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It took Gladio an extra 2 hours to make the drive up to his family's cabin.
It was maybe more a product of caution over necessity, but the roads were slowing getting lost under a layer of white, thick flakes of snow that turned to slush on Gladio's windshield before his wipers could clean them away. The last thing he needed was to slide his car into a ditch, miles away from Insomnia and the help of tow-trucks or emergency services. He was headed up to the mountain wilderness for some much needed stress relief. Starting his long weekend with a car wreck would have the opposite effect.
The twists and turns onto increasingly unkempt roads led him deep into a forest of pines, but even in the dark and with exhaustion creeping in, Gladio knew the path like the back of his hand from years on years of family trips. Finally, after a long workweek and too many hours of tense driving, he came to his destination.
Gladio had always been a light packer, and it only took one trip from his car to bring all of his things inside; a duffle bag of clothes and toiletries, a handful of essentials to restock the pantry and fridge while he was there. There was a sense of coming home, even if it was more accurately his home away from home, but Gladio had always felt more at ease off the grid and hidden in the mountains. The cabin was dark and cold as he walked in the door and dropped his things, dripping with snow just from the short walk from his car. A fire was in order, Gladio decided while flipping on the lights, the quickest way to warm the place up. They’d stockpiled plenty of firewood for the winter, and if Gladio knew anything about Iris, he could expect there’d be a full stash of hot cocoa. Sweet baby sister surely wouldn’t care if some went missing.
Minutes later and Gladio was stripped out of his jacket and boots, a fire burning bright and warm. He could already feel some of the tension he’d been carrying melting away like the ice and snow he’d carried inside. This was exactly what he needed- a break from the bustling city and the constant grind there. But still…
It would have been nice to have some company.
From one of the frost-coated windows there was a tapping sound, not much different from the flecks of ice that pelted against the glass every time the wind picked up. Gladio thought nothing of it at first, just another sign of the snowstorm worsening, and he went to the closet to pull out some of the extra blankets, draping one over the back of the couch.
But the tapping came again… and again, until Gladio was wondering if a stray branch or something was scrapping against the window. Distracted, he glanced over for a moment, trying to decipher the strange movement he was seeing, until a little pale face pressed up against the glass, blurred by the frost there, but unmistakable, and Gladio fumbled over himself to rush over and unlock the window and pull it open just wide enough for a tiny body to tumble inside. There on the window sill sat a tangle of limbs and iridescent wings covered in snow. Gladio quickly shut the window again.
"Iggy? Iggy are you alright?"
In response there was a flutter of wings that sent melting ice in every direction, followed by a shake of his body that looked more like a shiver. Then a sneeze. Then finally the little fae brushed himself off and stood up to his full height, tiny enough that he could fit in the palm of Gladio's hand.
"Hello Gladiolus, I'm terribly sorry for the intrusion."
"You don't have to apologize for anything Iggy," Gladio said, "I just want to make sure everything's okay." The unspoken question in that was, why are you here? But that was hardly something Gladio wanted to ask. He didn't want to make it sound like the visit was unwelcome. Not when, over the past year, as Ignis had revealed himself to Gladio and they began to build up trust between them, he was a large part of the reason Gladio had been so desperate to get away to the cabin as often as he could. He'd always felt a connection with nature, loved spending time in the woods and learning to live of the land, but there was an undercurrent to it too, the forest spirits and fae that he always felt were there but could never see. Since he was a boy, Gladio had been kind to the forest. Everything he took was repaid with thanks, with offerings and gifts for the land. It wasn't long before he felt he was being watch, but it took time before he ever saw a glimpse of the magic that dwelled in nature. Ignis had been living in that forest for a long time, and he did not show himself easily. The fact that now Ignis felt comfortable enough to come knocking, made Gladio's heart flip in his chest.
"Everything's alright it's just..." Ignis absently brushed off his sweater again. It was the oversized one in dark blue Iris had made when she was just learning how to knit, a little too big and a little imperfect, but with holes in the back for his wings to poke through, and Ignis seemed to like it. Iris thought Gladio was joking when he made the suggestion as she was looking for new project to try. Really Gladdy? Don't tell me you still believe in fairy tales, even I'm too old for that...
"Well, I saw the lights on in the cabin. And my home tends to get terribly drafty when the wind picks up. I thought, maybe, you wouldn't mind some company over night?"
Gladio grinned. "Not at all," he said, and extended his arm out, for a now smiling Ignis to flit up, before gently settling down on Gladio's shoulder.
"You're in luck," Gladio said as he walked over to the kitchen, taking secret delight in the fact that he knew sweets were a particular weakness for the fae, "I was just thinking about making some hot cocoa."
"Oh?" Ignis said by his ear, brimming with anticipation.
But as Gladio opened his mouth to reply, he let out a yelp instead as Ignis moved over to his neck and tucked himself between Gladio's skin and the collar of his hoodie.
"Gods Iggy, you're like an ice cube."
"Sorry," was the muffled response that came from his neck, but Ignis made no signs of moving. In fact he seemed to bury in deeper, eagerly warming himself against Gladio's body heat. "I'm sure a hot drink would warm me right up..."
"Alright, alright..." Gladio said laughing, and began heating a saucer of milk. In the past, there had been sugar water for birds and bees, candied flowers or bits of ginger and orange peel... They were always quick to go missing when Gladio left them out. Of course- the forest had no shortage of insects or animals that would seek out something so sweet, but in time it became clear to Gladio that those weren't the only visitors. Fae could avoid being found if they wanted, and they could just as easily lure one deep into the forest and away from safety. The appearance of little footprints and handprints around the candy he left out told a different story. Tentative trust and mutual curiosity. That was before Ignis had trusted Gladio with his physical presence. Before they'd ever exchanged names.
"Sorry Iggy, I didn't bring any marshmallows," Gladio said, spooning cocoa mix into a mug before filling it with the now steaming milk. One cup would be enough for the two of them to share- Ignis had a tiny appetite.
"Quite alright Gladio, that's something to look forward to for next time..."
With a laugh, Gladio took his mug and walked back over to the fireplace, crackling away and filling the room with heat. He snatched the blanket he'd grabbed earlier, but Gladio opted to sit on the floor instead of the couch, scooting up nice and close to the fire. They were quiet then, with Gladio occasionally blowing on the mug of cocoa to cool it down while the storm continued to worsen outside. But inside they were warm and content with just the company of each other.
"This is nice," Ignis said, extracting himself slightly from Gladio's hoodie and reaching his arms out, indicating for Gladio to bring the cocoa closer. A careful sip covered his face with foam, and Iggy wiped the traces of chocolate from his mouth before settling back against Gladio's neck.
"Even without the marshmallows?" Gladio asked, and got a little huff and a poke in return.
"Yes, even without the marshmallows..." Iggy's tiny body was no longer so cold against his skin. He felt the flutter of wings. "I meant this is nice... spending time together."
"It is, isn't it?" Gladio said, biting back a smile. All the stress of the city seemed so very far away. Even more so, when he felt skinny little arms wrap around the side of his neck, and the feeling of what could only have unmistakably been a tiny kiss left along the side of his jaw.
A little kiss, more than enough to keep him warm through the long cold night, warmer than the heat all the cocoa or fires could provide. That wouldn't stop him from enjoying those things, of course, and Gladio and Ignis enjoyed their evening inside and safe from the storm before both falling asleep in front of the fireplace, together.