Chapter Text
Noct wakes slowly, black eyelashes fluttering over pale cheeks. He's lying on his side, curled up on what feels like a plush bed. He tries to sit up but a wave of nausea overtakes him so he settles back down and closes his eyes. When he breathes in the scent is clean and warm, like freshly laundered sheets mixed with a light dusting of cologne and sweat. It feels familiar. Safe.
He turns his face into the covers, breathes in that intimate yet hard to place smell. Once the sick feeling dissipates Noct slowly sits up and takes in his surroundings. He is on a bed , cotton white sheets soft beneath his splayed fingers. He's still wearing his boots which is odd so he swings his feet over the bed and flitters his eyes across the room. It's hard to tell where he is although it feels recognisable, like he's been here a hundred times before.
Surrounding the bedroom are cardboard boxes. Is this his house? Is he moving in or moving out? He gingerly stands and moves over to the first box , gently opening the flaps . There's several items of clothes inside, all varying materials from soft silks to plush velvet's, most of them fancy shirts. It doesn't feel or look like anything Noct would wear but the clothes bring a sense of warmth to his chest. He picks up a shirt, purple coeurl print and brings it up to his face . The same smell from the bed, but stronger. He closes his eyes as he breathes , taking in the scent.
He startles when he hears the front door open and click close , someone's voice ringing out from the front corridor. Just one voice, like they're on the phone. Noct panics for a moment, wondering who it is. He doesn't know who he is or if he lives with someone or if he maybe had a heavy night and has broken into someone's house. Distracted he places the shirt down on the bed as he walks out of the bedroom, searching out that softly accented voice.
As he passes through the corridor, he notices his boots make no noise against the laminate flooring . He briefly looks around , notices pictures have recently been taken off of the walls, slightly lighter paint beneath where the frames were once hung. More boxes are strewn throughout what Noct notes is a flat. He continues following the voice, walks through an archway which leads to an open plan living room adjoined with a kitchen. Straight ahead of him , past a worn looking grey corner sofa are floor to ceiling windows that overlook an expansive city. Noct's mouth drops open in awe at the beauty of the buildings , before he turns his eyes away and looks towards the person who had entered the flat not long ago.
He's facing away from Noct, tall and slim but Noct can see muscles ripple beneath his striped shirt. The man balances the phone between his ear and shoulder as he fiddles around on the worktop before him. The smell of coffee wafts through the air, a teaspoon clutters into the sink then the man is picking up his mug and turning around and Noct flails because he meant to maybe give the guy some warning , like 'sorry I'm trespassing but I dunno how I got here, could you maybe help me' but when the man turns around he doesn't so much as flinch.
He's beautiful. Vibrant green oval eyes framed by thin black glasses ; hair slicked back into a pompadour that flickers between dirty blonde and brown when the sun reflects on it and pink cupids bow lips that have turned down in displeasure. The man sighs.
"Really Gladio, I appreciate the concern but I am fine." The man says, an obvious lie. If the way his fingers are trembling around his coffee mug are any indication. Noct can't hear much of the conversation on the other end of the line but this Gladio sounds gruff and clearly concerned. The green eyed man slowly walks over to the worn couch and gracefully sits down upon it, one long leg folded over the other. He places his cup down shakily onto the coffee table in front of him.
Noct follows him without fully realising , perches on the opposite end of the sofa , eyes taking in this mysterious man. He hears fragments of the conversation on the phone ; "Almost packed." "No, I don't require assistance." "Yes, I'll make sure I eat." The last sentence is followed by an eye roll and a mumbled rant that he doesn't need Gladio to come over to make him cup noodles, he'll do fine on his own thank you. The man ends the phone call with a quiet click and the minute the phone call ends it looks like whatever was holding him upright cuts loose and he releases a shuddering breath, slouching back into the couch cushions whilst digging the heels of his hands into his eyes.
"Pull yourself together Ignis." He whispers and now Noct can put a name to the face he's been following around for the past five minutes.
When Ignis pulls his hands away from his eyes, there wet with unshed tears or frustration , Noct can't tell but he feels as if he's intruding . He doesn't know why he's here and it's obvious that Ignis can't see or hear him. Noct cautiously lifts a hand , goes to place it on Ignis's shoulder. His blue eyes widen, heart lodging itself in his throat when his fingers pass straight through Ignis and the man shows no sign of having felt anything. Noct's seen enough films in his life to know what this means.
He's dead .