Noctis was brutally woken up when the Regalia swerved, followed by Ignis's hand being hammed against his chest to pin him to his seat.

"What—" he managed, before the situation became obvious. An imperial airship, dropping mechanical soldiers on them one after the other. Some of them had landed on the road, and judging by the tire marks left behind by the Regalia, they'd almost crushed the car in the process.

"Hope you're up for a fight," Ignis called out as he climbed out of the driver's seat. Prompto and Gladiolus were already out of the backseat and holding off the closest soldiers—only Noctis was still too dazed to act.

Groaning, he shook off the remnants of sleep, and got off the car, readying himself for battle.

The motel was the kind of establishment Noctis wished he never had to stay at; even camping in the wilderness, with all three of his friends, felt safer. But the Imperial attack had kept them busy until sunset. It had been too late to build a proper camp, and in the middle of nowhere as they were now, they'd had no option outside of this dingy place.

The rooms weren't large enough for all four of them, so they'd had to settle on getting two separate rooms instead. Noctis had been pretty sure Gladiolus was going to kill the owner when he told them he didn't have any adjacent rooms left, but they'd had to cave in eventually. Better that than sleeping in the car and facing daemons all night.

That left Noctis and Ignis in one room, and Prompto and Gladiolus in another, too far for any of their liking. Noctis was pretty sure Ignis would not sleep at all as he kept watch, and Gladio would probably stay by his phone as well, in case help was needed.

The least Noctis could do, he figured, was keep Ignis company. Besides, after sleeping in the car most of the day and waking up to a massive rush of adrenaline, sleep was escaping him completely.

"If you're not going to sleep, we should at least find something to do to keep busy," he teased, taking note of the way Ignis flinched. "Or I could just keep watch of myself, for a change." He pushed back his blanket and sat up on the mattress. "You look like you could use the rest."

"You know I'd never do that, Noct."

Noctis grinned at him. "Yeah. I do."

Ignis sighed, and sat down on the foot of Noctis's bed. "You should try to get some sleep. We have another long day ahead tomorrow."

"I'm fine. I'll sleep in the car anyway. You know that." Ignis rolled his eyes, but he didn't protest. "So what can we do? I'd suggest some late night baking, but I doubt we have the equipment here."

"Baking is hardly something we'd be doing," Ignis retorted, side-eyeing him. "At best you'd just be eating what I make."

"You could at least try to let me help."

Ignis chuckled. "I'll hold you to that the next time we have a kitchen at our disposal. See how you like it then."

"I'll do my best," Noctis promised. Ignis scoffed, but he ignored it. "Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

A curious glance met his question. "Beg you pardon?"

"I barely know anything about you. All these years you've served me, worked with me—this isn't right. I should have asked earlier."

"I'm—" Ignis studied Noctis closely. "I'm not sure there's anything interesting to say."

"I don't believe that," Noctis retorted. Then, sighing, he added, "Is it because I'm the prince? Because you feel like it's not your place?" He let out an amused laugh. "Look at us." He waved at Ignis, sitting relaxed on Noctis's bed, then at himself, wearing only a t-shirt and boxer briefs. At the short distance between them. "I'm pretty sure we're past that."

He noted the way Ignis's gaze followed his motions, and how it settled on Noctis's body. "That's not it," Ignis finally said. "It's just hard to feel like any of it matters, considering the circumstances."

Noctis scoffed at that—he'd rather not be thinking about everything that had taken place in the past few days. The fall of Insomnia, his father… He shook his head. "Well, at least let me say all the other things I should have said before. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. All this time, taking care of me—even today."

"Today?" Ignis raised a questioning eyebrow.

"In the car." Noctis smiled at the memory. "You had to drive around a contingent of soldiers, but your first thought was still to make sure I was safe." He grabbed Ignis's hand and pressed it against his own chest, where he had held Noctis earlier. "Because it's what you do. And I never thank you for that. Well tonight, I am."

"I was only following orders," Ignis retorted, but his half-grin belied his words.

Noctis grinned back. "I know it's not just that. None of you are here because you follow orders. Prompto and Gladio—they're my friends. But you're…special."

Ignis was perfectly still, his hand tense against Noctis's chest, his breath short and loud, his gaze fixed somewhere below Noctis's eyes. And suddenly it all clicked in Noctis's mind. He hadn't really known where he was going with this, but it came to him in one sudden moment of clarity.

He released his grasp on Ignis's hand, settled one hand on Ignis's shoulder and the other at the back of his head, and leaned forward to press his lips against Ignis's. They were chapped, but soft and warm underneath, and Ignis welcomed him immediately. His hands slid across Noctis's chest, wrapping around his back as Ignis pulled him closer. Noctis could feel the texture of Ignis's gloves through his shirt.

It was all new to Noctis. He'd never been much for mingling with his peers at school, outside of his friends, which made casual encounters difficult. And as the heir to the Lucian throne, knowing he'd be married for politics eventually took away the appeal of looking for a more serious relationship. He'd never had more than a quick peck on the lips before; nothing that compared to the warmth of Ignis against him, the safe feeling of being held.

Ignis knew what he was doing, though, by the looks of it. He pried Noctis's mouth open with his tongue, and Noctis eagerly let him as he crawled onto his lap. It felt awkward, Noctis's nose kept bumping against Ignis's glasses and they both carried on their tongue the taste of a long journey with few stops to eat or drink. But if Noctis chased past that, he could taste Ignis underneath, and the discomfort was worth it so long as it kept them close to one another.

When Ignis pulled away, panting hard, Noctis couldn't help but whine in frustration. "Noct—" Ignis said. "What're you doing?"

"I think it's pretty obvious what I'm doing," Noctis growled in response.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I think that's pretty obvious, too." He glanced down at himself, where his underwear was pulled taut by an obvious erection. He'd barely noticed it, overwhelmed as he'd been by the novelty of kissing someone like that—of kissing Ignis.

"You know we shouldn't—you're on your way to get married—"

"I'm pretty sure no one in Eos has been expected to marry a virgin in centuries, Ignis," he retorted.

Ignis let out a soft gasp at what Noctis was implying. "We should at least take this slower—"

Noctis shushed him with a kiss. "If you think you're doing this for me, then don't. I know what I want."

"And what is it that you want?" A sly grin appeared on Ignis's face, and his hands ran down Noctis's back, urging him on.

"To show my gratitude," Noctis teased back. He ground against Ignis once, just to seek out if Ignis was reciprocating his arousal—and found that he was. "And then some." He moved his hands to the buttons of Ignis's jacket. He always wore such pristine outfits—but right now, it just seemed like more layers to get rid of.

He only made it past Ignis's jacket before he lost patience. He pushed Ignis, forcing him to lie back on the bed, and slid off Ignis's lap as he knelt on the floor. The buckle of Ignis's belt was yet more work, and Noctis fumbled with it for a bit. Finally, his pants came loose, and Noctis pulled them down, taking pride in the eager way Ignis arced his back to help him.

Noctis knew he should tease more, but he was too drunk on his own arousal to delay any longer. Ignis's boxers followed his pants down, freeing his erection completely for Noctis to see. He reached out with his hand first, almost hesitant; but the way Ignis's breath hitched when Noctis's fingers first brushed him was all the encouragement he needed. He stroked Ignis, settling on the rhythm he preferred for himself, and watched Ignis arc his back once more and pant above him.

That was not enough for Noctis, though. Pushing back the last of his hesitation, he lowered his head, pressing his lips against Ignis's cock, soft and firm and hot, so hot. He ran his lips up the underside, paused over the head, tasting the salty precome already leaking at the tip. Then, finally, he opened his lips, and took Ignis in his mouth.

He was surprised by how little he could take in, and how much it felt in his mouth still; but the moan Ignis let out just then washed his mind of those observations. He sucked, and tentatively ran his tongue along the head of Ignis's cock. It didn't seem like enough, so he resumed his stroking, almost mindlessly as Noctis put all his focus on pleasing Ignis with his lips, his tongue, his mouth.

He pulled out, pressing kisses along Ignis's length again, then down to his balls, and his inner thighs, while still working his hand along Ignis's cock. Then, when he was satisfied with his exploration, he returned his mouth on Ignis's erection, taking it in once more and sucking hard.

"Noctis—" Ignis moaned, panting. "You have to stop—"

Curious, Noctis looked up, finding Ignis's gaze on him, dark and glassy with arousal. "Am I—am I doing something wrong?"

Ignis chuckled. "No. You certainly are not. I just—come here."

He scooted up the mattress, and Noctis understood his meaning: he climbed on the bed too, lying on top of Ignis and reaching for a kiss. Ignis welcomed it, kissing him hard and hungry as he pressed his cock against Noctis's erection. The feeling of it was enough to drive Noctis insane—and, he realized, over the edge. His muffled cry fell into Ignis's mouth as he came in his own underwear, feeling his body surrender to the safety of Ignis's embrace around him.

He pulled away a moment later, feeling an embarrassed blush creeping up his cheek. "I—I'm sorry, I didn't think—"

Ignis smiled up at him. "It's all right," he said, stroking Noctis's cheek softly.

"I wanted to make you—"

"There's still time for that. If anything, it's flattering to know I have that effect on you." He raised an eyebrow as his smile turned into a grin. "We should just get more comfortable first. If you'll allow me—" Noctis sat up, straddling Ignis's lap, and Ignis started working on his own shirt, unbuttoning it with a speed and efficiency completely unlike Noctis's earlier sloppy attempts.

Within just a few seconds, Ignis's shirt was off, his chest fully exposed, and he'd toed off his boots, letting his pants and underwear fall to the floor. For a moment, Noctis was transfixed by the sight of Ignis completely naked under him, still hard and leaking and looking at Noctis expectantly.

"Well?" Ignis asked. "How about you?"

"I—" Noctis looked down at his t-shirt, and his soaked boxer briefs, and couldn't suppress a rush of self-consciousness. "Could you—do it for me?"

A teasing grin bloomed on Ignis's lips, but he did not press, and sat up as well. He kissed Noctis briefly, then moved to kiss and nibble at Noctis's neck. Noctis hissed when Ignis's hand slid under the hem of his shirt and roamed across his chest. He threw his head back, letting out a moan, and barely realized when Ignis moved his hands further and pushed Noctis's chest over his head.

He looked down, taking in the hungry look Ignis cast over his bare chest. It was enough to send Noctis's blood rushing with desire.

"Are you ready?" Ignis said, hooking his fingers on Noctis's waistband.

Nervously, Noctis gulped and nodded. "Y-yeah."

To his surprise, Ignis flipped him on his back, switching their positions and hovering over him. Noctis gasped, but the feeling of Ignis's weight above him only made him more excited. "Go ahead," he pleaded, and Ignis finally pulled Noctis's underwear out of the way. Noctis was already almost fully hard again, he realized.

Ignis chuckled at the sight. "Still eager, I see," he teased. He came down to kiss Noctis, slotting their erections together, and Noctis couldn't help but grind against it.

"Very," Noctis breathed. "Are you gonna—"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes. I—I do."

Ignis paused for a moment. "I don't have anything that would make this easy, so I'll have to take it slowly. It might still be—difficult. Are you sure?"

Noctis nodded feverishly, finding it hard to voice his thoughts through the arousal—and, he had to admit it, a hint of embarrassment at his own boldness. "Please."

Ignis nodded, and pulled away, spreading Noctis's legs and kneeling between them. "I'll start with my fingers. Tell me if it hurts, and try to relax."

Noctis braced himself as best as he could, and was surprised at how easily Ignis's first finger went in. Maybe it was because Noctis was relaxed around Ignis, or because he'd overestimated—Ignis added another finger, and Noctis hissed at the stretch. It wasn't painful yet, but he was starting to see why Ignis had sounded so concerned.

"Everything all right?"

All Noctis managed was a silent nod. "I'm fine," he said. Still, Ignis kept only two fingers, sliding them in and out of Noctis tortuously slowly.

He wrapped his other hand around Noctis's cock, and while the sudden contact caused a rush Noctis hadn't experienced yet, it helped him move past the feeling of being stretched. When Ignis inserted a third finger, he barely noticed it.

"I'm going to go all in now," Ignis finally said.

Noctis winced when Ignis's fingers left him completely, then again at the feeling of the head of Ignis's cock pressing against his hole. Ignis paused there, though, and that was worse than anything Noctis could imagine. "Go," he said.

Ignis pushed forward, and suddenly, Noctis was reminded of the feeling of his cock in his mouth just as he felt himself be stretched far beyond anything before that. He cried out at the burning sensation, and Ignis froze, but before he could pull out, Noctis blindly reached for his hips to keep him in place.

"I can take this," he said. "Just—take it slow."

"I will," Ignis replied. "Don't worry."

And Noctis didn't. Ignis stroked him again as he pushed forward, and Noctis arched his back as the pain receded into pleasure, into a sensation of fullness. He moaned, and Ignis pulled back for a second thrust, reaching a spot that sent Noctis's brain on overdrive.

All Noctis could do was relax now, let his body go completely pliant as Ignis stroke his cock and fucked him deeply. He knew at the back of his mind that he was making noises—loud, shameful noises—but he couldn't care, because this was so good, and Ignis was groaning and moaning as well, and that was all that mattered.

He had barely the hint of a warning before another orgasm hit him, with much more force than the first one. His whole body tensed up, so much pleasure coursing through him it was almost painful. Above him, he could hear Ignis crying out his name, could feel Ignis shooting inside of him, and it just made the picture perfect as he caved in to his own orgasm.

When he finally came down, Ignis had pulled out of him already, and was bringing a damp towel from the small bathroom. "Here you go," he said, as he started cleaning Noctis's body. Noctis wanted to protest, wanting Ignis to just lie against him, but he let him do—he knew Ignis needed this. "We should probably sleep in the other bed."

Noctis groaned, but he managed to get on his feet and move to the bed that had been Ignis's—and was now theirs, he supposed. To his surprise, Ignis slipped under the covers too, still naked, pressing his body against Noctis's back.

"Not going to play bodyguard after all?"

"I'll need the rest." He pressed a kiss at the back of Noctis's hand. "I texted Gladio—he'll be watching from the outside. It'll be fine."

Noctis hummed happily, and he rolled on his side to nuzzle against Ignis's chest. "Good."