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IGNIS
You gasped as you clutched your injury, trying to hide it from the group even though you were clearly hurt and bleeding a lot. Ignis was smarter than this, however, and very observant, enough to realize what was going on before any of the others did.
Walking a little faster to catch up with you after the battle, he took you by the arm and spoke lowly not to alarm the others.
“Y/N, you are hurt” Ignis said sternly, knowing enough about you to foresee that you would brush it off.
“I’m okay” You just said, even if clenching your jaw not to complain about the pain.
Your friend let out a soft sigh and adjusted his glasses, then briefly looking over his shoulder to the rest of the group. Noctis, Prompto and Gladio were completely oblivious to the situation, so Ignis gathered his full attention back on you.
Trying to convince you, he gingerly rested a hand on your back and spoke closely to your ear so only you could hear.
“Come, we will patch you up and then you can get some rest” His voice was soft and gentle even if there was a hint of impatience on it.
“I said I’m okay, Ignis” You replied nonetheless, walking faster to try and avoid him.
“This is absurd, Y/N” Ignis easily caught up to you. “Quit your puerile attitude and allow me to help you”
You dangerously stumbled, but he was fast enough to hold you up by the arm. After you regained your balance, he still didn’t let go of you.
“It’s not puerile, Ignis” You were gasping for breath and your vision had started becoming blurry, but you tried to hide it all. “I said I’m fine, it’s just a scratch”
“You are bleeding profusely” He disagreed, sternly focusing his green eyes on you.
“Ignis…” You complained, but he adamantly shook his head.
“While it causes me great displeasure to disagree with you, I must protect you even against your wishes” The man said, allowing you to weakly lean over him as your strengths failed you. “No matter how stubborn you might be about it, darling”
Before you could say anything else, Ignis looked over his shoulder to your friends. Despite his authoritarian stance, you noticed his hands were shaking as he held you up with both of them.
“Noct!” Ignis called out. “Quickly, bring the car!”
“What’s wrong?” Gladio’s deep voice asked while you heard Noctis warping away without questioning it.
“Y/N is severely hurt” Ignis’ voice sounded slightly hoarse as his hands nervously changed their grip from your upper arm to your waist, also using his arms to better support you. “We must make haste and treat the wound”
“I have a potion!” Prompto quickly pointed out, and you heard his feet stomping on the ground as he approached you.
However, and before the potion could be administered to you, you felt how your knees buckled and you completely collapsed over Ignis’ torso as the world turned to black.
PROMPTO
You felt relieved as you finally made it to Hammerhead, where you could sit down and rest. No more endless walking and no more standing under the hot noon sun. Nonetheless, you were still exhausted and in pain, but you had managed to cover your wound and conceal it from your friends so far. Or at least almost all of them.
As you feebly leaned on a wall, you watched Prompto approaching you. That sweet boy had been keeping an eye on you ever since you left the battlefield. The other three had, of course, noticed something strange as well, but they believed you when you brushed it off saying you were just tired. Prompto, however, didn’t quite buy it.
“Hey, Y/N, um…” He bashfully piped up as you tried your hardest to appear normal. “Are you okay? You’re not looking so good, you’re all sweaty and everything. And you’re awfully quiet…”
“I’m fine, Prompto” You managed a weak smile, even if his frown never softened.
“You sure? Want me to call Iggy or something?”
“I’m sure. Don’t tell them, okay? I’m just tired, I’ll be fine as soon as I rest a little later”
Prompto nibbled on his bottom lip, his blue eyes settled over your side. Just then you noticed you were clutching it there where your wound was, but you didn’t want to uncover it in case he saw the blood. Instead, you softened the strength on your grip.
“Are you okay, for real?” You had never heard him so serious, his usually upbeat voice sounded low and soft. “You look so pale…”
“I’m okay, for real” You tried not to move too much, scared that a bad movement gave you away.
Prompto didn’t seem too convinced, but he left anyway. You let out a sigh as soon as he walked away, wishing they cut the visit to Hammerhead short and you could sit back on the Regalia and rest. You would cover up your wound as soon as you found an outpost, you had already used a potion to buy yourself some time.
Your plans were trumped, however, when you noticed Prompto tugging at Iggy’s arm. He was telling him, and Ignis was now hurrying over to you.
“Damn it, Prompto…” You whispered to yourself, feeling betrayed.
Leaning away from the walk, you took a few steps closer to them. Words were already forming in your head, trying to find excuses as to why Prompto was so worried. You wobbled when you lost your source of support, however, and the two hurried to your side. Ignis wasn’t fast enough, but Prompto arrived just in time to hold you up as you drifted into unconscisouness.
NOCTIS
You gasped as you weakly plopped down in the car, in your seat next to Noctis. You had managed to hide your injury from the guys that long, but you didn’t know how long you could keep up the act for anymore. You were exhausted, your vision was blurry and your wound hurt like hell.
“Y/N?” Noctis whispered, staring at you intently, noticing something was off.
Before you could reply, you cleared your throat to avoid your voice sounding hoarse. Then you looked up at him with the best and most convincing smile you could put together.
“Yeah” You held his glance, no matter how hard it was to focus on his blue eyes.
“You okay?” There was concern in his voice, but you tried to brush it off.
“Sure, just tired” You carelessly waved a hand in the air and closed your eyes, pretending to sleep when in reality you just wanted to stop the world from spinning around you.
Now that the Regalia was moving again, the constant movement of the car was making you queasy and with every bump in the road you could feel the wound in your side scream out with a pang of pain.
You opened your eyes just enough to take a look around you. Ignis was focused on the road, Prompto was absently looking at the landscape to the right and Gladio was immersed in his book. At least the boys hadn’t noticed, and you hoped Noctis believed your excuse.
With a huge bump, you bounced in the seat due to the inertia and couldn’t suppress a groan, feeling how your wound bothered you even more.
“Iggy…” You complained, closing your eyes again as you leaned over the side of the car.
“My apologies” He muttered, thinking you were just annoyed.
You didn’t know what to do, but you needed to do something. Not only were you sweaty, weak, dizzy, queasy and in pain. You were also very uncomfortable and quite delirious.
“You sure you’re okay?” Came Noctis’ voice again, just as you somehow got comfortable.
“Yeah, why?” You mumbled in an instinct, not bothering to open your eyes.
“You never put your head on my shoulder” With his words you realized that was the reason why you were feeling a little bit more comfortable now.
“Mmm…” You just groaned, not feeling strong enough to move. Everything was horrible, and at least Noct’s warmth and softness brought you some comfort.
“Uh… Iggy?” He spoke up, sounding a little nervous and insecure.
“Yes, Noct?”
“I think Y/N is sick…”
“Oh my god, they're bleeding!” Prompto’s loud voice made you wince but you still didn’t move.
You felt the car come to a halt but refused to leave the comfort of Noctis’ support. He clumsily put your hair aside to take a look at your face.
“You’re burning up!” He exclaimed, fidgeting around a little.
“I’m fine” You softly swatted him away.
“Noct?”
“I think we should get them somewhere safe”
“But what about the wound?!”
“Prompto, please, don’t speak so loudly, Y/N isn’t feeling well”
“I’m with Gladio, we should take them somewhere safe” Noctis carefully grabbed the hem of your shirt, trying to take a look at your side as the blood stained the fabric but you weakly swatted him.
However, as soon as you touched it, you took ahold of his hand. It felt so nice.
“Your hands are cold” You pressed it against your forehead, since his cold skin made your fever a little better.
Part of you wanted to push Noct away again, but your delirious state made it hard to fight back. Besides, his closeness and your head on his shoulder seemed to be the only thing bringing you some stability and comfort. Nonetheless, you didn’t want to gather the other’s attention. Just Noctis’, he was the only one you were allowing to slightly freak out, and only because his attention seemed to improve your terrible state. It was so cozy, and more when he put an arm around you, even if stuttering. You could hear ruckus around you and noticed Ignis had stopped the car, but you still didn’t move. You were falling asleep on Noctis’ shoulder, even if your friends asked you to stay awake.
GLADIO
His amber eyes were settled on you, you felt them burning in your nape as he refused to tear his gaze away from your persona. He knew, no matter how hard you were trying to hide it, he knew. Was it that you were dragging your feet across the ground as you walked? Were you hunching over tiredly? Just then you realized you were clutching your arm, so you casually let go of it and subtly took a look at it to figure out if there was blood sipping through the fabric of your clothes.
“Hey” His raspy voice called out to you. You pretended you didn’t hear him, but he insisted. “Hey, Y/N”
“What?” You asked back, exhausted yet trying not to show it.
“What’s with you?” With Gladio’s question, the other three men looked at you.
“Nothing” You forced a smile to comfort them. “I’m fine, guys”
Ignis, Prompto and Noctis gave you strange looks but didn’t ask, they just continued to walk. Gladio wasn’t as satisfied, though.
“Lemme guess, you got hurt”
“No…”
“And you’re trying to cover it up not to make a fuss out of it”
“I said I’m fine, Gladio”
“You’re not fine, stop being so stubborn”
“Look who’s talking” You knew you were pigheaded, but Gladio was a tough competitor himself.
You suddenly yelped when he held you by the arm, causing a wave of pain to spread through your arm and up your shoulder. Gladio immediately let go of you, so fast that it seemed like he was the one to feel the pain instead of you.
Luckily, the other three were immersed in a lively chatter and were too far away now to hear anything. But Gladio’s concern only worsened at your reaction.
“Lemme see” He crossed his arms, bearing an expression that admitted no arguments.
Honestly, you were too tired to argue anymore. You felt how your energy was being drained due to the blood loss. Not that it was a serious injury, but during your last encounter you had gotten hurt by a sabertusk and its horn made a deep cut in your arm that was now gushing blood. You just gave him your arm, allowing him to roll up your sleeve and do all the work himself. You just felt like collapsing on the ground and falling asleep, you were so tired. You winced as Gladio gingerly revealed your wound and let out a shaky sigh. Instead of taking you by the arm, he put an arm around your waist not to hurt you.
“That’s it, we’re going back to camp” If he was usually stronger than you, now that he was so determined and you so weak, there was no stopping him as he took you with him.
“No! I said I’m fine!” You refused to let the party stop everything just to take care of such a tiny inconvenience.
“If you don’t let me take care of you, I’m gonna have to tell the others” There was a bit of smugness in his voice, even if it was mostly laced with concern still.
“You wouldn’t dare” You closed your eyes, feeling how every bit of energy left in you was leaving your body and Gladio’s arm almost supported you entirely.
“Iggy!” Gladio exclaimed, gathering the group’s attention. You didn’t complain, feeling too faint to even open your eyes. “Y/N got hurt!”
“What?!” The three of them muttered exclamations of their own as you heard them rushing to your side.
“You traitor” You managed to let out as the very last of your energies left you.
“No need to thank me, gorgeous” Gladio said as he effortlessly picked you up in his arms.
You began to drift into the darkness as you groggily thought that, even if they would all freak out, at least you were safe under Gladio’s supervision.