Chapter Text
The door slid open with a quiet creak. It had been this way for as long as Noctis could remember, despite the countless times the tracks had been cleaned and the wheels greased. But that was okay. He liked it this way. His father had once jokingly remarked that Noctis seemed to have a fondness for slightly broken things. Not true, Noctis had replied — the door wasn't broken, just worn.
The creaking was actually useful. Noctis hadn't knocked, had been told never to do so in the headquarters, so the noise served as announcement of his arrival. Inside, the teenager who had been assigned to keep watch turned around, immediately stood up and bowed at Noctis.
"Young Master."
Hearing this, the other person in the room, who had been in the bed under a pair of windows, pushed himself up, "Yo—"
Noctis gestured for the boy to leave, at the same time moving over to the man who was in bed. "Stay where you are, Ignis."
"I, ah, my apologies. Good day, Young Master."
"Hmm."
It was well-known within the family that Noctis and Ignis were more informal with each other than they really ought to be, but it was good to show the boy the proper way of doing things and, well, things were a little on the rocky side between them at the moment; when Noctis came in here yesterday he had made sure Ignis knew how displeased he was with what had happened. Formality, when used the right way, was not weapon or armour, but a cushion to soften blows and lighten discomfort.
But that was one of the reasons why Noctis was here now, to fix things.
Noctis waited until the boy was gone — after confirming that he would bring some batteries for Ignis — and the door clicked shut after a soft squeak, then took the seat that had been vacated.
"Did I interrupt anything?"
"Nothing of importance; Talcott's already read me the day's papers, so I encouraged him to tell me about his figure collection, to help pass the time."
"Ha. That's not 'nothing of importance' at all, at least not from his point of view."
This was a good start; they were both relaxing back into their usual rhythm already.
"True."
"You should be resting, not looking for conversation."
"There is only so much a man can sleep, Noct." A brief pause, then Ignis added, as Noctis snorted softly, "correction: there is only so much I can sleep."
Noctis smiled, wry. Not that Ignis could see it right now, with his heavily-bandaged eyes. The eyes themselves were fine — what a stroke of luck, the doctors had said — but the injuries near them, including on the eyelids, meant it was best to have the whole area wrapped up until sufficient healing had taken place. Ignis had protested, of course, saying that he didn't care if his face healed ugly, but Noctis went with the doctors' recommendations and here, Noctis's word was law. Besides, even if Ignis was able to see he wouldn't be able to work anyway, with broken ribs and lacerations that would also take time to mend.
Looking around the room that had been turned into a private hospital ward, Noctis's gaze landed on the IV drip hanging on a stand, then followed the line to where it went into the back of Ignis's hand. For pain management, apparently.
"Is anything hurting?"
"No," said Ignis, who then took a moment to consider his answer. "Well, everything hurts, but only mildly. It's better than being entirely numb, I feel."
"Hmm."
"I've been told that I will heal well."
Noctis nodded, then tried to do an impression of one of the doctors hired to treat Ignis. "He's going to be handsomely scarred on the face and chest, and a bit on his abdomen."
"That is uncanny."
"My secret skill, if this whole 'head of family' schtick doesn't work out," said Noctis, then he slipped back into the impression once more. "Very lucky lad, to have survived something like that and not even get shrapnel in his groin. He can still have children and all that, not a problem. Hmm yes."
"What did he mean by 'and all that'?"
"I don't know, pee, I guess?"
"Well I suppose that is also important. One would not want to not be able to relieve oneself."
"One would not want to not be able to do a number one?"
That made Ignis's mouth curl upwards. "Wonderful."
"Pfft."
Enough banter. Noctis came here with something he had to say.
He got up and walked around the room. It was much more cluttered here, in the first two days when the place was converted into an operating theatre. Now it was a recovery ward for Ignis.
The air conditioning hummed softly from its spot on the wall. Today's newspaper, a flask of water and a glass, and a radio sat on top of a round metal table, within reach from the bed, although someone had also brought Ignis his Walkman and several tapes which were beside his pillow right now. The sideboard was home to a several boxes of medication and bandages, as well as something Noctis couldn't quite make sense of. He walked closer to take a look.
Ignis's glasses, shattered and twisted out of shape.
Noctis remembered. He hadn't even known Ignis was behind him until the blast, and the weight of a man falling onto him knocked him over. His ears ringing, he scrambled to get away from who he thought was one of the Izunias and his blade nearly sank into flesh before he realised it was Ignis and Ignis was covered in blood.
His glasses were still on his face at that point, as bent as they were now, bits of glass hanging from the frame, and a part of the frame itself stabbed into an eye socket, the whole thing teetering perilously. Nobody dared to touch anything until he was brought back here and a doctor carefully removed the item that was supposed to help Ignis see but nearly blinded him instead.
If Ignis hadn't been there and shielded Noctis from the homemade bomb... well, there was no way to tell. Perhaps Noctis would have survived, perhaps not.
"I will heal, Noct. There's nothing to worry about."
"Who said I was worried?" asked Noctis in an offended tone, though not really meaning it at all.
"Talcott."
"That kid, I swear he'll never get a promotion if he doesn't learn to keep his mouth shut."
"Haha..."
Silence. Noctis sat back down again, pulled his chair closer, until his knees met the edge of Ignis's bed. His gaze dipped, landing on Ignis's hand. No, Noctis shouldn't touch him at all. Ignis couldn't see, it meant he couldn't pull back.
It was said that it was better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission. But Noctis couldn't bring himself to even try. He just couldn't. There was too much on the line. And that wasn't what he was here for.
"Hey, so, I want to apo—"
"Noct. I'm—"
"What? Shit! Ignis don't—" Noctis sprung out of his chair as Ignis tried to get out of bed again. "Don't move you idiot."
"I've been lying here for days."
Crap. Noctis wanted to push Ignis to lie back down but he didn't even know where he could put his hands, with Ignis so bandaged up.
"It's only been three days!"
The bedframe creaked as Ignis swung his legs to the side.
"At least let me sit up for a few minutes. Please."
"Ignis!"
Even before he finished saying the name, even before Ignis stiffened up, Noctis regretted his tone. But it was too late, and the response of "yes, Young Master" stung hard.
He hated this, hated this wall between them, even if it was for the best.
Noctis slumped down into his chair and let his hands fall to his knees as Ignis lay down again, and Noctis was too hesitant and worried about hurting him to try to help. In the last second, he hastily puffed up the pillow for Ignis.
"Oh. Um, thank you very much."
"Hmm."
"You were saying..."
"Uh, you first," Noctis muttered.
That wasn't how things were supposed to work here — Noctis wasn't meant to wait for anyone to speak before him — but after a moment of silence to confirm the instruction, Ignis cleared his throat.
"My sincere apologies for my poor handling of the situation back there," said Ignis, probably insincerely because Ignis had not done a thing wrong and he must know it.
But for a moment Noctis considered just accepting the apology. It would be easier. And Ignis worked for the family, part of his job description was to take the blame.
"No."
No, because just blindly — Noctis bit back a bitter chuckle — accepting apologies and praise was not the Lucis Caelum way.
"Young Master?"
"You shielded me from a bomb."
"But I would not be incapacitated now had I been smarter and—"
"You only had a split second to react. What you did saved my life. I was wrong to shout at you yesterday."
The normal thing to do now would be for Ignis to bow, and not being able to do that made him struggle to form a response. "Thank you... Young Master..."
"Sorry."
There. Noctis said it. And it wasn't difficult at all.
"Noct..."
It wasn't difficult, Noctis just had a feeling that the moment he said it he would have problems holding his emotions in, and he was right.
It was fine. Ignis couldn't see him right now.
Noctis wiped his eyes with the edge of his sleeve, and held his voice steady. "The Izunias are dishonourable, and they will answer for what they've done to you."
"Because of me?" It looked like Ignis wanted to sit up again, but thought the better of it. "I'm just one man!"
"Ardyn has crossed a line by using those bombs, Ignis. We can't just sit and watch anymore."
Ignis took a moment to digest this. "We are no longer adopting the policy of toleration, then."
Noctis nodded. "Dad announced it this morning. Everyone's preparing, we're going in tonight." He put his hand back down on his knee, clutching. "You saved my life. Now let me... let the family look after you. What's the point of any of this if we don't even protect our own?"
Ignis's lips were trembling. "But while I lie here, completely useless..."
He couldn't help it. Reaching forward, Noctis let his hand rest on Ignis's. "It'll be fine. The Nox Fleurets are coming with us, thanks to your meeting with Ravus last week."
That seemed to soothe Ignis a little. "I see."
"Do you?"
Ignis snorted. Noctis squeezed his hand lightly.
"Enemy of the enemy is our friend, right? Dad was so impressed that you managed to convince them, and I was like, 'told you'."
"I have to admit, their second-in-command was ever so intimidating."
"Haha, and Ravus told Dad that you're a tough negotiator. He sends his regards, by the way." Enough. Noctis let go. "I need to get going; I gotta prepare as well."
"Noct—"
"Yeah yeah, I know, I'll be careful."
Noctis opened the door and checked outside — Talcott was just returning, armed with more batteries so that Ignis could listen to music. Good, something to distract the man with tonight. Noctis had debated not even telling Ignis about tonight's plans, but that felt wrong. Ignis was one of them, and in training to become the family's advisor. He was the one person who must make, or at least know about, the plans.
After a quick word with Talcott to make sure that he would attend to Ignis's every need, Noctis took Ignis's glasses with him without thinking and left, sliding the creaking door closed behind him.
Not broken, just worn. And Ignis was neither, because Noctis would not compare Ignis to an old door, even if he liked the door and he was fond of Ignis. Too fond.
It wasn't something Noctis would ever be able act on. So he would show his love some other way.
The Izunias would meet their end tonight.