater.

"That is very generous my lord, but do tell me, what is to stop me from accepting your offer and doing the job regardless?" You test him, your hands sliding playfully up to his collarbone.

He hummed thoughtfully, eyes trailing down to your mischievous hands. "Because you will stay here tonight, under my supervision... and in exchange I will sweeten the deal for you." His lips drew up in a most suggestive way. It was only then that you noticed how firmly his hands still held onto your waist, or how the room temperature had risen from your close proximity... how your fingers had been absentmindedly tracing patterns along his skin.

Had you been getting seduced this entire time, or had you been unwittingly seducing him? It seemed this man wasn’t as pure as his people claimed. "How sweet are you offering?" Your tone changed with interest.

You were only human. Of course, you had fantasized about such a thing happening on the job before, but never expected it to be a reality. There was something special about Ardyn though. Perhaps it was his face, his voice, or even his aura that made you feel like you could trust him completely. Or maybe it was just the fact that he didn’t chastise you for your line of work, at any time he could’ve run for the guards and had you locked away like beast.

Ardyn sat up slowly, removing a hand from your side to reach toward your face. His fingers lightly caressed your jaw before cupping your already warm cheek. "Only as sweet as you'll allow." His voice was soft as he spoke, luring you further into his welcoming embrace. There was no ill-intent to be found in his words, only the promise of passion between two weary souls. Once more did you glance toward the knife in the middle of the floor.

“I can feel your heart. It yearns to beat in pleasure instead of anguish, to experience the warmth of another, as opposed to the cold sight of their death.” He whispered almost lovingly. In a way it was like he was asking you to change your course, and for the first time it felt possible.

No wonder he had such an effect on people. You returned the gesture and dragged a hand along his stubble. "It seems your true gift lies in reading people… yet your kindness makes you naïve. Do you truly believe seductive words can alter the course of one's life...?" You made the first move to close the gap, lips pressing against each other in a explorative way, eager to learn each other’s patterns.

Your fist found his hair for the second time tonight, though this time in a much gentler way as you bunched it up in your hand. His touches were far more careful than yours, not being one to push people's boundaries. Ardyn pulled your torso closer to his, your chests almost flush together, before slightly leaning back from the chaste kiss. You were practically chasing him for more.

"Let us find out."

Randomly went from plot to horny rip

Kept it light for my first one but plan to get spicier in the future 🌶

#final fantasy xv #final fantasy 15 #ffxv #ff15 #ardyn izunia #ardyn lucis caelum #ffxv ardyn #ff15 ardyn #ardyn x reader #ardyn izunia x reader #ardyn lucis caelum x reader #square enix #i promise ill write better

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scientiastudy · 2 years

Text

Lay All Your Love on Me (Chapter X)

Chapter I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII.

You make a deal with the Devil, but is it really all that bad?

Word count: 2.4k

Rating: T

Content: Fluff and angst, manipulation, brief mentions of death

Author's note: I'm gonna be honest a bit of this was entirely self-indulgent lol... Also warning for Verstael being a generally creepy weirdo but I feel like that comes with the territory of writing him so oh well.

You’re currently nestled comfortably on the couch inside the Chancellor’s quarters, a heavy blanket cocooned around your frame as steam rises from the mug of tea on the table next to you. The chill from Zegnautus Keep and the surrounding snowy hills is all-encompassing even in the luxury of the Chancellor’s extravagant quarters. A copy of The History of the Empire of Niflheim sits on your lap, procured from the Chancellor’s bookshelf to keep your boredom at bay. You’ve been alone for about three days now and despite yourself, you can’t help but find the loneliness and boredom almost unbearable.

The first day you’d been too afraid to do much of anything, scared that a step out of line would bring down the Chancellor’s wrath upon you again. You’d mostly spent the day in bed fading in and out of sleep, only getting up to use the bathroom and bathe yourself.

While such a simple thing in your old life, bathing yourself now felt like an almost insurmountable challenge. Your legs are weak from Six knows how long of not being used and your body is weak from malnutrition and lack of exercise. You spent at least 5 minutes in the shower internally debating if you trusted yourself enough to stand without falling before ultimately deciding to take a bath instead, sinking to the bottom of the tub before turning the water on.

Unlike the rest of Zegnautus Keep, the water was miraculously warm as it filled the tub. Ardyn had left you an assortment of soaps and lotions to use, all with different scents and ingredients that made your head spin at all the choices. Back in the barracks, it was the standard-issue bar soap or nothing. You must have spent at least an hour in the tub soaking in the warmth of the water and the different scents from the products that lined the tub. You’d ultimately decided on a set of sylleblossom scented products, their scent wafting in the air with the steam from the tub.

After you’d finished your bath, you returned to Ardyn’s bed sleepy and satisfied before drifting off again. You’d woken up the next morning with a growling stomach and pounding head, so you finally took the initiative to explore the kitchenette. The refrigerator was stocked with produce from all over Lucis and beyond while the cabinets were full of various snacks and seasonings that were equally exotic.

Overwhelmed with your options, you eventually chose a simple breakfast of toast and fruit. To stave off the cold you’d brewed a mug of tea, the blend unknown to you as it was an Imperial product. Despite this, you’d quickly become fond of it. The blend of herbs was bold enough to give it a wonderful taste and subtle enough to not be overwhelming. It became your staple throughout your time at the keep, a warm mug always in your hand.

After you’d familiarized yourself with the kitchen you had investigated the bookshelf next. It was nestled in a small nook of the room with two armchairs and a couch with a small coffee table in the middle. It mostly contained texts on the history of the Empire with a few myths about the early days of Lucis periodically appearing on the shelves. Nothing particularly struck your fancy, but seeing as the Chancellor hadn’t left you much in the way of entertainment you would take what you could get.

You ended up settling on one of the larger volumes in the case, a book with an extravagant gold-lined binding and hard red cover that read The History of the Empire of Niflheim. While you are very familiar with the history of the Empire and its activities, seeing what they taught their subjects did pique your interest a bit.

So that was how you’d spent your last two days, with your nose buried in the hefty tome and a mug of tea in your hands. It had actually been somewhat enjoyable, no pressure on you to do drills and no Prince to galavant after. It was… peaceful.

You’re almost done with the book now, only a few more chapters until you reach the end. You clutch your blanket closer as you scan the pages, the names of various military figures flying by as it goes into detail about the “treaty” between Accordo and the Empire.

You nearly jump out of your skin as a knock sounds at the door, and the Chancellor’s words of warning echo through your mind as your panicked stare fixes itself on the door. A million scenarios run through your mind at once: Is this a test? Is it just him on the other side of the door? Did he send someone to check on me? What if there’s some sort of emergency?

Your panicked reverie is cut short as a serpentine voice calls out from the other side of the door, dark mirth soaking its tone.

“My my my, Chancellor Izunia bringing his pet here to the site of my greatest success. You must be quite the specimen,” It says, and your panic grows even more as the door beeps before opening, revealing a sinister-looking older man in the doorway.

“General Verstael Besithia, sweetheart. Charmed.”

“You’re not supposed to be here,” You blurt before you can stop yourself. You instinctually pull the blanket around your shoulders tighter as you analyze the man in front of you. He doesn’t look particularly strong, his weathered features and sunken face betraying his poor condition. However, you know in your weakened state that even he may be a tough match.

“You wound me,” He sneers, confidently striding past the threshold of the room as his shrewd eyes roam your figure. “I simply want to see my friend’s new pet, is that such a crime?”

You bristle at his words, standing up from the couch as he slowly begins to circle you like a stalking saberclaw.

“I am not a pet,” You hiss back, your eyes narrowing at the man in front of you as anger begins to brew in your chest.

“Ah, the naivete of youth,” The general responds, his lips turning upwards in an unsettling smile. “I don’t blame him for choosing you, though. You certainly have various… charms… that are difficult to come by in a base such as this.”

Disgust creeps up your spine at his words, stoking the anger in your chest as you slowly begin to move away from his advancing figure. “You’re not supposed to be here,” You repeat, only to be met with a cackle from the man in front of you.

“‘Not supposed to be here?’ Sweetheart, this is my base,” He replies. “Everyone here is under my command, including you.”

You stiffen at his words, trying to shrink further into yourself as his lascivious gaze burns into you. He’s standing between you and the open door, his slow advance gradually pushing you further and further into the room. Your panic turns into white-hot fear as you realize that even if you do escape this man nobody will save you, and there’s no promise that he won’t choose to sic the MTs on you the second you try to escape.

“Verstael.”

Both you and the general freeze as Ardyn’s voice cuts through the air like a knife, his large figure looming in the doorway with a borderline murderous look on his face.

“Chancellor Izunia, I was unaware you’d return so soon.,” The general replies, stiffly turning to regard the other man as the Chancellor slowly strode into his room.

“Evidently you weren’t.” The Chancellor replies, his glare still fixed on the other man. Relief and fear fill you in equal parts as you watch the two men size each other up. On one hand, you’re grateful to Ardyn for saving you from whatever the general had planned, but on the other hand, you’re terrified he’ll think you disobeyed orders and punish you again. Just the thought of enduring more time without the use of your legs or being trapped in darkness is enough to make tears well in your eyes, your vision blurring as you will the tears away.

“I thought it would be a shame if I didn’t say hello to our guest, a gentleman needs to be a good host after all,” The general replies, though everyone in the room knows it’s a blatant lie. The Chancellor narrows his eyes again as he stalks toward general Vesthia, a flash of fear appearing in the other man’s eyes before dying down.

“It would be an even greater shame if I had to put an end to our little partnership due to your misbehavior,” The Chancellor shoots back, his eyes beginning to tinge with black. “Attempt to cross me again and I won’t hesitate to turn you into one of your own experiments, friend.”

Silence falls across the room as the two men stare at each other. It’s clear that the Chancellor’s threat is not an empty one, and the panic from Verstael is almost palpable as the general nods his assent, breezing out of the room as quickly as he came with his tail between his legs.

As the door closes behind him, silence reigns again as the Chancellor turns his blackened gaze to you. Fear shoots through you as he begins walking toward you, instinctually throwing your hands in front of your face as you hurriedly try to explain.

“I didn’t let him in I swear,” You blurt, expecting a blow for your perceived disobedience. “He just let himself in- I don’t know how- I-” Your words are cut short as instead of a hit, you’re instead wrapped in the Chancellor’s arms as he buries his face into the top of your head.

“I know you didn’t, darling,” He murmurs, and you melt into his embrace as relief floods you. “I should have known better than to leave you with Verstael. While a great mind, he is not a good man.”

You nod into his chest as the both of you stand there together, your hands and face pressed against his solid chest as he presses soft kisses into your hair. The steady thrum of his heartbeat underneath your fingertips calms you as you drink in his presence after so long alone.

After a few moments you tilt your head up to meet his gaze, and you’re pleasantly surprised to see his eyes are back to their golden state. Something shimmers under the amber surface, something that looks like longing or even love. Time seems to freeze as he brings one hand up from your waist to caress your cheek gently, his gentle gaze leaving you defenseless as you feel your walls come crashing down.

At the same time, he leans down, his lips meeting yours in a gentle kiss. He holds you like you’re porcelain as he kisses you, his reverent touches and the gentle movement of his lips rending you defenseless in his hold.

When he finally pulls away the gravity of the situation hits you like a truck, your rose-colored glasses shattering as reality sets in. This is the man that killed your friends, the man who had helped orchestrate the fall of Lucis. This is the man who took everything from you.

And here you are kissing him.

You begin to scramble away from him but he seems to read your mind, caging you against his chest with his arms as you try and fight your way out of his hold.

“Let me go!” You scream, tears running down your face as waves of shame crash over you.

“Now darling, you know I can’t do that,” The Chancellor says as he tightens his iron grip on you. You know it’s a losing battle, but something inside you demands that you fight, that you scratch and tear and scream until there’s nothing left even if it is useless.

“Let me fucking go!” You scream again, your hands futilely banging against his chest as your try and squirm away from him.

“And why should I do that?” The Chancellor smoothly replies, unruffled by your performance. “So you can run away again? So you can try and get back a life that doesn’t exist?”

His words sting, not only because they’re hurtful but because they’re true.

“You’re the one who took it from me!” You yell back, anger bursting from your chest as you continue your struggle.

“Come now, are you really that naive?” The Chancellor says, his tone gentle and soothing like he’s talking to a petulant child. “If not me it would have been the Empire. Contrary to what you believe, his Eminence makes his own choices free of my influence, and the invasion of Lucis was one of them. Do you truly think the Empire was going to let your King’s hubris go unpunished?”

You know he’s right. Lucis had been on the precipice of war with the Empire for decades. Regis’s use of the ring was a desperate last attempt at salvaging the kingdom, but realistically there was little that could be done against the overwhelming might of the Empire.

“And what do you think would have become of you?” The Chancellor continues. “You know what happens to those loyal to the Crown in times of war, especially those who swore their lives to defend it. Are you truly naive enough to think you and your little friends would have been spared?”

“Stop,” You beg, sobs taking over your body as all the fight drains from you at his words.

“I gave you a new chance at life, my dear. There’s no shame in enjoying it.”

Your legs wobble beneath you as you sob, and Ardyn gently scoops you off your feet before taking you both to the couch, perching you on his lap as he runs a hand through your hair.

“I don’t know what to do,” You mutter between sobs, hot tears rolling down your face as your mind reels.

“You don’t have to,” He coos gently, raising a hand to your face to dry your tears. “Just let me take care of you, sweet thing.”

There’s a small voice in the back of your head screaming that this is wrong, for you to run and never look back, but you push it to the back of your head and reluctantly nod. A grin plasters itself on the Chancellor’s face at your assent and he leans back in, pressing a chaste kiss to your lips.

If only you knew.

#ardyn izunia x reader #ardyn #ardyn izunia #ffxv x reader #ardyn x reader #ardyn lucis caelum #ffxv #ffxv fanfic

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ardynsflower · 2 years

Text

Ardyn with a stressed s/o.

Idk ik many people are stressed those times, so I wanted to help them a bit, I’m even myself stressed and oppressed. Feel free to ask. Btw sorry for the diff writing type, I’m on my iPad, my phone got broken lol.

Type: Fluff/Comfort.

TW: Mention of panic attack and insomnia, sobbing…and hum it’s all ig.

Nice day to you, just so you know you’re loved and important, for who you are and not for what you’re trying to be from other’s commentary. Love you all.

———

“Wow, that was such a stressful day”.

That’s what you said the first days. Now, you’re literally falling apart. You’re not even sleeping anymore, sometimes you even forget to drink and eat, and you cry more than ever. One day, you were trying to make your bed, and sobbed for an hour, you were drained. You fainted, and -fortunately- your dear lover caught you up when he entered the room. He took you to bed, absolutely worried about you. He thought you had a panic attack, but you seemed "good" on this point.

His dove suffered a lot. She did, and he knew it. But each time he tries to help you, you reject him and say, "I’m okay, just working, as always.." and oml…he would swear to the gods in silent. He do NOT wanted to lose you. But anyway…For now, you’re in a deep "sleep". Dark circles of your insomnia adorning your pretty eyes once illuminated with light. Why didn’t he reacted faster ? He should have. Sadly, he ain’t wanted to push you or make you mad, you would have cry if he did. He waited for 3 hours in your shared bed, giving you small kisses on the cheeks, and turning off the lights.

After finally 5 hours, you woke up, -woaw you slept a lot- and it felt a bit better to let your eyes opened. Not any headaches, or blurred vision. Yes, you felt definitely better, not that much, but you felt better. After a moment, you realized that something, or someone, was hugging you tightly. Oh, yes, Ardyn, your precious lover. Actually, he fell asleep against your chest, his eyes like honey when he looked at you and yet closed but still aware of the environment, to protect you as usual. You loved him so much. Giving him a soft kiss on his forehead, red hair tickling you, making you laugh slightly. Your voice made him wake up, taking you more close to him. "You’re awake, dove." his hoarse and tired voice makes you blush, yeah, you hit the jackpot. You gave him a "hmm" of acquiescence, kissing him. "Thank you mi amor, I don’t know what I would do without you, honestly." And surprisingly, he ain’t reacted with a humorous answer, but kissed you with such beautiful eyes, filled with affection and, just…Love. Yes, he loved you and was going to take more precautions for you health from now on. He may not be able to force you to stop, but he will help you get better.

———

#ffxv #ardyn izunia x reader #ardyn izunia #FFXV #final fantasy xv #final fantasy 15

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houdinicorbini · 8 months

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✧ Masterlist ✧

Identity V:

"Late night thoughts" Alva Lorenz x Anxious/paranoid! Reader

"Before party anxieties" Joseph x Anxious! Reader

Ada&Emil x Reader poly headcanons

Joseph Desaulnier relationship headcanons

Leo Beck/Hell Ember headcanons (request)

Protective! Naib x Reader (Request)

Aesop Carl x Reader Birthday headcanons

Victor Grantz Headcanons

Aesop Carl headcanons

"Comforting Silence" Aesop Carl x Reader

The Arcana: MC bringing breakfast to the main 6 in bed

Asra x Sick! Reader

Julian relationship/fluff headcanons

Muriel relationshio/fluff headcanons

"Don't go" Muriel x Reader

Final fantasy XV:

Ardyn date headcanons

Ardyn/Ravus/Gladio x Clingy! Reader headcanons (request)

"Five more minutes" Sleepy! Ardyn x Reader (Request)

"Late night drive" Ardyn

(Another one I can't think of a title for) Ardyn x Autistic! Reader (Request)

"A pleasant surprise" Ardyn x Reader (Request)

Pursuing Ardyn headcanons (Request)

Calming Ardyn down headcanons

(Still can't think of a title for this one) Ardyn x Reader who faints a lot (Request)

"In silence" Ardyn x Phonophobic! Reader

"Hidden Jealousy" Ardyn x Insecure! Reader (Request)

Ardyn x Reader Birthday headcanons+scenario

"Childhood crush" Ravus x Reader (Request)

"A new life" Ardyn x Pregnant! Reader (Request) Ardyn x Kind! Reader headcanons (Request)

"Only a nightmare" Ardyn x Reader (Request)

Overprotective! Ardyn x Reader headcanons/scenario (Request)

Ardyn x Sick! Reader headcanons (Request)

"An unexpected raincheck" Ardyn x Reader

"Falling asleep at the desk" Ardyn x Reader

Ardyn general headcanons

Ardyn relationship headcanons

FNAF Security Breach: "A fixer upper" Monty x Female! Nightguard! Reader (Request)

Sun&Moon relationship headcanons

Chica relationship headcanons

Some of my au headcanons for Monty

Monty Gator x Reader headcanons

NiGHTs into dreams/Balan Wonderworld: (Can't think of title) Dragon! Lance x Royalty! Reader

Lance relationship headcanons

Reala (Romance?) headcanons

NiGHTs headcanons (Request)

Pre rebellion NiGHTs headcanons (Request)

Other:

Madhouse Mike relationship headcanons

Goliath x Female! Human! Reader family headcanons

Nuclear throne Chicken headcanons

Portgas D Ace x BPD! Reader

"Nothing special" Guzma x Reader (Request)

Guzma relationship headcanons

"Movie date" Douxie x Reader

Douxie relationship headcanons

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hauntedadagium · 1 month

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I know my nsfw stuff gets reads but I'd like to do some more sfw Ardyn/reader content. Have a few old prompts in my inbox but I want something dark/serious.

#ardyn izunia #ardyn lucis caelum #ardyn x reader #ffxv

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mrswint3rs · 2 months

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𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐗𝐕 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ꨄ

𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚 ❥

✫彡 Camping // 𝟏𝟖+ (x fem!)

- Synopsis - You're unable to sleep in your damaged tent and have to share with Iggy for the night.

✫彡 Ebony run // 𝟏𝟖+ drabble (x fem!)

- Synopsis- Ignis takes you on a morning drive for some alone time.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐦 ❥

✫彡 A Helping Hand // 𝟏𝟖+ (x fem!)

- Synopsis- Your roommate has grown quite fond of you. If only you noticed before walking in on him, you would’ve been there to take care of his needs a long time ago.

✫彡 More Than He Bargained For // 𝟏𝟖+ (x fem!)

- Synopsis- uhh phone sex

𝐍𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐮𝐦 ❥

coming soon!!

𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚 ❥

coming soon!!

𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐭 ❥

coming soon!!

𝐀𝐫𝐝𝐲𝐧 𝐈𝐳𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐚 ❥

coming soon!!

#sorry that scene is just so pretty i had to use that pic #final fantasy x reader #final fantasy 15 #final fantasy smut #final fantasy ignis #final fantasy xv #final fantasy masterlist #noctis lucis caelum #ffxv x reader #ffxv #ffxv ignis #ffxv prompto #ffxv noctis #ffxv gladiolus #ravus nox fleuret #ardyn izunia #gladiolus amicitia #divider by cafekitsune

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krisssssssy · 3 months

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Whew. This chapter took a lot out of me. I really don't know if this is any good as a story, but there's smut in this chapter, so enjoy lol.

#ardyn x reader #ardyn izunia fanfic #ardyn izunia x reader #ardyn lucis caelum #ardyn izunia #ffxv fanfic #ff15 ardyn #ffxv ardyn #fan fic writing #ao3 link #ao3 writer

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carissimipaixao · 10 months

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thinking of doing a "giveaway" or celebration thing for when we get to this blog's birthday. i don't know when i created this for sure, but i'll make september 8th its birthday 🥺🫶

maybe there could be three main prizes with different word count ranges? you'd have to follow me, like and reblog the post, of course, in order to sign up for the giveaway.

how does this sound?

#mary speaks #sept 8th was when i first met the love of my life amara 🥰😭#that was all the way back in 2016 #then i began writing in shay-makes-my-luck #and then dearpaixao #this blog was also created somewhere around september or early october #so i might give it me and amara's friendship anniversary #jigen daisuke x reader #jigen x reader #shay x reader #shay cormac x reader #fanfic #lupin the third #assassin's creed #uncharted #ardyn izunia x reader

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seradyn · 7 months

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A Dream Come True (Chp. 12)

Chapter 12/35: A King's Garden

Another date with Ardyn; this time he has chosen to show you around the Emperor's gardens.

Link to work masterlist

Word count: 11,588

TW: None

Tags: @savage-rhi @blossom-adventures @ticklemycucumber

Lmk if you'd like to be tagged in updates

------------------------------------------------------

>> What do you mean you won’t be able to play games with me today >:((((((

>> Satus, I do have a life, you know.

>> Life shmife! You always play games with me on Saturday!

You sighed down at the little device, your breath coming out as a wispy cloud under winter’s crisp sun. You were standing outside your apartment, waiting for Ardyn’s attendant to come pick you up, the glow of your phone illuminating your face. A restless crowd shuffled around you, the city alight with the excitement of a freedom the weekend promised.

Your own excitement swirled within you like a happy cloud when you awoke that morning, but it came to a screeching halt, when you remembered your little tradition with your friend. Satus had been the one to suggest it back in college; to de-stress from homework and the like, and neither of you saw a reason to stop when you’d graduated. It was part of your little slice of normal. You always looked forward to it.

You felt guilty for having to cancel with such short notice, but, in all fairness, Ardyn hadn’t given you much notice himself. He’d asked you out again barely twelve hours ahead of time. And on your happiness high, you’d agreed to it without remembering your obligation to your friend. You didn’t mean to leave him hanging like that, it just sort of happened.

>> You know how computers work. Just play something else!

>> Instructions unclear. I keep texting you.

>> Put down the phone then, ya goofy goober.

>> Well, see now, my friend isn’t online yet.

>> Goddamn it Satus! I have to go soon!

>> Alright alright. Do I at least get to know what you’re doing?

>> I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.

>> >:(((((((((((((((((((((((((((

You shook your head at his antics, yet you laughed lightly at them too. He always loved to kid around, and being overly dramatic in situations like this was one of his favorite bits. He was probably already over it, giggling to himself about giving you a hard time. You’d have to remind yourself to reschedule your gaming session, as thanks for being a good sport.

The time was nearing 11:55, so you shoved your phone back in your pocket, bouncing on your heels as you waited to be picked up. Unfortunately, Ardyn hadn’t told you what kind of car they were going to drive, so you were left guessing with every vehicle that parked nearby. Your eyes tracked each one like a trained hawk, only to be disappointed when some unimportant businessman or woman got out.

A bell tolled off in the distance, signaling the turn of the hour. Its last chimes were still reverberating through the streets when a sleek, black car pulled up to your apartment building. You watched as a man in a pressed suit stepped out of it, the imperial emblem embroidered on his breast, and your heart skipped a hopeful beat. A bushy mustache of coppery brown hairs sat under his pointed nose, eyes a porcelain pool of rich chocolate as he scanned the bustling streets.

You raised a brow at him, your gazes meeting through the throng of bodies. He looked you up and down once, then nodded gently. Your cue to approach, and you followed it, though you maintained an air of caution.

“Miss,” the man said your name clearly as you came before him, his voice authorative and confident.

“That’s me,” you said, clutching the straps of your purse tightly for comfort.

The man placed his hand over his heart, bowing deeply to you. “The chancellor is expecting you. His Excellency has instructed me to escort you to his location.”

“T-thank you,” you said awkwardly, a bit flustered by the formality of his address. He didn’t seem to mind though, and quickly straightened, opening the car door for you. You thanked him again as you tucked yourself into the leather seat, the door slamming closed after you. You’d been put in the back, behind the front passenger seat, allowing you a clear view out the windshield. The inside smelled of cleaning supplies, and you wrinkled your nose. Ardyn’s car smelled much better.

The driver didn’t say anything as he got in, the vehicle coming to life with a gentle purr. Thankfully, as soon as he’d gotten onto the road, he turned on the radio, saving you from uncomfortable silence as you stared out the window.

…Investigators are still hesitant to rule out foul play in the disappearance of a small family, discovered earlier this morning…

Gralea, while still impressive in the light of day, was a city whose true beauty shined at night. Your date on the town had proven such. The neon lights and the glowing signs flickered under the overwhelming brightness of the sun, unable to compete with the rays that broke through the clouds.

…Witnesses say a strange man was seen visiting the victims just before they were discovered, yet the scene inside would suggest a daemon attack…

The radio crackled as the reporter babbled on, your eyes glued to the outside and your driver remaining silent. At intersections, you could gaze down the corridor of endless skyscrapers, which stretched for many blocks before another wall of glass and concrete blocked your view. Between the buildings, you were able to glimpse where the sky was dominated by an enormous cover of steel and blinking lights. Zegnautus Keep. That was where Satus worked.

And Ardyn, you realized with a squint.

…The frequency and intensity of daemon attacks has grown over the last few weeks. We caution listeners to stay inside and lock their doors at night in these uncertain times…

The driver turned away from the Keep, and it disappeared behind you in a sea of spires. It took you a long time to finally glimpse the marbled walls of the imperial palace, separating the emperor from the rest of the city. It was in a secluded district, across town from where you resided. The buildings gradually thinned, until the car rolled to a stop in front of wide, ornate gates. Seemingly on their own, their hinges shrilling, they creaked open and you entered the palace grounds.

Said building was massive, sprawling with ivory tendrils that stretched to the very edges of its protective wall, like creeping vines of ivy. Unlike the castles you’d seen in storybooks, this one was flater, sturdier, looking more like a fortress than an emperor’s dwelling. What few towers stretched into the grey sky were topped in gold, ornamental buttresses supporting their clawing reach. You could faintly see the main doors, which were dark and inlaid with more gold, a wide set of stairs leading down to the road before it.

In front of the palace, the road stretched out into an O shape, almost like the emperor wanted his guests to admire the palace before he met with them. Patches of green were dotted all around the grounds, grass enclosed by pruned shrubs and sliced by walking paths. In the center of this circular road was a neatly trimmed lawn, which framed a massive statue of the Hexathon. It caught your attention, and you found yourself studying it as the palace loomed closer.

Titan sat at the bottom, heaving a crude chunk of earth over his head. Ramuh, Shiva, and Ifrit were above him, the deities of ice and fire swirling around the middle of the statue in a silent ballet. Ramuh stood between them, his staff thrust importantly into Titan’s stone. Leviathan snaked her serpentine body around all of them, her waves lapping at their heels and her reptilian maw open in a mute roar. Above all the gods, looking down on them as if in subjugation, was Bahamut, his bladed wings spread proudly, his armored talons clutching a detailed sword.

You squinted at him as you began to round the bend. Something about the Draconian…was making you feel strange. A worm of unease wiggled restlessly in your gut as you stared at the god’s soulless eyes. You’d never had much of an opinion on any of the gods, but now, something about them just seemed…off.

It wasn’t as bad as Ifrit’s affect on you, though. His marbled eyes locked forward, his face absent of expression. But you could see it; the anger that burned in his irises, how his nose wrinkled with his hatred for man. You could remember it so clearly, the dream like a thorn in your side, reminding you what it felt like to be on the receiving end of his flames.You blanched, your arm tingling with phantom pain, and you rubbed it instinctively, trying to make the sensation go away.

Stop being weird. Stop letting those stupid dreams get to you.

You let out a slow breath, forcing your gaze away from the statue, and the images out of your head.

That was just as well, as the car began to slow, the stairs leading up to the palace reaching down to you. Now that you were closer, you noticed two soldiers standing on either side of it, their weapons held smartly and heads held high. You stared at them, feeling they seemed odd somehow, but quickly averted your gaze. You didn’t want to be rude.

As soon as the car’s engine died, the attendant nearly leapt out of the vehicle to open your door for you. You smiled at him, and thanked him again as he helped you out. He only nodded in response, gesturing up at the palace doors.

“Please, follow me,” he said, striding ahead of you and starting up the stairs. You didn’t hesitate to obey; you didn’t want to know what those soldiers would do if they found you without a chaperone. Something about them irked you.

When you could see them clearly, you understood why; they were no simple foot soldiers, they were Magitek Troopers. You’d never seen any up close, but you immediately felt off put by them. Apathetic expressions set in steel, unblinking red eyes peering through slits in their visors. You had to wonder why they were given human faces; to unsettle the enemy, or to keep the regular infantry in line?

Either way, they gave you the creeps. You walked closer to the attendant, eyes trained on the soldiers warily. They gave no regard to you or your escort, staying stiffly in place as you walked between them. The attendant seemed unperturbed, giving them as much acknowledgement as they offered, wordlessly pulling one of the ornate doors open for you. You quickly darted inside, breathing a sigh of relief when you could no longer see their blank stares.

While he was busy closing the undoubtedly heavy slab of stone, your eyes widened, taking in the grand foyer. You’d expected the palace to be extravagant, but this almost felt excessive. The ceilings were so high, you had to crane your neck to spot the bejeweled chandeliers hanging from it, intricate designs carved into every inch of the architecture. The palace looked entirely made from white marble, your footfalls echoing hollowly on the polished tiles. The walls were trimmed in gold, and useless artifacts dotted the corners; statues and vases set in all manner of gems. Twin hallways stretched deeper into the palace on either side, undoubtedly filled to the brim with more priceless nick knacks. Your parent’s estate was a slum in comparison.

“Please, right this way.” The attendant strode past you, veering off to the left with the assumption you would follow. And you would be a fool not to, the echoing clop of your footsteps on the tile fading from the lobby as you journeyed deeper into the winding maze. Twists and turns too many to count, past countless sealed doors with more Magitek guards standing watch, your walk was a silent one. You were too busy eyeing the soldiers for conversation, like they may suddenly come to life at the scent of an outsider amongst them. Of course, no such things came to pass, and the halls remained deserted of any other human presence but that of you both. It was…eerie. Almost lifeless. The ridiculous opulence displayed in how much gold was slapped into everything only added to its oppressiveness.

Eventually, after you were sure there was no chance of you remembering the way back, the hallway came to an end, a set of polished wood doors on the farthest wall, flanked by, what else, two more Magitek Troopers. You tensed at seeing them, staying close to the attendant as he walked up to them, turning to you with purpose.

“The Chancellor shall be waiting for you through these doors,” he said, gesturing at them. “You need not worry, the soldiers stationed here have been instructed to treat you with the utmost respect. Though I caution you not to go exploring without his Excellency; they may mistake you for an intruder.”

“Oh, thank you,” you said, looking at them up and down at his obvious warning. They gave no reaction to either of you, set like statues with lights for eyes.

The attendant bowed to you in parting, and you gave him a grateful nod. When he hesitated to take his leave, it dawned on you that perhaps you should tip him. You didn’t mind the prospect; he’d been nothing but kind to you thus far, and you didn’t want to come off as rude. Slinging your purse in front of you, you began digging through it, searching for a bill or coin you could offer him. Because of this, you failed to notice the confusion that donned his face.

“Ma’am, is everything alright?” He asked cautiously, the tonelessness of his voice fading for a moment in puzzlement.

You huffed down at yourself in response, your search coming up fruitless. “I’m sorry,” you said, keeping your gaze down to hide a wave of shame that lapped at your mood. “I don’t have any cash on me.”

The attendant looked you up and down, before giving you a wide smile.

“I assure you, that won’t be necessary,” he said with obvious amusement. “The Chancellor ensures I am well compensated.”

You gave him a pointed, unbelieving look. “Really?” You questioned. Ardyn didn’t strike you as someone who cared much for making sure servants were well paid. He hadn’t even bothered to tip your server from the night before.

With an affirming nod that assuaged your worries, you smiled back at him. “Good,” you stated firmly. “I won’t stand for anything less.”

The man chuckled lightly. “I can see why the chancellor is fond of you.”

Your cheeks flamed at that, and you turned away from him. “T-thanks,” You stuttered, unsure what else you could say. The man gave you a final approving look before he departed, disappearing around the corner on light feet. It wasn’t long until his footsteps had faded completely, and you smiled in his direction before turning back to the doors.

Wearily, eyeing the troopers, you reached out and swung the door outward on silent hinges. Rays of light struck your face, forcing your eyes closed as you stepped through the threshold. You jumped when you heard the door close behind you, but then you relaxed. At least you were separated from the MTs now.

Shielding your face with your hand, your eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness of the outside, a warm breeze combing through your hair. Even overcast, there was so much more light out here than there was inside the palace. When it didn’t hurt so much to open your eyes, you took in the scene before you, and a breath caught in your throat.

It was green. So wonderfully, organically green. The white tiles gave way to a neat path of cobblestones, weaving in and out of a lush field of grass, whose neatly trimmed blades were left just tall enough to tickle your ankles.

And there were flowers. Rows upon rows of flowers, organized by species and all in full bloom. In winter, no less. Orchids, tulips, roses, sylleblossoms, in more colors than there were in a rainbow. There were hundreds - no, thousands, it must have been. Some with blossoms that hung like bells, and others whose petals were spread wide, reaching upward towards an absent sun. Butterflies and bees obliged their welcoming blooms, gorging themselves on their nectar.

Trees, too, there were trees. Cherry blossoms and hanging willows, their thin branches gently swaying in the breeze. The wind caught on their leaves, singing a soothing lullaby to the birds that wistfully sung back. The stone pathways stretched deeper into the garden, twisting out of sight beneath archways of woven rose bushes. You could hear the faint gurgling of a fountain, hidden behind a wall of vines and brush.

It was like falling into a storybook; too perfect to be real.

And yet it was. You stood there for a long time, just admiring it. Gralea had become so industrial, barely any fauna had survived within its walls. They’d been slashed and burned to make way for imperial bases, for palaces, for office buildings that no one liked. It was so primally joyous to be surrounded by life, in every sense of the word. Like you could feel Eos sigh as her children flourished on her soil.

You were transfixed by the feeling, breathing deeply to catch that organic scent on your nose. So much so, that you jumped slightly when you felt a sudden weight upon your head, a black rim on the outskirts of your vision. Reaching a tentative hand up, you traced the outline of a hat.

“Now I dare say that looks much better on you than it does me,” a silky voice teased from behind you, announcing his presence before he stepped into view. Turning, you saw Ardyn was smirking as he eyed you up and down, but that was nothing new. It was when you noticed him without his beloved headwear that you realized he’d placed it upon your head instead.

Carefully, you traced the rim with a finger, noting the craftsmanship of the little thing. It was definitely designer, yet it looked so silly, combined with the rest of Ardyn’s ensemble. The thought had you smiling softly to yourself.

“Guess you’ve got good taste,” you said, your smile widening into a grin as you glanced at him. He’d walked a few paces ahead, but now he stopped to turn back to you.

“Ah ah ah!” Ardyn wagged a finger at you. “Flattery will get you nowhere. Now, come along. I’ve had a small luncheon prepared for us, and it would be a shame to let it spoil.”

You flashed him a bright smile. “Sounds wonderful,” you chirped, taking your place next to him as he began to lead you through the maze of flowers. Bright purples and deep blues, peach pinks and blushing reds, you reached out your hand to let your fingers glide gently across their petals. Their touch was like feathers, their aroma like the finest perfumes.

It was enchanting, especially for a city kid like you. You darted from bush to bush, inhaling their dreamy scent before trotting after Ardyn, who ventured off ahead of you. When you stopped for what must have been the tenth time, a merry chuckle chimed in your ears, and you turned, finding Ardyn’s golden eyes on you. His smirk had been twisted with an amused fondness, watching how you enjoyed the flowers with a near childlike innocence. You beamed brightly at him, a wordless thanks for bringing you there. It was gorgeous, and your heart soared with how perfect everything was.

And secluded, you thought, hiding a smirk by sticking your nose into more flowers. No one here to ogle at you this time, thank the gods. Perhaps Ardyn had been paying attention.

As you went to smell more of the flowers, a branch caught your head on something, startling you a little. Right - you were still wearing Ardyn’s hat. Glancing at him, he’d walked a few steps ahead of you again, unaware that you’d fallen behind. A playful smirk pulled at your lips, watching him blissfully saunter on without a care in the world.

Perhaps you should repay him for how he greeted you at the entrance…

You waited until he got a little further away, close to the end of long flowerbeds you walked between. As soon as he did, you quickly darted forward, almost jumping to swiftly place his hat back on his own head. You giggled when it fell over his eyes, his steps faltering in bewilderment as you scurried away, innocently burying yourself in the beautiful flora while he fumbled with the offending accessory. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him lift it, revealing his own signature smirk that was equal parts amused and conniving.

Oh, he was so going to get you back for that.

“Best be careful,” Ardyn warned as he walked up to you, admiring the flowers you were using to hide your face. “One might say I’m a reigning champion at such games.”

You inhaled deeply, closing your eyes briefly to enjoy the sweetness of the flowers.

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you said, making a show of ignoring him, cupping another flower and bringing it closer, its amber petals almost seeming to glow in the afternoon rays that broke through the cloud cover.

Ardyn let out a laugh, making you smile widely to yourself. Even if you lost whatever game this was, hearing him laugh was prize enough for you.

“Oh, I knew there was a reason I took a liking to you!” He said delightfully. Warmth coated your neck at his remark, and a lock of hair found itself between your fingers.

Gods, him and his assistant?

“Come along now, darling,” Ardyn said, waiting to continue until you joined him. “We’re almost there.”

You shook yourself mentally, willing your blush to subside so you could smile at him. “Coming!”

The path from there diverged in several directions, and once you were at Arryn’s side, he led you deeper into the garden, the shrubs growing larger here. These bushes boasted thick branches and fat leaves, obscuring the rest of the garden with their grasping tendrils. The flowers before had been tall, to be sure, but now they stretched into the sky, as if they desired to be free of the soil that nourished them. It almost felt like those corn mazes you’d heard Satus mention sometimes, but you had no doubt this was infinitely more luxurious than stocks of corn. The flowers popped even more brightly against the darker background, drawing your eyes every which way as you tried to take all of them in.

“Here we are,” Ardyn breathed, coming to a stop at the end of the path. You halted at his side, looking up from the hydrangeas to see where he’d taken you.

Your eyes went wide, a tiny gasp escaping through your half parted lips.

The rows of flower beds gave way to a small clearing, in the center of which stood a proud cherry tree in full blossom. Bright pink tufts of petals coated its elegant branches, which would’ve provided ample shade, if the sun had been out. The ground was covered in the soft down of its buds, like a blanket of strawberry snow. Directly beneath the tree, a towel had been laid out, decorated with the twin dragons of the imperial emblem, who twined themselves down its middle. Atop the fabric was a large circular dish, filled to bursting with all manner of fruits and sweet berries, whose bright colors betrayed a taste of the tropics. To your right, another path spilled into an ornate gazebo, fit with blooming vines that hung down off its domed roof. Butterflies and bees hopped merrily from flower to flower, while birds playfully swooped between the branches, each frolicking in their own little slice of paradise.

“Ardyn…this is beautiful,” you said with unconcealed awe. The fairytale comparison felt even more fitting now, every detail lovingly crafted, like a painter over their latest work.

Ardyn hummed a soft laugh. “I’m pleased it’s to your liking,” he purred, again enjoying how impressed you were. He quite liked that look of amazement you wore.

“I mean…how can this place even exist?” You said, looking around at the peonies that framed the clearing like a halo. “It’s the beginning of winter.”

Ardyn hummed again, as if pondering your question, before wordlessly pointing upward. You followed the gesture, staring up at the gloomy sky with confusion. You squinted, unsure what you were looking for, before your eyes finally caught on what appeared to be a dark line cutting through the sky.

“A greenhouse,” Ardyn answered your unspoken question. “His Radiance had it installed many years ago. Said the palace had grown ‘stuffy’.”

The thought of the emperor having distaste for his own palace made you chortle quietly to yourself, your gaze fixed on the outline of the glass panels in the sky. “Can’t say I disagree with him.”

“I’ll be sure to inform him of your disapproval,” Ardyn teased. “Now, come. Let us enjoy the bounty I’ve had prepared.”

His boots crunched on the crisp lawn, the cobblestones fading to pebbles at the end of the path. The damp soil squished beneath your feet as you stepped to follow him, your restless eyes trying in vain to take in all the scenery. It wasn’t long before you reached the tarp, though you hesitated before it, unsure if you should take your shoes off to keep from tracking mud over it. Although, a glance at Ardyn told you he hadn’t deigned to do so, so you figured it was alright. He was already settling at the base of the tree, his back supported by its wide trunk and his legs stretched out in front of him. You seated yourself on his right, staying close but giving enough space so you wouldn’t touch each other accidentally. The fabric was unbelievably soft, yet kept the prick of the grass blades from stabbing you. Petals rained down gently from the tree above, but they were easy enough to brush aside.

“Please, help yourself,” Ardyn said, pulling the platter of fruit between the two of you. Upon further inspection, it contained more than just fruit, though. Squares of a pale cheese were stacked neatly on one side, with plain crackers butting up against them. Thin slices of a freckled meat were farthest from you, folded neatly over each other.

Ardyn gravitated towards the latter, taking a slice between his fingers and popping it into his mouth. You watched him chew for a moment before eyeing the cheese, hesitantly taking a square. You were a picky eater after all, and again, you worried over liking anything. Although, you spied ulwaat berries amongst the pile of fruit, one of your favorites, so at least you wouldn’t go hungry.

Cautiously, you nibbled off a corner, letting its taste flood your mouth. It was creamy with a light saltiness, becoming smoother as it melted in your mouth, and you let out a contented hum, eating the rest of the square in one bite. The pile of snacks dwindled as you both munched happily, a quiet calm spreading between you.

“I don’t believe we finished getting to know each other,” Ardyn said after he finished, his golden eyes falling to you. You met them with a nod, reaching for some of the blueberries you saw. Their vibrant sweetness exploded on your tongue as you bit through their supple skin.

“Tell me, have you gotten the chance to travel much?”

You shook your head as you gulped down your snack, looking back out at the bordering flower beds. “My parents never cared much to take me when they went on trips. And after I was kicked out, I never had the money.”

Ardyn let out a soft sigh, his gaze fixing ahead of himself. “A shame, really. Though, I suppose that means I’ll just have to show you around.”

You paused, glancing at him quizzically. “Like…show me around the world?”

“Where else?” Ardyn smirked at you, raising a brow challengingly. Your heart skipped a beat, and you looked away, unwilling to hold his gaze as a wave of heat washed down your shoulders.

He wants to take me around the world? The thought was sweet, yet it almost felt too good to be true. Why would he want to spoil you so much?

“Fear not,” Ardyn chuckled at your rising bashfulness. “I’ll ensure we don’t visit any wineries.”

You huffed a laugh at that, the tension leaving your muscles at his gentle jest. Truthfully, you were quite enchanted with the prospect. You’d been cooped up in the city since birth, and you longed to see what lay beyond those dreary walls. Sure, you’d been to a few places that boarded the city limits; small towns and rest stops when your parents visited their orchard, but aside from that, the outside was a complete mystery to you.

“I’d like that,” you said, a soft smile on your face.

Ardyn smirked. “Music to my ears!” He exclaimed, munching on a piece of cheese. You reached for a cracker, loudly crunching down on its dry saltiness.

“I have been wondering about your culinary tastes as well, though I suppose I should’ve inquired sooner,” Ardyn said. “I take it everything is to your liking so far?”

You nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah,” you said, swallowing the last of your cracker. “It’s all lovely, thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.” He plucked some grapes from their bunch, rolling them around in his palm. “So, what is your favorite dish?”

“Hold on,” you said, your smile fading as a slight nervousness invaded your heart. “Last night, you got to ask all the questions. Today, I want to get to know you.”

You met his eyes as you said your piece. You didn’t want to seem pushy, or ungrateful for the dates, but you still didn’t know much about him. If someone asked you to describe him, you would be reduced to mostly talking about his choice of clothing, proving how little he’d revealed to you. Granted, it was only your second time sitting down with him, but you’d done your best to be honest the night before, and you felt you deserved the same courtesy. Though you hoped this wasn’t some invisible line you were stepping over; perhaps there was a reason he wasn’t able to discuss such things.

Ardyn met your questioning glare with a smile, instantly making the unease ebbe away.

“Very well,” he said. “You must forgive me if I seemed recluse; one can never be too cautious in my position. Though it is for that reason I cannot promise I can be entirely forthcoming with you.”

You shook your head with a smile of your own. “That’s okay, I understand. I just want to get to know you better.”

Ardyn gave you an understanding nod. “A reasonable request,” he assured. “Ask away.” He ate his grapes while he waited for your first question, grinding the rinds between his teeth.

Here’s your chance to learn more about him. Where to start… You figured you should start small, ease him into opening up.

“Sooo…what’s your favorite color?”

There was a pause, long enough you thought he may not have heard you, until Ardyn snorted out a disbelieving laugh. “That is what you wished so badly to know about me?”

The tips of your ears burned with self consciousness, and you looked away from him. “It’s just a question,” you said defensively. It was the first one that came to mind, and you figured it was good enough. “I didn’t think it was some big secret.”

Ardyn hummed, staring out at the expanse of flowers around you. Guess it is a secret, you thought glumly as the silence stretched, and he offered no answer. You let out a sigh through your nose, grabbing a slice of meat and eating it. The spices immediately exploded on your tongue, a piercing hotness mixed with a hint of salt and garlic.

“Green.”

You looked up at Ardyn, puzzled. “What?”

“My favorite color,” he met your eyes again, signature smirk in place. “Is green.”

The sourness you felt dissipated, and you brightened. “Yeah? Got a favorite shade?”

“Hmm. Tough one, that,” he mused. “I must say though, the deeper shades often catch my eye. They are incredibly rich colors, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I would. I love a good phthalo green.”

“You really know your stuff! Pray tell, what is your favorite color, then?”

“Navy blue,” You said, layering a piece of cheese and meat onto a cracker.

“A most noble choice,” Ardyn cooed. “You certainly have fine tastes.”

“Didn’t used to like it,” You admitted, biting down on your little makeshift toast. The cheese and meat complimented each other quite well, with the cracker adding a light crunch. “It’s grown on me over the years.”

“I can certainly see why,” Ardyn said, smiling to himself. The conversation died down for a spell while you both ate, enjoying the simple pleasure of being in each other's company.

At least, that’s what you hoped was happening. You were certainly starting to enjoy being around him.

“What’s your favorite animal?” You broached, once you finished your cracker.

“Oh, I’m afraid I’m not really one to care for fauna.” Ardyn laced his fingers in his lap, looking quite relaxed as he reclined against the tree.

“Well, what’s one animal you like, then?” Ardyn raised a brow at your insistence, and you flashed him a smile. He let out a sigh, knowing you wouldn’t let him get out of answering in some capacity.

“I have a slight fondness for our yellow-feathered friends,” he admitted.

Your eyes widened, and you gasped dramatically, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “So you are a chocobo person!”

“Noticed that, did you?” He chuckled, seeing the twinkle in your eyes. His answer had excited you a great deal.

“How could I not? Everyone knows that song.”

“Then it shouldn’t be so shocking I’m familiar with it.”

“That’s not the shocking part,” you shook your head. “More shocking that you happen to like that song.”

“What can I say?” He shrugged. “Something to listen to while I fill out paperwork.”

You hummed an agreement at that, chewing on some of the ulwaat berries, their bright sweetness a nice contrast to the saltiness of everything else.

“Might I ask what animal you find yourself fond of?”

“Hmm.” You pondered that as you popped the last of the berries in your mouth. “I also like chocobos, I always thought they were cute. And snakes too, I like snakes.”

“It seems we’re more alike than I thought, in regard to the former. Have you had a chance to ride one before, a chocobo?”

Your smile faded sadly. “No,” you sighed, your childhood dreams of doing so long since fizzled out. “My parents would be mortified by the thought. Always said it was ‘beneath’ us.”

He smirked smugly at the flower beds before himself. “Well, you’ll not have to worry about them any longer,” he said. “Perhaps our first destination should be one of the many ranches that lay to the west. I've heard some have quite remarkable flocks, with your pick of plumage.”

Your lips parted in shock. “You’d take me to see chocobos?” Your parents hadn’t even wanted you near the things, and here was the chancellor, offering to take you?

“But of course!” He flashed you a grin. “When I am not bound by my obligations here, it’ll be a day on my gil.”

You blinked at him, dumbfounded for a moment, before a smile began to tug at your cheeks. “That’s sweet Ardyn, I -…Thank you.” You thought about telling him he didn’t have to, that he didn’t need to spend his money on you, but the look on his face told you he would only insist. It was obvious to anyone this was one of his ways of flirting, and yet…it made your insides feel tangled with a warm fuzziness you couldn’t name.

Although, the former half of his sentence brought up something you’d been wondering about. It was decidedly more intimate than your previous questions though, and you hoped he wouldn’t take offense. But you had been curious.

“What’s it like…being chancellor?”

Ardyn scoffed playfully. “Got tired of small talk, did you?”

“You seemed rather disappointed I started small,” you countered.

“I suppose you have me there,” he said with a chuckle. “Well, to be perfectly honest, being chancellor isn’t as luxurious as one may be led to believe. I could be mistaken for a common accountant, given how often I am tasked with balancing budgets these days.”

“Not a numbers person?” You snickered.

“Oh, quite the contrary.” He waved his hand, swatting away the idea. “My fluency in numeracy is without question; it is the sheer boredom I feel from filling out such paperwork that makes some days drag on.”

“Do you like it? Being chancellor?”

Ardyn nodded. “Indeed I do. It is an honor to serve my country, paperwork and all.”

The way he said ‘my country’ told you there was more to that story, but you decided not to probe. After all, he’d already told you more about his position than you would’ve expected. You smiled though, instead remembering something he’d said the previous night.

“Coworkers and all?” You teased, flashing him a smirk of your own. He scoffed again at that, shaking his head.

“Yes, coworkers and all. Though calling them anything more than imbeciles is being generous.”

You laughed, hearing the clear annoyance in his tone. He didn’t bother trying to hide it.

“Why don’t you just fire them?” You questioned. “You’re like second in charge, right?”

Ardyn smiled, you supposed at your naivety. “That I am, though I am not in charge of his Radiance’s cabinet. I’m afraid I’m stuck with whomever the Emperor chooses.”

“Bummer,” you said, and Ardyn nodded. Would that he could get rid of those fools, but it was as he said; he was powerless in that regard.

“I trust what I’ve told you shall stay between us?” He asked, glancing at you. After all, he had to play nice with them, at least for the most part.

“Of course. Your secret’s safe with me.”

“How relieving,” he sighed contentedly. “Have my answers satisfied you enough to permit me an inquiry?”

“Alright, go ahead,” you said with a wave of your hand. He’d earned it. “You wanted to know my favorite food?”

“Actually I had something else in mind,” he said, turning to you. “Have any of the flowers here caught your eye?”

“O-oh,” his question caught you off guard, and you tried to remember all the different kinds you’d seen. There were so many, it was hard to settle on just one. “I liked the orchids we passed, I’ve always been fond of those. But really, everything here has been beautiful.”

“Orchids, hm?” He echoed, considering that for a moment. Without another word, he abruptly stood up, shaking the tiredness from his limbs and stretching a little. You looked up at him with bewilderment, wondering if you’d said something wrong.

“Worry not, I’ll be just a moment.” He smiled down at you. “Please, help yourself to anything you see. What’s mine is yours.”

With that, he left you under the tree, disappearing into the thicket of roses and thorns. You stared at his back as he left, wondering where he was going, but given his sudden interest in your flower preferences, you figured he may be gathering a bouquet for you. Not exactly subtle, though given his manner of dress, you supposed subtly wasn’t his strong suit. Still, the thought had you blushing, it was quite sweet, if that was indeed what he was doing. The man wasn’t kidding when he said he enjoyed chivalry.

While you waited for him to return, you scooted to the edge of the blanket, admiring the pink and yellow blooms all around you. Some leaned over the raised beds in which they resided, beckoning you to sample their luscious scents. You could hardly refuse them, smiling as their gentle petals caressed your face.

You weren’t sure how long you stayed like that, but you were soon startled out of your blissful indulgence when, again, something was placed on your head. This was definitely not a hat though, more of a circlet, and when you reached up to touch it, you felt flowers beneath your fingers.

Turning around, you were surprised to find Ardyn kneeling behind you, a wide, satisfied grin on his face. You hadn’t even heard him return, nor felt the blanket dip from the addition of his weight. The man was like a ninja when he wanted to be.

Carefully, you removed the circlet from your head so you could look at it. Your breath caught as you held it out in front of yourself, staring in stunned awe. Ardyn hadn’t simply gotten you a bouquet, no, the man had made you a flower crown. Comprised of the flowers you told him were your favorite, the craftsmanship was breathtakingly immaculate. Each of their stems were woven together at the perfect length, leaving just enough room for the flowers to create a stunning halo. Not a leaf was out of place, each of the dozen or so blooms he’d used pointing outward and on full display. You held it with the utmost care, afraid you might undo the stems should you treat it wrong.

“Do you like it?” Ardyn asked proudly, sitting on his shins and watching while you turned over the delicate crown.

“Like it?” You gaped at him, looking into his honied irises. “I love it. It’s beautiful.”

“I thought you might,” he snickered. You continued to admire his handiwork, turning the little thing over and feeling the petals between your fingers, which grew sticky from their yellow pollen. Ardyn simply watched you examine it, before he decided to gently cup your hands in his, guiding you to place it back on your head. You could feel the callouses on the tips of his fingers, and the warmth that sent a tingle down your arm, your heart skipping a beat.

“After all, it suits you…花の姫.” (Hana no hime; flower princess).

He let go as your eyes went wide, part of you unsure if you were hearing correctly. But no, he’d definitely just called you flower princess in ancient Lucian. The sweetness in his voice had a mad heat trickle down the tips of your ears, a blush spreading across your fair cheeks.

“I don’t know about ‘princess’,” you said shyly. “But you’re definitely かっこいいです.” (Kakkoii desu; handsome).

“Oh my!” Ardyn quipped. “Feeling bold today, are we?”

“You make me so,” you said, giggling at his prideful smirk. Even if he didn’t say it out loud, the compliment had certainly stroked his ego.

“I really am a bad influence, aren’t I?”

You both shared a laugh at the thought, though you couldn’t help but think it wasn’t entirely inaccurate. His own eccentricities made you feel more comfortable being yourself, which meant you could match his playful energy. Honestly, you were thankful for it, even if you weren’t sure why you felt the way you did.

When your laughs had been swallowed by the garden, Ardyn returned to his place under the tree, settling with his back against it. You watched him, waiting until he was comfortable before following him. You hesitated when you got back to where you were sitting before, debating with yourself if you should get closer to him, and you ultimately decided you did. You liked being near him. So you shoved the platter of food aside, causing Ardyn to raise a brow, but he made no protest. You plopped down next to him, only a few inches of space between you two, close enough you could smell his cologne.

“Might I ask you another question?” Ardyn said, once you’d settled in beside him.

“Sure,” you nodded to him.

“What is your greatest desire in life?”

“Oh,” you hadn’t expected that one from him; it was a bit of a deviation from where you’d left off. “You’re asking me about philosophy?”

He looked over at you, a knowing smile on his face. “It’s just a question,” he teased dramatically, and you scoffed.

“Alright alright,” you said with a wave of your hand. You didn’t mind the question, though you took a moment to really ponder it, a thousand different suitable answers coming and going, yet none feeling quite right. Sure, there were lots of things you desired, but none feeling worthy enough to say your life was dedicated to it. Not until you found something that really spoke to you.

“To make people happy,” you said truthfully. “I know what it feels like to be hated by people who are supposed to love you, and I don’t want anyone to have to face that alone. So I try my best to be kind. I don’t always succeed, but I try. If it means it can make someone a little happier, if my dumb joke made someone laugh, I think that makes it all worth it.”

“Hmm,” Ardyn stared ahead at the flowers, his eyes half lidded. “Spoken like a true altruist.”

You shook your head with a smile. You weren’t sure about that, but you wouldn’t argue. “What’s yours?”

Ardyn’s gaze traveled upward, watching the pink petals float down from the tree, swaying gently in the artificial wind.

“To bring justice to those who have wronged me,” he breathed. There was a dreaminess in his voice, and he seemed lost in thought as he said it. You stared at him, watching as unnameable emotions swirled in the depths of his eyes, and you felt a pang of sadness pierce your own heart. It sounded like whatever it was had been haunting him for a long time. You wanted to ask for details, but you knew it wasn’t your place to pry, especially in that moment.

Instead, you tentatively reached over, taking one of his hands into yours and giving it a gentle squeeze, the leather of his gloves creaking slightly. Ardyn blinked away his thoughts, returning to the present as he slowly met your eyes.

“I hope you succeed,” you said, giving his hand another squeeze, accompanied with a reassuring smile. He seemed startled by your words for a breath, before he regained his composure and matched your warm expression.

“Thank you,” he said, and you knew he was being sincere. The playful lilt that ever flavored his speech was noticeably absent.

You nodded to him as you let his hand go. The two of you allowed the silence to stretch, listening to the leaves rustle and the birds chirp. Both of you leaned your backs against the great tree, her bark smooth and welcoming. It was nice, just experiencing all that with him, and your heart soared with how well everything had gone so far. You wouldn’t mind spending many days like this, enjoying the quiet serenity of each other.

And then an idea popped into your head. You straightened slightly, glancing over at Ardyn. He looked quite relaxed, happily gazing at the bees that hopped from flower to flower. You could hear your heartbeat in your ears, suddenly nervous about what you wished to ask him. His earlier words echoed in your head while you tried to sum up what little courage you had.

Feeling bold today, are we?

Why yes, yes I am, you thought, deciding to go through with it.

“Hey Ardyn?”

“Yes?”

“Can I…cuddle you?”

There was a pause. Ardyn’s brow furrowed, and he looked at you, puzzled.

“I beg your pardon?” He wasn’t smiling anymore.

“Like, snuggle,” you said, wringing your hands while you felt another blush coming on. “You know; like holding each other.”

Ardyn seemed to think on the idea, like it was foreign to him. Then, an amused smile touched his lips.

“You’re certainly welcome to try,” he said with a shrug.

Challenge accepted.

You scooted closer, watching his face to make sure he was okay with what you were doing. He seemed indifferent so far, though he watched you out of the corner of his eye. Just before your bodies met, that’s when you made your move. Quickly, you crawled into his lap, making sure to be gentle as you settled into him. Ardyn made a startled sound, but did not protest your actions. You made yourself comfortable right under his chin, burying yourself in his many layers of fabric, his scent all around you. You closed your eyes in bliss, resting your head against his chest as your body soaked up his warmth.

“Is this okay?” You asked, looking up at him. His eyes were slightly wide, and his hands hovered at your sides, like he wanted to hold you, but was afraid of doing so.

“…Yes,” he said, but you could hear uncertainty in his tone.

“It’s okay if it’s not,” you said. “I’m just a cuddle bug.” It was true; ever since you were a child you’d loved cuddling. It felt so nice. It felt like love.

Ardyn took a moment to shed his doubts, but once he did, he chuckled softly, his arms finally wrapping around you, holding you to himself. One cupped the small of your back, while the other held your arms, his thumb carding across your skin. He brought his knees up, cradling you in his lap, which brought a smile to your face, knowing he had accepted this. You felt so comfortable, so safe being held in his arms.

“It’s quite alright, dear,” Ardyn said, and you could feel the words in his chest, next to his heartbeat. The vibrations felt so oddly familiar. “It’s simply…been a long time.”

You shook your head at that, another pang of sadness zipping through your chest. “Next time, I’m holding you.”

He let out a laugh, and you smiled.

“What a sight that would be,” he said, resting his chin atop your head. You could feel his sharp stubble prick your scalp, and you couldn’t help but think it felt nice. You sighed deeply as the conversation died down, Ardyn beginning to massage your skin with the pads of his fingers. His breaths were long and deep, and you enjoyed how they felt against your own.

When your eyes drooped close for a second time, a wave of drowsiness wafted down your shoulders. Don’t fall asleep, you warned yourself, but your body had other plans. Surrounded by Ardyn’s warmth, snuggly tucked into the gentle fabric of his scarves, the soft thumping of his heart began to lull you to sleep. You tried to keep yourself from succumbing, shaking yourself and blinking the sleepiness from your eyes, but you soon lost the strength to do so. You felt your body relax into Ardyn as you were pulled into the void of blissful sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He wasn’t used to feeling like this.

Not anymore.

Though, he could remember a time when it wasn’t uncommon. Where if some lucky interloper had claimed to have seen him basking in the gift of life, of love, it wouldn’t have seemed so outlandish. When he often found himself in the royal gardens, with the most wonderous woman on Eos in his arms, or him in hers…

But those warm memories had long faded to empty, darkened coals.

Yet, holding you, a parallel to those lost memories, he found himself reminiscing. As he nuzzled his face into your hair, pushing gentle kisses into the top of your head, he could see it. See her. The smell of flowers lingered from the crown he’d made you, and he was transported back to a time before he’d lost all he’d loved. He could smell the field of wheat they both adored, the sylleblossoms they traded, the fragrant wood of that old willow tree. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine it was Aera cradled in his lap, Aera whom he held like his most precious treasure.

But when he looked down…what he found was not his beloved. He saw you instead, sleeping like a babe, unaware of the turbulence that twisted his innards.

And part of him hated that. Was enraged that you made him feel the way she did.

He was filled with the sudden urge to shove you off himself. To yell and scream and even slay you for trying to usurp his heart.

His hardened gaze glared at your unconscious form at the thought.

He could kill you. The daemons hummed with glee at the prospect.

It would be so easy. Like trimming fussy, overgrown rose bushes…

…but he didn’t.

He couldn’t.

Some part of him liked this. Your warmth. Relished in it, cherished it. It had been too long since someone truly cared for him, wanted what was best for him. It had been even longer since someone held him, ran their fingers across his skin with unconditional reverence. Those notions had died with Aera, when he became the Gods’ perfect monster.

Though despite his misgivings, you’d opened your own heart to him. It had taken some prying, to be sure, but you’d offered him something he hadn’t experienced in centuries. A connection that ran deeper than surface level, down to the very core of his being. What shriveled up, broken and blacked pieces of it that remained. He could see it when he looked into your eyes, the sheer amount of empathy they held, even from what little he’d told you. Somehow, you already cared for him.

And that fact was utterly terrifying.

Ardyn let out a frustrated sigh, watching the way it disturbed your hair. He brushed a stray lock of it out of your face, delighting in the softness of your skin beneath the pads of his fingers. Savoring how your lungs pushed on him with every breath. The feeling of your body relaxing into his.

Someone in this time cared for him. Trusted him.

He pulled you further into his chest, holding you tightly.

He wanted that. He needed that.

“Well played…” he murmured, a smirk blooming on his face. The Gods had certainly given him an apt challenge.

You stirred in his grasp, startling him out of his thoughts. He loosened his grip so you could move, watching as you sleepily crawled upwards, nuzzling the side of his face before placing a kiss on his jawline.

He blinked at the sudden affection, unsure how to respond, but you didn’t seem bothered by that. You immediately fell back asleep, settling into his form and breathing deeply.

He remained unmoving for a moment, before a sly chuckle left his lips.

“Quite the minx you are,” he sighed, wrapping his arms around you once more.

“You seemed tense,” you surprised him with your voice, thick with a dreamy fog.

He huffed a small laugh at that. Perhaps you weren’t as oblivious as he thought.

“Not untrue, my dear,” he purred. “…Not untrue.”

He could feel his own eyelids begin to grow heavy. Ardyn rested his face against yours, breathing in deeply your scent as they drooped closed. His last words hung in the air as he succumbed to the temptation, a peaceful darkness welcoming him as he drifted away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ardyn wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, but he felt his consciousness slowly return. His eyes stuttered open, a groggy groan parting his lips as sleep slipped through his fingers. Much to his pleasure, it had been a dreamless rest.

“Your Excellency?”

He met the eyes of the meek attendant who’d awoken him, allowing his displeasure to frolic on his face. At least your own sleep hadn’t been ruined by the intrusion.

“I hope for your sake this is something important,” Ardyn warned, satisfied when the poor fellow visibly began to sweat.

“M-my apologies sir,” he stuttered. “But his Radiance has requested an audience with you.”

Ardyn let out an exasperated sigh, looking down at your sleeping form regretfully. “I suppose I’ll have to go see him then,” he said, barely containing his annoyance.

“My apologies, sir.”

Ardyn waved his hand, and the attendant scurried away immediately, happy to have escaped with his job intact.

Peering down at you, Ardyn let out a sorrowful sigh. Nuzzling his cheek against your forehead, he wondered how he was going to wake you. Part of him wanted to say to hell with the emperor, but he had too much left to do for that just yet. Still, he was quite sad what little peace he’d found that day was already coming to an end. Moments like that were so rare, he wanted to prolong it for as long as he could. Alas, the emperor was not a patient man.

“Darling…” Ardyn whispered, nudging you with his cheek. When you gave no response, he said your name, a little louder now. You roused slightly at hearing it, whimpering as you began to regain consciousness. Stubbornly, you burrowed yourself deeper into the folds of his clothes, hiding your face from the setting Sun. Ardyn smiled at your defiance, but he knew you couldn’t stay there forever.

“I’m afraid our time for naps has come to an end,” he said gently. You groaned, clutching onto him like he may disappear without a moments notice.

“Don’t wanna,” you said into his chest. Your voice was muffled by his coat and scarves, but he could still hear how the words were slurred through half-conscious lips.

Ardyn narrowed his eyes at you, then smiled. He let out a dramatic sigh, allowing his arms to fall limp at his sides.

“Whatever am I going to tell The Emperor?” He lamented, lacing his voice with facetious despair. “I fear he would not be so forgiving, were he to discover the fault for my tardiness was yours. I am only looking out for your safety.”

That got you moving. You sat up immediately, your eyes wide as you looked at him in shock. “The Emperor? Gods Ardyn, I’m sorry!” You started scrambling to become presentable, leaning out of his lap to brush crumbs off the blanket, adjusting the hem of your shirt, and frantically combing your fingers through your disheveled hair.

“Darling…darling,” Ardyn said, the urgency in his voice giving you pause.

“There’s no need to be so nervous!” He spoke between laughs. “His Radiance isn’t coming here, he has simply requested an audience with me.”

You stared at him for a moment, before you let your shoulders sag, sighing in relief. “Jeez Ardyn, don’t scare me like that. Still, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I’m sorry.”

“Come now, there’s no need for that,” he rubbed circles into your back with his thumb to reassure you. “It’s not often I have the luxury of a midday nap.”

A wide smile spread across your face. Ardyn almost wanted to reach out and pinch your adorable cheeks, but he resisted the urge.

“Yeah? Did you like it?”

He nodded. “That I did. ‘Twas nice to feel relaxed, if only for a little while.”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” you said, and the warmth in your eyes almost made Ardyn feel lightheaded.

When was the last time someone looked at him like that?

“But I don’t want to get you in trouble.” Just as quickly, your face darkened again with guilt. Undeserved guilt, but Ardyn could see it nonetheless, and something inside him didn’t like it. Gently, he cupped your face in his hand, bringing your eyes back to him and tracing shapes into your cheek.

“You’re much too hard on yourself,” he said softly. “No such thing shall come to pass. And even should it, the blame would not rest on your shoulders.”

You held his gaze for a long moment, worry etched into your features, before you sighed loudly. “Okay,” you said, yet the worry didn’t fade. “If you say so.”

Arden flashed you a reassuring grin. You remained stoic as you looked at him, until your eyes absentmindedly flicked up, and you abruptly started giggling. Ardyn raised a brow at you, puzzled by the sudden change in demeanor.

“Something amusing?” He asked.

You smirked at him. “Yeah,” you said through another bout of snickers. “You have petals on your hat…and in your hair.”

Ardyn blinked at you, his eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. “Do I, now?”

“Yeah,” you giggled. “You look cute like that.”

“Cute?” Ardyn huffed indignantly. “You insult me.”

“Oh come on,” you leaned forward to nuzzle his cheek with your nose. His lips parted in surprise from the affection, and you smiled big at him. “You’re adorable.”

Ardyn scoffed, making you laugh. He shook his head at you, before his smirk returned at full force.

“Well…I suppose it’s not as bad as having petals running down the front of my shirt.”

Your eyes went wide, smile gone as you looked down to find, indeed, there were petals going down your chest. Some had settled on your breasts, a few even found their way into your bra.

“Ugh, Ardyn!” You cried, flinching away from him to frantically swat away the petals. He laughed loudly while your ears burned a bright red, pulling your shirt up to hide your modesty. Ardyn couldn’t help but enjoy the irony of this situation, given how eager you’d been the other night, but he supposed this was his doing. Besides, you were technically ‘in public’, at least more so than you’d been at your apartment.

“Come now darling!” Ardyn said through bouts. “I have enough respect for you not to stare. At least…not much.”

You glared at him, giving his shoulder a playful shove. “You’re bad.”

“Never claimed to not be,” he said with a shrug. You shook your head at him, even as a chuckle bubbled up from your throat.

“Guess that’s why I like you.” You grinned at him.

His own smirk grew at that. His heart skipped a beat, and he told himself that’s because of how perfectly his plans were unfolding. You would be much easier to keep an eye on now.

“You’ve no idea how delighted I am to hear that,” he purred, grasping your hand and bringing it to his lips, placing a light kiss on your knuckles. It was cute how you tried to hide your blush by looking away, but Ardyn was far too keen for such things.

“I’m glad,” you spoke shyly, even while a happy grin remained on your lips. “So, when can I see you again?”

“Yes, about that,” Ardyn gave your hand a light squeeze before releasing it. “I had hoped you would join me for a little celebration the Emperor is putting together in half a fortnight. It will be a grand ball filled with all his Radiences greatest luxuries. Would you do me the honor of being my guest for the evening?”

“Oh gosh, Ardyn,” you said, wringing your hands nervously. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for that kind of thing, I’ve never spoken to any nobles besides you. I don’t even have anything nice to wear.”

“Nonsense!” Ardyn boasted. “It would be a privilege to have you at my side for the night. And you needn’t worry about attire nor your manners; I shall provide you with both.”

The look you gave him was full of doubt. “That’s sweet Ardyn, a-and I’m flattered, really, but…are you sure you want to be seen with me? What if I embarrass you or say something stupid?”

He supposed he couldn’t be surprised by your shyness, but seeing you like that nearly made him feel pity for you. Your self doubt was a plague, much like the rage of his own daemons, the both of you silent puppets to their whims. He almost felt sorry for you.

Almost.

“You needn’t worry,” Ardyn said softly, grasping your chin in his fingers to force your eyes back to himself. “I’m sure the noble houses will be too busy with their own jealousy, courtesy of the beautiful maiden at my side.”

That got a laugh out of you. He grinned as he let go of your face, the sound like a gentle wind chime, coaxed into singing by a soothing breeze. He found himself liking the sound, as odd as it was to acknowledge that.

“What happened to ‘flattery will get you nowhere’?” You asked with a knowing smirk. Ardyn returned the sentiment with his own signature smugness.

“Well…if you’d rather I didn’t call you such…”

“No no,” you said quickly, placing your head in the open palm he offered. You hummed happily as his thumb carded across your supple cheek. “I like it when you call me that.”

“I figured you would,” he said. “Now, I’m afraid we must be going, dearest. The emperor will only wait so long.”

You nodded. “Right.” Reluctantly, you crawled out of his lap, standing so you could stretch out a little. Ardyn found himself feeling cold now that you were gone, but he ignored that, rising to begin the trek back through the garden. You followed along behind him, taking one last look at all the flowers as you went.

“Oh, shouldn’t we bring the plate in?” You asked just as his boots touched the cobblestone pathway. He turned to see you looking at the platter of forgotten food, and he had to chuckle at your question.

“You’ve no reason to fret; a servant shall come and retrieve it for us,” he said.

“Oh…right.” You hurried after him, shoes crunching on the pebbles of the walkway. The journey back to the entrance was peaceful, and Ardyn enjoyed once again watching you bounce from flower to flower, gently caressing their delicate petals before darting to the next. You were more excitable than he would’ve guessed from your previous encounters.

Of course, Ardyn insisted on seeing you to the palace gates, which you were more than happy to agree to. He led you through the winding hallways, and you remained respectfully quiet, even while a soft smile still adorned your face. It wasn’t long before the palace’s grand doors came into view, with his most senior servant waiting obediently next to them.

“Justin will show you home,” Ardyn said, gesturing at said man. He bowed respectfully to the both of you as you approached, posture picture perfect.

“Of course Your Excellency. I will bring around the car.”

“See that you do,” Ardyn dismissed him, and he was out the door with a trained swiftness. He turned back to you, and you smiled at each other.

“Thank you, Ardyn,” you said. “It was all so wonderful. I’m glad you brought me here.”

He placed a hand over his heart, feigning that he was touched. “You’re very welcome dear,” he cooed. “I shall see you on the evening of the gala. In the meantime, I shall have suitable attire sent to your abode. You can expect it on Friday.”

You beamed at him. “Thank you Ardyn. I-I really don’t know what to say, that’s very sweet of you. You know you don’t have too.”

“Oh, but it’s been so long since I’ve had the chance to spoil someone. All I ask is that you join me for the festivities.” He raised his arms theatrically, indicating the decadent palace around you.

You giggled at his dramatics, your eyes full of warmth as you gave him one last smile. “Alright, I’ll see you then.” You waved at him as you turned, beginning to follow after the attendant. Just as you came to the door, you glanced over your shoulder, meeting his eyes. Ardyn titled his head inquisitively, watching indecision contort your expression. He thought it rather amusing, how you often seemed to struggle with internal debates.

Finally, you made up your mind. Without warning, you darted back to his side, standing on your tiptoes to place a gentle kiss on his left cheek. Ardyn’s eyes widened, and you smirked proudly back at him.

“I’ll see you next week,” you said merrily. With that, you were gone, out through the double doors before Ardyn could respond. He stared after you for a moment before letting out a light laugh. You’d surprised him more than once today, and for that he was grateful, even if he knew the palace hands would doubtless be busy, spreading rumors of the chancellor’s newest toy. Perhaps that would get the obnoxious suitors that try to court him off his back for a little while.

He could muse about all that later though. He made his way back through the endless halls, the scarce servants scattered about bowing to him deeply as he walked by them, descending into the lower bowels to retrieve his beloved automobile. All the while, much of his thoughts were taken up by you. Reliving those soft moments you shared, analyzing the feelings that accompanied them. It was fascinating, for someone like him. The fluttering in his chest…he couldn’t tell if he despised it or adored it.

He wondered if you remembered the flower crown still perched on your head. You looked so heavenly with it…part of him hoped you would keep it. Would smell the blooms and think of him.

Even if the rest of him was swathed with rage. For none of this would matter, in the end. All that mattered, was that he got his revenge…

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Can you tell my love language is physical touch? 🤣🤣

I want to thank everyone that included me in those tag/ask games, even though I didn’t have time to do them. Thank you for thinking of me 💕💕

Next chapter is gala time!

#ardyn #ardyn izunia #ardyn lucis caelum #ardyn x reader #ardyn izunia x reader #ardyn x you #a dream come true #ffxv fic #ffxv fanfic

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agent-cupcake · 2 years

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Any ffxv stuff on your whore mind lately?

Yeah, okay, I think I've got one

Ardyn decorating you with expensive jewelry and silk and all the other luxurious finery that you could want, dressing you up and elevating you like a goddess, taking you out and showing you off regardless of status or propriety. There's something enjoyable about going out with a lovely woman on his arm and the attention it brings. Disgust, confusion, admiration, and especially jealousy. Ardyn enjoys flaunting toys that other people want. He purposefully pushes to get a reaction from them, and it's even better if it also embarrasses you. Such games certainly make events more entertaining.

But everything has a price and as much as Ardyn enjoys your nearly angelic beauty in public, the way you seem to blossom and sparkle with confidence beneath the fancy decoration, and especially the reaction it draws from other people, he has a relentless need to ruin that which is sacred. So Ardyn takes you home and ties you up, throwing you to your knees like a common whore. He drags you forward by your oh-so carefully styled hair to mess it up and shoves his cock down your throat, fucking your mouth until your face is streaked with makeup tears and his dick is smeared with lipstick. He taunts and mocks you, makes fun of how helpless you are, asks what everybody would think if they could see you like this. At the last minute, he pulls out and cums all over your pretty jewelry and fancy dress, makes you lick him clean. When he's done, he strips you down to silken scraps and revels in the spoiled remains of luxury that litter your body. A harsh red line cutting across your neck where he pulled the necklace chain too taut, the angry indents lining your torso from the dress's corsetry, the pain of your feet and legs from wearing uncomfortable heels for too long. These things—the dress, the jewels, the expensive makeup, and especially you—are just objects. Genuine sentimentality is a relic of a man long dead, Ardyn doesn't place any inherent value on things, only acknowledging the bestowed value that he so enjoys corrupting and violating. You're a pet, a trinket, a toy, and he fucks you until the only thing you can do is beg him by name (or maybe by a title of his choosing, he does enjoy variation) and your once luminous eyes are dull. Ardyn enjoys you far more like this than anything else, pliant and humbled. His little doll to be dressed up and broken at his leisure.

#ardyn izunia #ffxv #ardyn izunia x reader #not sfw #tw.noncon #i guess lol #this fantasy is called getting ruined by sugar daddy ardyn and its a classic

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itsgeecheebitch · 5 months

Text

TITLE: Until Darkness Descends

CHAPTER: 46/47

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XV

RATING: Explicit

MAIN PAIR: Ardyn Izunia x Reader

SEC PAIR: Gladiolus Amicitia x Reader

SERIES: The Fall Part 1 of 4

It was like the gates of heaven opened up and you heard the angels sing. You wondered if this was how true awe felt like as you gazed upon the walls of water that surrounded you and your friends on all sides. The city state of Altissa was like something out of a fairy tale, with light blue and ivory buildings, clear canals in place of hard concrete roads, and the scent of baked bread following you wherever you went. But your awe was short lived. As much as you wanted to enjoy being in a foreign land, you couldn't escape the yoke of guilt that had your heart in a chokehold.

You promised yourself that you would reveal everything to Gladiolus once you reached Altissa during the boat ride. But now that you were here, you felt like a chicken who just got its head choked off, your anxiety reaching its limit. You breathed around the panic-induced noose around your throat, your anxiety retreating but never truly leaving.

The thought to postpone the conversation with Gladiolus tickled the back of your skull. It wouldn’t be bad to give it another day, right? The five of you weren't even in Altissa for more than fifteen minutes, and with the mission looming over your heads, it would probably be a good idea to keep your lips sealed until after Noctis gained Leviathan's blessing. You nodded to yourself, making another silent oath you swore this time not to break. Gladiolus didn't deserve to have the weight of your infidelity on his shoulders while he tried to evacuate the city. This was for his benefit and not yours.

Feeling a little looser, but not at all completely relaxed, you traversed the pristine sidewalk of the fairy tale city. Your group's first destination was the first secretary of Accordo’s office, madam Camellia Claustra. Without her enthusiastic support, there was no way Noctis and Lunafreya would be able to commune with the water goddess. The fate of the mission rested upon her decision and whether or not the prince could successfully sway her to their side.

You welcomed the pressure of the mission like a welcoming embrace, hoping it would replace the shadow of your transgressions that haunted every corner of your mind. You would've been successful if Gladiolus hadn't suddenly pulled away from the group, saying he had an errand to run and would meet up with everyone at the hotel they pre booked in advance.

Anxiety punched you in the gut, causing the impact to reverberate through your muscles. Gladiolus hadn't mentioned having to run an errand during the boat ride. He only just recently revealed his reason for parting from the group before. And this time couldn't have been for training purposes. What if he sensed your betrayal? What if he finally put your long silences and distance together and came to the inevitable conclusion? Terror clawed up your throat, making your esophagus burn like it had just been scratched from the inside. You weren't ready for him to find out yet.

The rest of your group moved on without him, meanwhile you were silently falling apart behind them. Your anxiety hadn't quelled even once you arrived at the secretary’s office. You paced the polished maple wood floors, dread riding on your back, causing a restless energy to zing through your limbs like a ball flying off the walls.

Noctis had disappeared into the secretary's office while you and your friends waited in the adjoined sitting room. The only sound in the air was your pacing footsteps. There was no concealing your nervousness. It was palpable, almost tangible in its intensity, as though you could touch it and grab it. Your ceaseless pacing seemed to catch your friends' attention since Prompto asked, “you okay?”

Nerves leaped off your shoulders as you looked at him, as though you forgot you were with company. Your throat refused to comply when you tried to swallow, your tongue as dry as the lands you hailed from. “Y-yeah.” You stuttered. “Just a little nervous.”

“Don't be, Noct's got this!” He flashed you one of his cheerful smiles. You gave him a weak one in response, one that was weighed down by the chaos you hid behind it.

“He may not look as such, but Noct is well versed in the game of politics, such was his education from birth.” Your adopted brother added from his position against the wall. “Have faith in our prince, he'll see this through.”

You nodded your head, wringing your hands as you did. Their encouraging words did nothing to soothe your frayed nerves. They were completely in the dark, ignorant to what was truly occupying your every thought. You stopped your pacing to look at them, a bottomless sadness made your chest feel empty. You wondered how they would react once it all came out. Once they found out about your infidelity.

They would surely hate you. You would lose your boyfriend and your friends all in a single day. The inevitability of it all made you want to crumble to your knees and wail for all of Altissa to hear. In the back of your mind, you heard dream Ardyn’s words of warning, his foretelling of events to come. Your arms froze over with goosebumps as you remembered. ‘Even if you don’t, who is to say your friendships won’t suffer as a consequence? Do you really think they would keep you in their little boy’s club if you become an inconvenience?’

You bit the inside of your bottom lip, he was right. Everything he said in your dream was true. Despite being friends with the boys for years you still didn’t enjoy the same bond they had with each other. They would choose Gladiolus.Your eyes misted with tears and you rubbed them to keep your tears at bay. Who knew the riff in your friendship would be caused by your own hands, not your overestimated incompetence in battle, or uselessness after three or four heals, but a choice that was completely avoidable.

Just like what your dream foretold, your friendship would suffer as a consequence and you would no longer be a welcomed guest in their club. Fifteen minutes of dreadful silence passed when Noctis returned to the waiting room, a triumphant smile on his face that let you know he succeeded in his task. Your smile was weak as your friends celebrated, with pats on Noctis’ shoulder and words of praise.

Out of the three of them Noctis would be the least forgiving. The two of you weren’t necessarily close, at least in comparison to you and Prompto or even your adopted brother. You considered Noctis a friend and you were sure he considered you one as well. But your connection was flimsy in comparison to the familial bond he had with Gladiolus. He would surely be the first to discard you and not look back. A putrid taste singed the back of your throat at the thought of being the subject of his contempt. The thought of his deep blue eyes cut you before it could even happen.

After going over some of the plan, you and the boys journeyed over to the hotel. It was much more opulent than the Leville in Lestallum, with a ghostly white exterior, high archways, and a collection of square and arching windows. Its reflection rippled over the crystal clear water of the canal as you entered. Geometric shapes decorated the wooden floors of the lobby where you checked in.

Riding the elevator to the third floor, you separated from the boys to go to the room you shared with Gladiolus, possibly for the last time. An unrelenting knot tightened your throat as you wondered if your boyfriend was inside, waiting to have a talk with you. Your stomach twisted with unease, the door creaking open as you entered. Much to your relief the room was deadly silent and Gladiolus was nowhere to be found.

Something scarlet red caught your attention and you looked at the bed. Sitting on top of the plush blanket was a long evening gown. It spilled over the white comforter like blood, leading your eyes to the pair of silver heels on the floor. You approached the bed, your chest tightening when you touched the dress and found it was velvety soft and silky smooth. It was no doubt expensive and definitely not a welcome gift from the hotel.

That only left Gladiolus. A pang shot through the muscles holding your chest together. The feeling worsened when you noticed a folded piece of paper on top of the dress. When you opened it and read it you felt worse than dirt. Gladiolus wanted you to put on the dress and meet him downstairs in the lobby by 7pm. You looked at the clock hanging on the wall, the hands pointing at 6 pm. That only gave you an hour to prepare.

You weren’t sure what Gladiolus had planned, but whatever it was you were sure it would only plant the knife in your chest six inches deeper. Throwing on the dress, you painted your face as best you could with the little make up you brought with you. You were on the elevator riding down to the lobby with five minutes to spare.

You spotted Gladiolus immediately once the elevator door opened. He was leaning against the wall, his broad muscled form concealed behind a black suit. His shoes were polished and shone under the fluorescent light, his hair combed smooth and flowed down his neck. The sound of your heels clacking against the floor caught his attention and he smiled the moment he met your eyes.

You squeezed your hand with the other and forced yourself not to look down at the floor. This would be the last time you would be on the receiving end of one of those smiles. The last time you would be able to appreciate his beauty, his love, his intelligence, everything you took for granted.

Once you were close enough, he handed a bouquet of roses to you. Crimson like the color of overflowing wine and white like the sight of freshly fallen snow. You accepted the flowers and gave him a smile you hoped didn't look as forced as it felt.

“Thank you.” You muttered. “What is all of this for?”

“There's a five star restaurant here”, he nodded his head towards the opulent looking door beside him. It towered over the other doors in the lobby and was fashioned in intricate carvings of gold and silver. “Thought it would be good to check it out. It's been a while since I did something like this for you. We may be here for only a short while but you deserve to experience what this city has to offer.”

Tears filled your eyes without your consent. You tried to blink them away but they overflowed down your cheeks anyway. Gladiolus stiffened. His eyes slightly widened with panic and worry. “What’s wrong?”

Everything. The fact that you cheated, that you betrayed a good man who didn’t deserve your disloyalty. The fact you would lose your place in the group before the mission was over. Instead of saying what was on your mind, you sniffled and gently wiped the tears from under your eyes. “I just…been feeling overwhelmed lately.” You said. “I just want everything to stop already.”

Circling his arms around your waist, he brought you into his warm and safe embrace. The beat of his heart played a gentle tune in your ear, his deep voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke. “This’ll all be over soon.” He promised. “ Noct will gain all of his ancestors' blessings along with the gods, he'll reclaim Lucis from the Nifs and he and Lunafreya will get married and everything will go back to normal.” He pulled away from you a bit to look down at your tear-streaked face. His lips quirked in a half smile as he delivered the finishing blow, “maybe after all of this we could get married, I wouldn't mind tying the knot in a city like this”.

Your chest shattered into a million pieces, leaving your heart beating and abandoned on the floor. Did he just propose to you? Horror froze your face in a state of shock. You didn’t know what to say. You didn’t know what to do. He essentially promised to marry you and you were planning on breaking up with him. Without knowing what else to do, you plastered a weepy smile on your face and let him kiss you. It felt like the weight of the world was crushing your shoulders, shoving you deep into the pits of the earth.

#fanfiction #fanfic #a03 fanfic #ardyn lucis caelum #ffxv ardyn #ardyn izunia #final fantasy xv #ardyn izunia x reader #ardyn x reader #final fantasy x reader #gladiolus amiticia #gladiolus x reader #ffxv gladiolus #noctis caelum #prompto argentum #ignis scientia #ff15 ardyn

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savage-rhi · 3 months

Text

Mending Shadows // Chapter 32

Summary:

Y/N was a simple Scavenger of Lucis, until meeting a deadly blow at the hands of an infected creature. At the crossroads of death, they are found by Niflheim’s cryptic Chancellor with his own agenda. Now bonded to Ardyn Izunia, and tossed into the world of Niflheim, Y/N struggles to cope with their new life as an Imperial Icon all the while battling their feelings toward their fate and that of Ardyn’s.

Click here to read on AO3

Tuti had never been so frightened in her life. With her back to the wall, she attempted to gather her bearings. The task was proving to be a futile effort, for her lungs clamored for oxygen. Her throat felt shattered with every inhale of breath. She was quite surprised to have a voice given her consistent screaming. A part of her subconscious that wasn’t falling apart at the seams joked she could’ve passed as an operatic singer in another life, for her air capacity seemed unyielding.

Unyielding…Gods, she wished to have such strength. Her fingertips quivered against the cobblestone upon her back, wondering if she should look around the corner. A terrible crunch had Tuti reconsider tactics as her body flinched. Low growls intertwined with a quelching noise that fanned the flames of dread inside of her. She could feel it slither down her back, causing her legs to tremble.

Tuti knew what awaited her around the edge, and the ghastly sight that would surely burn into her conscious for all time. Yet her curiosity was tempted to take a gander at what Y/N was doing to the bodies.

Only for a second…She told herself. Just one second…

Tuti sealed her lips tight--took in a deep breath--and inched little by little.

As her head turned she resisted the urge to gasp. Six to seven corpses were scattered around. She and Y/N were a long way from the building that MedZin originally trapped them at. Tuti reminded herself there were plenty of lost souls to be found, and her eyes followed a trail of fresh blood. She settled her gaze on Y/N's back.

Tuti squinted her eyes to get a better look. Y/N was crouched above the body of a woman. Although she couldn’t make heads or tails of what was happening, she knew Y/N was eating her. The squishy noise of flesh being ripped had Tuti’s stomach fighting the urge to throw up as goosebumps trailed the fine hairs along her arms.

Gods be damned upon me…Regret took the form of tears in the corner of her eyes.

Tuti knew she should’ve bolted when the men unhanded her to deal with Y/N’s daemonic state. She should’ve ran like hell until her legs could no longer carry the weight of her guilt, but devotion was a fickle thing. She couldn’t in good conscience leave Y/N behind. Not even if they had become a monster and massacred all who tried to stand in their way. Y/N was important, and so was witnessing every horrible act they committed.

Tuti’s thoughts were interrupted as Y/N's growls began to stagnate. Their breathing quaked, and they suddenly flung the corpse away from them.

Tuti jumped as the body tumbled off to the side. The strength behind the shove had her grimace. She could only imagine what her poor body would've felt had she been on the receiving end. Her pondering ceased as her eyes once again followed Y/N.

Y/N started to crawl on all fours as if bipedalism was an uncommon state of being. Their head violently shook from side to side while anguished shrills crept past their lips. Eyes tightly closed as bits of light from the sun trickled into the room. Suddenly, Y/N began to choke on warm blood that flooded their entire throat. Their body heaved as contents from their stomach began to spill. Black bile and bits of meat collapsed onto the floor, creating a noise that sounded like expired milk meeting concrete. The sensation was beyond words and disgust. Painful wheezes were the only noise Y/N made for a time.

The purge of flesh had momentarily snapped Y/N’s conscious out of its catatonic state. They collapsed on their side, only to scramble to their knees once they caught a whiff of the vomit that lay not far. Weakly, Y/N forced the upper half of their body to rise. With heavy breaths, Y/N opened their black and yellow eyes as their head leaned back. They stared at the ceiling as the world twisted in disarray. They had no idea who they were, or what was going on, but everything felt terribly wrong.

Y/N slowly brought their hands up to their eyes. A blotched purple hue plagued their skin as did black spider webbing. Then there was the blood. A murky red that nearly camouflaged well against their clawed fingertips. The copper smell inflamed their nostrils, and their heart skipped a beat. For a split second, Y/N became aware of what was going on. Tears instantly streamed from their eyes, mingling with the same black bile that touched their chin and mouth. The scourge--catching wind that it's hold was failing--attempted to steer it's vessel in another direction. Y/N felt their skull split in half as their brain was doused in sickness.

Throwing back their head, Y/N let out an inhuman screech. The sounds devolved into melancholic growls. More sun came through and they covered their eyes. In a frenzy, Y/N dug their nails into their scalp to relieve themself of pain. Their cries weakened further, and their normal voice started to peak through the cracks of daemonification.

All Tuti could do was cover her mouth as she watched. Her own tears had become heavy as she witnessed Y/N attempting to shine through the monstrous mask. She could scarce believe it. That there was someone that still remained underneath all that.

A loose lightbulb overhead suddenly dropped near Tuti’s location. She gasped into her hand, observing the shattered glass then looked up. Y/N was staring right at her, unblinking.

“By the six, Y/N…” Tuti stuttered. “Don’t come here. Please. Please. Don’t come here.”

Y/N’s head canted to the side in a swift motion. The movement reminded Tuti of a bird cocking its head out of curiosity. Y/N sniffled and leaned forward. Once again on their hands and knees, they slowly crawled toward Tuti. Y/N's features went neutral while never taking their eyes off of her.

Tuti wanted to scream.

Most would’ve followed animal instinct and run, but Tuti froze. She tried to rationalize her choice to remain, given what she witnessed when the MedZin soldiers attempted to flee. They were cut limb from limb in a matter of seconds. Perhaps if she stood her ground, this creature at the helm of Y/N’s body wouldn’t see her as a threat. By all accounts this was stupid, but she had no other choice but to lock in as Y/N was no more than ten feet away now.

Y/N’s head twitched as they sniffed the air. Blinking a few times, the neutrality they wore began to shift. Fright plagued the dark eyes that stared right at Tuti. Uncertain what to make of her, all the while remaining attentive to what she’d do next.

Tuti felt like she was going to have a heart attack.

“It’s alright,” Tuti whispered, more to herself than to Y/N. “It’s alright.”

Y/N seemed to be hypnotized by her words, and Tuti let out a breath she had been holding back. The purr like snort Y/N let out would’ve been almost endearing had they not been consuming a person moments ago.

“Y/N, it’s okay.” Tuti nodded as her lips quivered into a smile. “Everything’s going to be fine!”

Everything’s going to be fine, but not for the dead...Tuti recalled the body count and bit her lip. Now wasn't the time for survivors guilt. Not when she had Y/N more or less settled down.

“Y/N,” Tuti murmured. “I’m going to get help. Do you know what that means? I’m going to fetch the Chancellor. He’ll be here, and you’ll be okay. You hear that? You’re going to be just fine. He’ll fix this!”

She took one step backward and all hell broke loose.

Y/N lunged forward, snapping their mouth in rapid succession at Tuti while they attempted to grab her. Tuti let out a high pitch scream and bolted. Panting heavily, she sprinted down a hall and made a right. Her body slammed into a door, and she let out a pained yelp. She ignored whatever bruises were gained and continued to run as the sound of Y/N's brisk claws rapidly trailed. Suddenly, Tuti felt a huge weight upon her back as Y/N launched themself at her.

Tuti shrieked and she tumbled to the floor with Y/N. Save for the stinging lacerations Y/N inflicted, Tuti couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on. She yelled and used her weight against Y/N, and forced them both to roll over several times before coming to a stop. Tuti felt the wind knock out of her as Y/N slammed her to the ground. Frantically, Tuti's right arm reached out for whatever was near, and pulled a rifle off a MedZin corpse and used it to block Y/N's mashing teeth from reaching her face at the last second.

“Y/N! Stop it!” Tuti bellowed. Her plead fell on deaf ears as Y/N kept snapping. The material of the gun was being peeled away quick, and Tuti knew she didn’t have long. Her eyes rapidly glanced between both their bodies, and using all her strength, Tuti pushed up and kicked Y/N not once but several times in the abdomen.

One pained cry after another escaped Y/N, and while stunned, Tuti adjusted the rifle and used it to hit them across the face. The power behind Tuti’s hit forced Y/N off as they plummeted to the side and away from her.

Tuti scrambled to her feet and ran before Y/N had the chance to recover and finish the job. She ran so fast that the muscles in her calves began to spasm.

“You there, miss!” An Accordo trooper beckoned Tuti to come forth. “Miss, do you need help? We’re looking for survivors of an explosion! Miss! Miss!”

Tuti didn’t register the soldiers who had come to search for survivors. She didn’t hear Y/N let out a haunting scream, nor did she hear the conversation the men had amongst themselves as to what caused it. She didn’t hear them make haste toward Y/N’s location. She didn’t hear the yells, the gunfire, or the sound of an unknown weapon going off, causing Y/N pain beyond measure that the daemonic voice all but disappeared as the human within called out her name.

“TUTI!”

Her ears fell numb to the world, and she didn’t stop running.

After what felt like an eternity, exhaustion had Tuti come to a halt. Out of breath and wheezing, Tuti forced her dry eyes to look around and figure out where she ended up. Buildings that hadn't been touched by the earlier attack greeted her as did a clear sky. The smoke was long gone, and there were seldom few down this road, save for Accordo troopers securing the area. It didn't take long for Tuti to realize she was in one of the districts closest to the port.

“Thank heavens,” she said in between harsh breaths. She grimaced at feeling her clothes stick to her skin from all her perspiration, and felt guilty. This was nothing compared to what Y/N was enduring--that is if they were still alive. Tuti didn't have time to entertain the thought any further as a strong hand gripped her shoulder. She felt the world spin and she screamed.

Ardyn flinched from the screech, making a face as he shook his head. “Tuti?”

“Chancellor Izunia?” Tuti’s bottom lip quivered, happy to see a familiar face. She threw her arms out and embraced him. "Oh thank the six!"

Ardyn was dumbfounded as his arms flew up to avoid being fully ensnared. He acknowledged Tuti had a forcible strength despite her small frame, and wasn't sure if that shocked him or the fact someone genuinely sounded relieved to be basking in his presence. He looked down and his gaze met hers. Tuti's heartsore eyes reminded Ardyn of a devout praying before the heavens to be freed of strife.

“Y/N is back there! I couldn’t do anything but watch. There was so much blood! Y/N’s not themself, and I don’t know what to do! What are we going to do? I didn’t want to run, but what choice did I have?! Y/N tried to kill me and I…Chancellor, what are we going to do?!”

“My dear, you’re going to let me go for starters.” Ardyn grimaced as he calmly coaxed Tuti’s arms and hands away from him. He composed himself the best he could, and softened his hardened gaze. “Second, I need you to breathe. Can you do that?”

“I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I can do that!”

“You can and you will if you care for what happens to Y/N!” Ardyn stated firmly. He somewhat prided himself in the fact he scared her, for Tuti's disposition immediately changed like a switch going off. She shook like a cat who had nearly drowned as Ardyn gestured for her to follow his motions, taking in a big inhale followed by an exhale. Little by little, she started to regain her old self from what he gathered.

“Good, good,” Ardyn replied eagerly. He only had so much patience to aid someone with a basic mindfulness technique.

“Chancellor--”

“Tuti,” Ardyn rested both hands upon her shoulders, minding not to put his weight on her. He made a great effort to not sound hostile, nor give away the desperation that was tugging his pulse. “It’s imperative I know where Y/N is at. I need you to tell me everything.”

“I…alright,” Tuti swallowed. She studied Ardyn's features, noting how tired he was, and she felt a pinch of intimidation run down her body. She also couldn't help but notice how golden his eyes were. Not like the earthy brown tones she had seen in many common people, but an almost ethereal hue that felt dangerous. For a second, Tuti thought she was looking at Y/N's daemonic eyes. Her breath hitched and she averted her gaze. No longer having the strength to be reminded of what almost killed her.

“Y/N and I were heading for the port to evacuate. The Imperial caravan at the hotel was long gone by the time Loqui and I found them. We took to the smaller roads to avoid the crowds. Then out of nowhere, there was this…explosion. It was like a star fell from the heavens and blinded us. The impact sent Y/N and I flying in opposite directions. When I came to, I frantically looked for Y/N before I was manhandled by these people in black uniforms with a red patch--MedZin I think. They talked so fast, but they planned to take Y/N with them and kill me.” She had to pause for a moment, shuddering from the implications of her fate had Y/N not taken to rage.

“And then?” Ardyn besought.

Tuti let out a breath. “Y/N suddenly turned into…something else. A daemon. One by one, our adversaries were slain, but MedZin tossed another one of those bombs at us. Y/N retreated deeper into the building to avoid it. I stupidly chased, and Y/N just kept getting more and more violent. MedZin retreated at that point because Y/N overwhelmed them--"

“Do you know where the men ran off to?” Ardyn interrupted.

“No,” Tuti shook her head. “I wasn’t paying attention. I was too scared Y/N was going to find me. There was a moment I thought Y/N came to their senses, but they tried to attack me. I ended up hurting them, and I think Accordo troopers went seeking them out.” she pointed past him. “The building, it was several blocks down that way…you can’t miss the impact site of the bomb.”

Ardyn let go of Tuti’s shoulders and made a fist. His fingers were loosing blood from the pressure he applied.

“Chancellor, I beseech you I didn’t mean to leave Y/N behind,” Tuti sniffled. She could sense the brief hostility that traveled through him, despite his hands no longer being upon her body. “I’m so sorry--I thought…”

“Don’t speak any further,” Ardyn breathed. He resisted the urge to strike, knowing most would’ve done what she did in order to survive. Using his right index finger, Ardyn poked underneath Tuti’s chin and coaxed her to look up before letting go. “You have my sincere appreciation for what you’ve confessed. What come may, I’ll handle everything.”

“T-thank you, Chancellor.” Tuti weakly gave a bow with her head. As she rose, she followed Ardyn’s hand while he gestured toward a group of Higher Imperials from afar, being escorted by two magitek soldiers. Her heart skipped a beat, knowing there were familiar faces.

“Go to them,” Ardyn encouraged. “Now.”

Tuti glanced over him one last time before she found the courage to pick up her feet again.

After taking in the destruction nearby, Ardyn shadow stepped and headed for the spot Tuti had pointed out. While he transcended through space like nothing, he suddenly felt his body wanting to give out, and it did just that. His breathing raced as the scourge traveled through him, and Ardyn suddenly came to a grinding halt.

“Oh Gods…” He hoarsely whispered, feeling his heart cease like it had been grasped by someone with a tight grip. The last time Ardyn felt his heart stop beating was when Somnus struck him down during their duel for the throne. He remembered it well. Pain and confusion danced in harmony as air left his lungs, and the muscle of his heart desperately pumped without realizing the action would be its undoing. Ardyn felt that same suffering both physically and metaphorically in the present.

Multiple points on his body started to become inflamed, as if the very fibers of Ardyn's muscles wanted to break through his skin. He then heard horrid screams pulse in his ears, and behind his eyes he saw a familiar daemonic entity wearing Y/N's face. The scourge felt beyond excited. The rush of despair Ardyn felt at the last second on Y/N's behalf at Outpost 98 came back to haunt him with a vengeance. Y/N--his Y/N--was close to the finish line just as before.

“Pull yourself together!” Ardyn snarled. He once again shadow stepped as if the gods themselves were trailing him in a hunt.

Minutes passed, and Ardyn neared the site of the explosion. He didn’t want to waste time, but couldn’t resist taking a gander at the impact point. A hint of a sulfur like odor hung in the air which caused him to grimace. He then picked up on a bouquet of scents that had the scourge in his body attempting to shirk away. The hivemind didn’t like this. Not one bit.

“A suffoco was deployed,” Ardyn said quietly to himself, and looked ahead to the large hole that led inside the building. A shroud of screams came tumbling out, and Ardyn braced himself for the worst as he ventured forth into the fray.

The interior of the building was an abysmal mess. What was once a lavish series of offices and intricate halls was now a pigsty of debris, brick, and blood. Ardyn didn’t envy whoever worked here. He imagined how tedious the task would be picking up after the carnage he had observed left and right. The foul sweet smell of the scourge within Y/N’s blood waft in the air, and like an addict, Ardyn eagerly followed the trail.

A noise with a rhythmic tap rang in his ears before the explosion went off. Ardyn lost his balance, and slouched against the wall nearest to his right. It felt as if the rays of the sun kissed through all layers of his flesh. A pained moan fell past his lips. His right hand reached for his chest, and trembled up his neck as a strain took hold.

Confusion rampaged across Ardyn’s eyes while he rapidly glanced around. With each pass of air through his lungs, Ardyn felt his organs clamoring for relief. The commotion was far away. He hadn’t been hit by a suffoco, but by the gods, did it feel like it.

As his ears rang, the rapid tempo of a pulse soon took over as the dominant noise. It wasn’t his heartbeat, but that of another. It hit him all at once as his mind seemingly began to download information at a speed unfathomable to a mortal.

Y/N couldn't breathe. They were alone, terrified, and suffering. The scourge had given up its lust for dominance over the host, and was attacking the body from the inside out in a crude attempt to relieve itself of affliction. Ardyn felt his body flux in temperature. One moment boiling, the next cold as ice. The daemonic entities that resided within screeched so loud, that Ardyn shouted while covering his ears. Falling forward, the shrieking evolved into desperate murmurs of incoherent thought.

“Y/N,” Ardyn gasped. His brain felt like it was melting, but he tried to keep himself afloat. The sclera of his eyes became a pitch black void, and Ardyn instinctively began to follow the voices and Y/N's pulse.

With every step, Ardyn felt agony like no other wash over his soul. He nearly tripped over himself a few times, not used to taking on the burdens of a mortal. Despite discomfort, he persisted on his path. Gods be damned anyone or anything that got in the way of the impulse he felt enslaved to. The very atoms of his being desperately yearned to be with who his scourge had imprinted upon.

Soon enough, Ardyn arrived in the room where he assumed Y/N would be. He stopped to catch his breath and looked downward. Bodies of Accordo troopers littered the area. He couldn’t sense any other life present, until heavy breaths captured his attention.

Ardyn watched in dismay as Y/N suddenly emerged. Like a fish out of water, Y/N crashed and tumbled into everything. In between hysterics, Ardyn noticed Y/N's skin sizzling with an artificial smell that was likened to a rich spice. Y/N had been directly hit by a suffoco, and the light magic within the orb had triggered asphyxiation. He could feel the light that had penetrated attempting to purge the scourge by any means necessary.

Ardyn briefly recalled witnessing demonstrations of the weapons use from Accordo officials. It was one thing to watch in trials, but another to helplessly observe a daemonified creature go through such suffering. He was pulled out of his head as Y/N choked while trying in vain to scream, and made direct eye contact with them.

Despite a pair of abyssal eyes staring him down, Ardyn could see the human showing through. A desperate plead haunted Y/N’s features, and he felt his blood run cold knowing subconsciously what Y/N was telling him despite not having full control of their actions:

They were making their peace with the end.

“No, no, no!” Ardyn shook his head. His voice teetered on the edge between human and monster, enough to startle Y/N. “You don’t have the right to do that! You don’t have the damned right! We don't take the easy way out, Y/N!"

For a moment, Ardyn thought he had them under his control until he witnessed Y/N’s scourge veins rapidly pulsate. It was like witnessing a caterpillar attempting to burst out of its cocoon in a bloody mess. During his turmoil, Ardyn didn't pay attention to the fact Y/N suddenly attacked him. The punches made him snarl, and he felt Y/N cut open his left arm with a swipe of their clawed fingertips. Ardyn let out a pained hiss as Y/N flung themself off and retreated.

“Y/N, come back!” Ardyn beseeched with a yell. “Y/N!”

He chased after them and Y/N collapsed against the legs of a table nearby. Their airway now almost completely blocked, they began to let out a sickening wheeze. Ardyn came to their side and fell upon his knees. He gathered Y/N's body into his arms. His tear brimmed eyes desperately searched them over while he tried to shake them back into consciousness.

“Oh no, no, no! Y/N!” Ardyn's voice strained while his mind flickered between the past and present. Y/N's painful rasps intermingled with the somber breaths Aera had taken before she had perished. History was repeating itself in a way that crushed him more than the blade of Somnus piercing his back, and Ardyn desperately cried out as Y/N violently escaped from his grasp.

Amidst the sudden jolt, Ardyn froze as an idea leeched into his head. If the panic could be settled, if the scourge could be reassured--like he had done for Y/N's flares in the past--perhaps there was a chance of survival. Instinct beckoned him to give more of his scourge to Y/N, and to lure Y/N's pain to a singular point.

Ardyn's mouth fell open as he saw the irony of their roles being reversed. It was now Y/N's turn to feed off him in order to heal. While the thought seemed counterintuitive, he had to try. He couldn't--no, he wouldn't go through a painful loss again. He rapidly began to think of ways to get the scourge into Y/N. There was nothing sterile like a syringe near, and he scarce doubted such an item existed in an office setting. Ardyn nearly settled for hovering his injured arm above their mouth and letting the scourge drip, but he realized Y/N could choke further.

"There's gotta be some damned way to-!"

Ardyn looked down at his sliced arm, watching blood and dark bile seep from the wound. His heart skipped a beat as revelation cleared his mind, then carefully brought the injured limb to his mouth and started to suckle. Ardyn could feel the underside of his tongue fill with scourge, and he tried to contain it without it falling to the back of his throat. After consuming much, he lifted his head. Blood and scourge oozed from the corners of his mouth as a determined fixation lingered in his gaze.

While Y/N began to rise from the ground, Ardyn’s right hand grabbed a hold of their head from the chin in a tight vice. He forcibly turned them around. Y/N gagged out a hoarse yell in protest. The whites of their eyes were pushing and pulling against the darkness. Ardyn could sense through their agony that they didn’t want to fight him, but had no control over themselves. Not in this sorry state.

Before Y/N had the chance to attack, Ardyn brashly pinned Y/N to the ground with his body. Either side of his arms caged their head. He leaned forward and Y/N cried out as his left hand cupped the side of their face. Ardyn let go of his hesitance, tilted his head, and softly pressed his lips to Y/N's. Closing his eyes, he forced his tongue inside their mouth and remained still, letting the scourge he had gathered slowly descend into Y/N's body.

Little by little, Ardyn felt Y/N's trembling cease. He calmly breathed through his nose, and flinched when his throat captured one of Y/N's gasps. The scourge was definitely distracted. He could feel it begin to sync up with his own, losing its fear to the light that he was snuffing out. Gods be damned to all hells known if this wasn't going to work. This had to work. He would make it so.

As the seconds ticked on, Ardyn moved his mouth ever so slightly. His tongue lifted and tugged against Y/N's, controlling the flow of the scourge. The sound of Y/N's heartbeat in his ears began to dissipate as his own increased. He felt a moan from Y/N reverberate through his mouth, and impulsively returned a groan of pleasure. Euphoria began to flood him, which confused Ardyn greatly. He shouldn't have been deriving any sort of satisfaction from this act yet his nerves melted. His knees grew weak as he felt Y/N's bottom lip feebly tug. If he didn't know better, they were trying to kiss him back.

Ardyn tried to not allow such sentiment to interfere with his aid. This was nothing but a transaction to ensure both parties would survive, yet he could feel himself succumbing to the similar affections he craved at the springs. There was a part of Ardyn, a part he denied, that hoped the kiss would linger. He prayed even harder that Y/N wouldn't pick up on these feelings through their bond.

Ardyn's face flushed with warmth while he slightly opened his eyes. He admired the little imperfections in Y/N's skin before the hand that was cradling their face gripped further. His thumb brushed upon their flesh delicately and he closed his eyes yet again and deepened the dark kiss. His movements were deliberately slow, giving Y/N plenty of time for their body to settle and even push him away should they be fairing well. Ardyn could feel Y/N's scourge merge with the hivemind that flickered in the back of his subconscious. It wouldn't be long before it would become dormant at his behest.

A muffled groan from Y/N’s end had Ardyn freeze. The noise wasn’t feeble and broken but strong, indicating to him that Y/N could breathe freely. He relinquished whatever desires that held him, and lifted his lips from Y/N’s. His eyes carded over their face, relief grasping him at seeing natural color return to Y/N’s flesh. Save for the small patches of scourge markings, they were by all accounts normal. He hoped in mind, that similar results would show. That Y/N was still there, in their head and in control.

Ardyn removed himself from Y/N. He adjusted his legs, now sitting upon his knees as he bundled up Y/N close to his chest. While supporting Y/N with his left arm, Ardyn used his right hand to softly nudge their face. Fear tip toed around him as he pondered the what ifs. Y/N wasn’t dying no longer. The scourge all but confirmed that, but such assurance from spirits of darkness did little to calm the erratic ache of not knowing in full.

“Y/N,” Ardyn whispered in plea. “Y/N, talk to me. Talk to me."

He stilled when Y/N opened their eyes. There was no trace of a familiar set of amber orbs looking upon him as if he had held up a mirror to himself.

“Hi,” Y/N croaked. The word was faint and scratchy, but it was enough. Shortly after, Y/N closed their eyes and passed out. Their body and mind too worn to comprehend the world.

Despite them passing out, words couldn't convey nor touch how relieved Ardyn felt in this moment. To be free of loss's burden was a blessing sweeter than all the sins he had committed upon others. Ardyn closed his eyes while settling down his nerves, and embraced Y/N tightly to him. Had he been a pious man, perhaps the gods would've deserve some praise for the occasion, but alas not. He saved Y/N himself. An immortal--Adagium--saved someone with his own curse.

“What are you doing?”

Like a mirror being crashed into, Ardyn’s body stiffened at the intrusion of Loqui's voice. He was rattled out of his peace, and the deep yellows behind his black eyes constricted while he growled under breath.

“Chancellor, what are you doing with Y/N?” Loqui’s voice grew louder. He stepped forward, and his mouth fell open. Shock fell upon his face as he caught glimpse of the scourge markings that covered Y/N's legs. "Y/N's...no, Y/N's a daemon?"

Ardyn kept his back to Loqui, shielding the majority of Y/N from him. His shoulders quaked as the relief he had felt seconds ago, began to burn off into a resentful anger.

“This can’t be!” Loqui stepped back. He shook his head. “Did the attackers infect Y/N?!”

“No,” Ardyn lowly replied.

“So then…” Loqui’s voice trailed off as he started to put it together. He could feel his face turning a pale. “Has Y/N been sick this whole time?”

“You were supposed to be watching them!” Ardyn bellowed. He turned his face to the side; daemonic features long gone yet his animosity remained. "You stupid, reckless, boy!"

The sudden scream had Loqui jump and lose his train of thought. He watched Ardyn rise to his feet with Y/N in tow. Despite being scared, Loqui felt weeks of pent up frustration toward the Chancellor come tumbling out. He stood his ground, and glared while firmly talking back to Ardyn.

“Chancellor or not, you will not address me as such!”

“I can damn well call you by the name of every filth on Eos if it would give me pleasure!” Ardyn spat. “Y/N and I argued for a day and night over you being their guardian while I attended the empires affairs in Altissa, and your negligence almost cost them everything!”

“You can’t pin this all on me!” Loqui retaliated. “My commands from the battalion take precedence in the event of--!”

“Precedence? Don’t make me laugh!” Ardyn interrupted with a bitter scoff. “I know you all too well, boy. You walk in the shadow of your father and wished to be seen in the same light as he. That’s why aiding the House of the Courts benefited you versus keeping Y/N--and Tuti for that matter--safe from our enemies! It wouldn’t bode well on your resume, no, but saving Madam Secretary and all those Higher Imperials would’ve done numbers for your reputation! Admit it you little leech!”

“You don't know a damn thing about me, and you should talk! Like you've done any better regarding Y/N's welfare!" Loqui countered. “All this time Y/N has been sick with the starscourge, and you didn’t do or say anything about it? Does the emperor know?! Is Chief Besithia aware of that?!”

“I am not privy to disclose or break Y/N’s confidence to the likes of you, regardless of how highly they’ve spoken of your character!” Ardyn yelled. “Y/N’s burdens are mine and Chief Besithia’s responsibility, not yours nor anyone else!”

“So Y/N is a pet project then? Something for you and the Research Ministry to poke and prod at?!” Loqui felt his blood boil at the mere thought. “The laws are clear, Chancellor that we ease the suffering of those afflicted! The starscouge is a fate worse than death, the whole world knows that even our enemies! You're an inhuman monster for this! If you cared anything for Y/N, you'd-!"

“Don’t you DARE tell me I don’t care about them!”

The air stilled as both men froze, staring one another down.

There was a time that Loqui believed while he could never beat the Chancellor in a game of wits, he could physically usurp him. The feelings of betrayal and anger tempted Loqui to prove his point. His mind was already made up, yet his body didn’t move to the commands of his conscious. Loqui was surprised. The fury behind Ardyn’s words were long gone, but the presence of an unfathomable rage lingered like a sickness that refused to part ways.

Ardyn never once flinched. His firm posture--the way he held Y/N protectively to him--indicated to Loqui he had struck a nerve so deep, that the false bravado Ardyn displayed among the public could devolve into something dangerous. He had just earned himself a little taste of it. The very nerves under his flesh tinged at the realization.

Loqui let out a snort, and lowered his head. Literally bowing out of a potential brawl. He made as fist as Ardyn began to walk with Y/N in tow and stopped. Loqui could feel the Chancellor’s eyes raining daggers upon him, and refused to look him in the eye.

“There’s a thousand ways we can go about this, but I’ll keep it simple.” Ardyn coldly spoke. “Speak of Y/N’s condition to anyone, and I’ll ensure unfathomable suffering befalls you and your kin.”

Loqui flinched. “You’d really resort to that?”

“To protect Y/N, and the interests of empire itself, yes.” Ardyn firmly replied. He leaned in closer so he was nearly whispering in Loqui’s ear menacingly. “If I had half a mind, I'd encourage the Imperial army to demote you to such a low rank that worms would take precedence over your value. Alas, I will not be moving forward with such commands. I do this kindness for Y/N by sparing you, but make note: this will be the first and last time you ever question my sensibilities. Is that quite understood?"

“Yes…”

“Yes what?”

Loqui grit his teeth. “Yes Chancellor.”

“That’s what I love to hear.”

Loqui’s emotions were teetering on the edge at the way Ardyn mockingly said love. He didn’t know if Ardyn was mocking his feelings to Y/N, or if the Chancellor himself was admitting his own emotions in a subtle ploy. Mind games were not Loqui’s forte, nor did he ever want to become a person who enjoyed said things. It was best to let it go, despite having the urge to chuck his sword right through the man's chest while his guard was down.

Enraged and at a loss, Loqui didn't hear Ardyn make his departure. Nor did he hear him state he would be seeking medical attention for Y/N. Loqui peered up and watched as Ardyn disappeared down the hall, leaving him with eviscerated corpses. The likes of which Loqui couldn't fathom. He grimaced as nausea curled its finger around his chin and tempted him onward.

As he left the massacre behind him, Loqui couldn’t help but wonder if it was Y/N or the Chancellor who had committed these violent acts. Knowing Y/N was tainted by the scourge, it had to be them. But there was something about the Chancellor’s manner that him questioning everything down to his loyalties. He couldn't help but wonder how far the rabbit hole went, and wished more than anything, that he could lean on the wisdom of his father.

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