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“Gladiolus, let go of me!” Ignis hissed the quiet words into his lover’s ear. Six, it was so late at night, it would probably be more accurate to say that it was quite early in the morning. And he was dead tired.
It was worth it.
Gladio had spirited Ignis into the Amicitia family home long after he knew supper would be finished, Iris would be in bed, and Clarus closeted away in his study. Stealthily, they had crept down the halls, avoiding disturbing Jared where he sat reading in the parlor.
The young men had felt quite triumphant when they reached Gladio’s room undetected.
And they celebrated for hours.
Now, Ignis was desperate for a shower, a vat of Ebony, and a few moments to put himself together before beginning a long day that would be made to feel much longer from lack of sleep.
So worth it.
If Ignis could only get his boyfriend to unhand him long enough, he’d be on his way to that much-needed coffee.
“Gladio,” he whispered in entreaty. “Please.”
Gladio chuckled, the sound a velvety purr in the quiet of the hall. “Begging?” He grinned lasciviously. “I like it.”
Ignis groaned, and very narrowly resisted the urge to adjust his glasses. “You underestimate the peril in which you place yourself by keeping me from my Ebony.”
Gladio seemed to take a moment to weigh the risk versus reward, though he wore an amused smile throughout. Finally, after placing a soft kiss on the advisor’s forehead, Gladio let go of the other man.
“Fine, fine,” he grumbled playfully. “Go to your one true love. I see how it is.”
Ignis huffed out an exasperated breath. “Darling, you’re hilarious. Now, I really must be off.”
After pausing only long enough to slant a bemused smirk at his lover, proving his annoyed vocal tone to be a lie, Ignis took off silently down the hall. He’d been in the Amicitia residence often enough that navigating towards the front door in the dark wasn’t a hardship. And, well, as frustrating as the necessity of sneaking around could be, at least it gave him ample opportunities to practice stealthing.
“Ignis?”
The man in question felt his heart-rate stutter, then increase exponentially. “Lord Amicitia,” he said as smoothly as possible, turning and bowing deferentially to Gladio’s father.
Clarus scoffed, and reached out to haul Ignis upright. “I hardly think we need to stand on such formality at this point, lad,” he observed drily.
“S-sir…” Ignis stammered, trailing off, not having the slightest clue how to explain this.
Clarus barked a short laugh, and his face was not unkind. “It’s okay, Ignis. Drive safely. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again soon.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ignis said.
Clarus waved a hand dismissively. “Good night. Or morning, as the case may be.” He chuckled.
Ignis offered a polite smile in response, ducked his head briefly in respect, and made it through the front door and halfway down the street to his car before he imagined he heard the click of the door closing behind him.
Astrals. That could have gone worse.
He hoped Clarus let Gladio catch a few hours of sleep before the inevitable conversation that would be sparked by the elder Amicitia finding his son’s “best friend” creeping out the door at all hours.
Ignis climbed into his car, buckled up, and headed home with alacrity.
His Ebony was waiting for him, after all.