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Ignis and Gladiolus had found themselves standing alone together on the steps of the Citadel as the sun’s rays slowly began to spill across the city.
It had been fifteen years to the day since Prompto, Gladio and Ignis said goodbye to Noctis before he had ascended the same steps to head into the throne room. Fifteen years years since the light came back, and their lives had been changed forever.
The three of them had thrown themselves into rebuilding, putting their personal lives on hold until there was a point where they could pick up the pieces again. While Prompto had found how to balance putting society back together and a personal life, Gladio and Ignis continued to put their plans on the backburner.
“Why not make it official?” Gladio’s voice was quiet next to Ignis, as the blind man furrowed his brow, turning towards his partner.
“Make what official, Gladio?”
“Us. We’re not getting any younger, and I had promised you before Noct had come back that I would marry you when everything was said and done. Now it is. We’ve rebuilt what we could, made things better, and handed it off to Iris and Talcott to ensure it keeps running under our guidance. So…”
Gladio gently grasped Ignis’s hand, entwining their fingers together and pulling it up to his lips. “Will you marry me, Ignis Scientia? Noct gave us his blessing before he passed. The only thing standing in our way, is us. Please, Iggy?”
It wasn’t as if Ignis had truly forgotten, but he was never one to place his own wants and needs before the wants and needs of others. The people still needed them as their rock, their new foundation. In his mind, there was no time to set aside for personal matters.
But he was also feeling his age. His body didn’t move like it used to, his mind not quite as quick or fast. Things were beginning to slow down, and maybe so should he.
“Gladiolus Amicitia…” Ignis turned towards him, running a hand up his chest and neck to his cheek, cupping it as a small smile danced upon his lips. “Yes. I will marry you.”
. . . . .
“We’re getting married!” were the first words out of Gladio’s mouth as they closed the door to Cor’s office, which led to both Gladio and Ignis standing there almost looking like two kids who had gotten caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Cor looked between the two of them and shook his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“It’s about damn time. How long have you two been together, in total? You could have settled down years ago.”
Gladio grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, well, you’re not wrong, but Ignis was married to his work for the past fifteen years, Cor. I had to wait until they got a divorce before he’d marry me.”
Cor chuckled as he watched a flush crept up Ignis’ cheeks before the man in question huffed and turned away. “I had to ensure everything would run as smoothly as possible for Iris and Talcott. I couldn’t just leave them with no infrastructure, no plans for the future.”
Gladio let out soft laughter as he wrapped an arm around his fiance. “Iggy, the two of them are smart, they’ve got this handled. And I know you. Eventually you will find yourself sitting in on a meeting at some point in the future, helping them with some problem that’s popped up.”
That small smile tugging at Cor’s lips turned into a full blown smirk as he watched the two men playfully argue in front of him. It was a nice change from the two tired men he normally saw walking the hallways. “I get the feeling telling me you’re getting married wasn’t the entire reason you came to talk to me, was it?” he folded his arms, relaxing back in his seat.
“You are correct in that assumption, Marshal. We were hoping you would officiate the wedding. Typically it’s been myself, Gladio or Prompto doing them. However, we felt it would be better if you did it, in Noct’s stead.” Ignis finished the sentence quietly. Prompto politely declined when they had asked him. While he loved the two of them, those weren’t shoes he wanted to try and fill for his friends. The next best option was Cor.
With a smile, Cor got up from his seat and walked around the desk to the two of them. “It would be my honor to marry the two of you together.”
. . . . .
“Monica, describe it to me before we begin walking?”
While Ignis had most of the wedding ceremony and reception put together, Iris had successfully managed to wrangle the rest of it out of his hands. He knew what he had wanted to ‘see’ happen in his head but wasn’t allowed to know the final result until the day of.
Monica hummed softly as she wrapped her arm around his, squeezing his hand. “It’s beautiful, and with Iris’ help, it definitely feels like you and Gladio. Black and gold fabric has been draped along the backs of the seats while white Gladiolus flowers mixed with purple Hyssops line the outer edges of them. Somehow she managed to get Sylleblossoms that are on either side of Cor. The overhead lights are dimmed, with fairy lights set up along the walls. The balcony doors are opened just enough to let the warm breeze through. I think it’s perfect, Ignis.”
Ignis smiled. It was simple yet just enough for them, which was what he was aiming for. Neither man needed or wanted a big affair, which even led to a smaller group of people attending both the wedding and reception. He squeezed her hand not trusting his voice, and soon music was heard to give them the cue to begin walking.
For a brief moment as they made their way down the aisle, the lights that danced in his blind eyes had flashed blue. The kind of blue that he could only associate with one creature; Carbuncle. He paused for a moment in a daze, his heart pounding in his chest as Monica gently pulled him forward. “My apologies.” he murmured softly to her, trying to regain composure as they continued.
“Everyone gets nervous on their wedding day. I would expect nothing less from you Ignis.” There was a playful tone to her voice as she murmured back, giving his hand a nice reassuring squeeze. With a nod, the two of them made their way down the rest of the aisle, handing him off to Gladio before taking her place off to the right side of Ignis.
Cor looked between the two men, raising his hands to settle the room. “We are gathered here today to unite two strong men together in a union that not only combines their strength, but their unyielding love for one another...”
Ignis had started to tune Cor out, focusing more on Gladio’s breathing, the heat of his hands. There was nowhere else he’d rather be for the rest of his life than standing by this man's side. He smiled to himself as Gladio stumbled through his vows, following him with precise accuracy. With the exchanging of the rings, Cor stepped forward, grasping their hands together within his own as he looked out into the crowd.
“Let me introduce you to Mr. Gladiolus and Ignis Amicitia. You may seal the union with a kiss.”
Cor let go as they leaned forward to kiss, and that was when Gladio saw a streak of blue out of the corner of his eye dart behind Cor and out the balcony doors. He brushed it off as a trick of the light, putting his focus on Ignis and their first tender kiss as husbands.
. . . . .
After the ceremony had come to a close and the reception had begun, Ignis managed to slip away to stand on the balcony. Everything had gone smoothly, and beautifully; It was far more than Ignis could have ever asked for, especially considering the times they were in.
“Hey gorgeous.”
The familiar, husky voice of his now husband was heard behind him, as large, warm arms enveloped his waist and pulled him close. “I wondered where you had slipped away too.” Gladio’s breath was hot on his neck which sent chocobobumps down his arms.
“I just needed a moment to compose myself was all. It’s been quite a while since we’ve had this much attention or excitement directed at us. I forgot how tiring it can be. Then again, we’re not as young as we used to be.” A soft chuckle escaped Ignis’s lips as he shook his head, before leaning against Gladio’s chest, falling into a comfortable silence between the two of them.
The evening air was warm against their skin, with a light breeze that carried the chatter, laughter and music from inside the Citadel. They swayed together before Gladio hummed softly in Ignis’ ear, tightening his hold on the man. “I can tell there’s something else on your mind, Ignis. What’s up?”
Ignis let out a soft sigh. “Is it that obvious?”
“We’ve known each other almost our entire lives, and have been together since we were in our twenties. I would be ashamed to be your husband if I couldn’t tell when there was something on your mind.”
Ignis shifted enough to tilt his head towards Gladio’s face so the man could see the smirk on his lips. “That’s a fair point…” he went quiet for a beat before taking a deep breath. “This may sound crazy, and perhaps it is, but as I was walking down the aisle with Monica, I could have sworn I saw what could be considered a flash of blue light. Almost like-”
He stopped talking, unable to bring himself to say the word.
“Carbuncle had dashed by?” Gladio’s voice was almost a whisper. A shiver ran through Ignis as Gladio said it, mild shock painting his face.
“No, love. You’re not crazy because I could have sworn I saw it too, out of the corner of my eye right before we kissed. Maybe this was Noct’s way of giving us his blessing.”
They fell quiet again. The idea that Noctis had been able to send Carbuncle in his stead was a bittersweet, yet comforting feeling. They knew no matter what their king had supported them, but with the world in such disarray as it was before, there was no way to follow through with that support before he died.
As they stood there, swaying to the music that continued to drift outside, a smile danced on Ignis’ lips followed by soft laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Gladio mused, nuzzling against his husband's neck.
“You know the old saying… ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’? Without meaning too, we managed that tonight in perhaps a twisted sense. Something old, us. Something new, our clothes. Something borrowed, the Citadel, and something blue…”
Gladio chuckled lightly. “Carbuncle.”
As if on cue, the creature hopped down onto the railing, walked towards them and sat in front of Ignis. He tilted his head to the side, large ears flopping about, and softly chirped at them. Ignis raised his hand, and with Gladio’s help, reached out to pet the creature.
“We love and miss you too Noct. Thank you.” Gladio’s voice was thick with emotion as he watched Ignis pet Carbuncle, who let out a few more soft chirps as he nuzzled into Ignis’ hand, before bounding away into the night. While unsaid, both men knew that would be the last time they saw the small blue creature. It was Noct’s final blessing, and goodbye.
After a few moments, Ignis turned to face Gladio, grasping for his hands to hold between them, giving him a small smile. “Shall we return inside to start the rest of our lives as husbands together?”
“As much as I think Noct would have advocated for us to sneak away from the party, yes. Yes I am.”