hello there! so this is something that sort of floated around in my head over the last week. I also plan on using this story to add in extra chapters like deleted scenes from the main story. I'm also fully willing to take requests Gladio and Cia related, special what-ifs should you wish just drop me a line via pm or review. also will be posting a q and a should anyone have questions that I can answer without spoiling the story.
For anyone new that has no idea what Cia is please go to Terminal State and read it first. Otherwise, a lot of this is not going to make any sense.
so this chapter specifically is not really part of the main story whatsoever just sort of an extra I wanted to write. enjoy!
...
The grey overcast in the sky above allowed gentle and steady falling snowflakes to break through the magical barrier and rest on anything in its path. The wind was non-existent, aside from maybe a whispering breeze here and there. The entire city of Insomnia was coated in a few inches of snow. Children played, making angels and snow people. Others skated in rinks or played various sports wherever they could. The temperature wasn't overly cold but still enough to have to dress warmly, holidays fast approaching and the city decorated as citizens waited impatiently for such a festive day. Lots were taking time off work to spend with their families, enjoying something that came around only once a year.
Doctor Athenacia Virum was not one of those people. Instead, she was in the hospital checking the inside of the umpteenth dreaded holiday influenza victim of the day. She kept her professional face on as she worked, though internally she was a little sick of seeing them. Every year it was the same thing and she grew tired of repetition. She was surrounded by people being festive and while she didn't want to put a damper on their spirits, she just couldn't share their enthusiasm. Usually, they were all with their families enjoying the time together. But for an orphan, it was just a reminder that she didn't have any. When she was little she would be with the other kids in the orphanage with one of the staff there that volunteered. When she was living with Cor she would go to a day group with other kids since he was often working. When she lived on her own she would spend it by herself in a bar with other sad patrons. When she was a Glaive she would be with other outsiders, enjoying it for the first time that she could remember. Once she started working in the hospital she was either here so that others could have the time off or volunteering at the orphanage she grew up in. Of course, no one knew she used to be a resident but she at least had an idea of what those kids were going through and it was better than being bitter on her own. She had grown up a lot over the years.
This year it would likely be the same thing. She would be here in the emergency department tending to patients with new staff. Not that she minded it so much, it kept her busy. She took the tongue depressor out of her patient's mouth and tossed into the nearby garbage before pulling out her tablet to update the file. It was then replaced back into the pocket of her lab coat. She wrote a prescription for her patient, smiling at him briefly before removing her blue latex gloves and depositing them into the garbage as well. She ran her hands through the alcohol sanitizer and left the examination room. She sighed once she got out, rolling her eyes slightly at Tash who was waiting for her at the nurse's station.
"Is it quitting time yet?" asked Dr. Virum, walking over there and leaning her arms on the ledge.
"Think you're about done," replied the older woman, pushing her glasses up when she raised her head.
Dr. Virum looked up at the clock and raised her eyebrows, "Actually I have about five minutes left."
"Never seen you so eager to clock out before."
"Never had a good reason before."
Tash smiled, "Well you got five minutes, this patient will be quick."
She groaned, "Really? Can't it wait for my relief?"
The resident nurse raised a brow, smirking, "Trust me, you'll want to see this one."
Dr. Vrium huffed a little before grabbing her tablet and pulling out her patient file. 23 year old male, mild chest pain, headache, sore ankles. What was Tash thinking? Why would she possibly want to spend time diagnosing someone like that? There was nothing quick about this, too many symptoms. They didn't even match, absolutely absurd. She kept a frown on her face as she walked, opening the glass sliding door and pulling back the curtain. She put the tablet back into her pocket, closing the door and grabbing another set of blue latex gloves.
"Okay, what seems to be-"
She stopped midway through her sentence. She had one glove halfway on before she actually looked at her patient and then let out an exasperated sigh. Though she kept a smile on her face as much as she wished she couldn't. She gave the man on the gurney a raised brow, trying to wipe that grin off her face while one of her hands came to rest on her hip. Shaking her head slightly, she biting her lip a little at the gaze he was giving her and looking away shyly for only a moment.
"Hey, Doc!"
Gladiolus greeted her, that crooked grin on his face and enjoying every second of her reaction to him. He knew her shift was about to end and was lucky that he had run into Tash when he came to pick her up. She had no idea he was coming of course so he came up with the idea to surprise her in a way that he used to before they started dating. It had been about a week since their schedules lined up and he wanted to make sure that she didn't take on any extra work. He had plenty of free time with the holidays coming up and wanted to spend a lot of it with her. Since they started seeing each other she looked a lot less haggard than usual. In fact, she had natural colour to her cheeks, her highlighted short blond hair stuck up in that ponytail at the top of her head. It had a small hang to it instead of sticking straight out like usual. She barely wore any makeup to hide her sleep deprivation and that light he liked so much in her hazel eyes that weren't bloodshot was shining so brightly at him right now. He couldn't help but smile at her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to be stern.
"I'm hurt. Need medical attention," he shrugged.
She giggled, "Headache, mild chest pain and sore ankles?" she raised a brow at him.
"Missing you, Doc."
"And how does missing me lead to sore ankles?"
"Takes a lot walking to get here."
"You drive."
"Well, I can't drive into the hospital Doc."
"Seems to me you know the cause of your symptoms."
"I know. Came here for the remedy," he winked at her.
She laughed despite herself, even as he rose from the gurney and walked toward her. He closed the curtain so that no one could see them and then took her in his arms. She stopped her chuckles, putting a hand on his chest and looking down completely red-faced. He gently lifted her chin so that he could look at her and then kissed her before she could protest. She was shocked for a moment before allowing her eyelids to fall closed. She'd be lying to herself if she tried to deny that she had missed him too. Though they were texting religiously it wasn't the same as being here with him like this. She almost felt weak in the knees, even as they broke apart. Her small white teeth claimed her bottom lip in a shy manner, looking up at him with her face flushed. He kept that same grin played across his lips, moving some stray hairs out of her face before starting to come in at her again.
But that was when her pager went off. She snapped back to reality in an instant, pulling it out to have a look. She was needed on the floor immediately, pushing him away and giving him an apologetic look. But he just nodded at her, loving how she sprung into action in complete doctor mode. She didn't even think twice, racing out of the room and heading toward the commotion. There was a patient being wheeled in on a stretcher with a paramedic straddling her while giving her CPR. Gladiolus watched as they went into another examination room and then the curtains were closed. He walked over to Tash who was still at the nurse's station and waited. No rest for the wicked it seemed. Didn't matter, he would wait an eternity for her, that much he already knew.
When she was finished with her work she met him in the waiting room, freshly showered and ready to go. She had a white hat on since it was cold outside and a form-fitting winter jacket that had buttons all along the front. The scarf at her neck hung down over the top of the jacket as well. She wore black gloves with pink stripes on the knuckles and down to the wrists, her purse hanging at her hip still. Her jeans were dark blue and tucked into her knee high boots that had a modest and thick heel at the bottom of it. She smiled at him and he took her small hand within his own, leading out of the glass sliding doors and toward where his car was parked. It was evening, perfect time for dinner and she was so happy that he had surprised her like this. Even if her day was long and boring at least her night would be better.
One of the things he liked the most about her was that she was very easy to please when it came to food. He had grown up eating some of the best foods Insomnia had to offer but his love of cupped noodles had him in some of the more local restaurants. He did note that Athenacia loved food trucks the most and tonight was no exception to that rule. They were in a lower part of the city where mostly outsiders liked to stay. He didn't spend a lot of time here until the two of them started dating. He stood out sure, but she was most comfortable in the crowds here instead of where he would often frequent. He didn't mind in the slightest, the upcoming festivities taking the attention away from him at this time of year. They were sat at a picnic table catching up on the last week since they last saw each other.
"Sounds like you're going to have a lot of free time," she said, commenting on how a lot of his training was going to be suspended.
"Sort of. The ball usually just means work for me," he shrugged, taking a bite of his food.
She reached for one of his fries, "Yes, so much work getting paid to attend a fancy party," she replied, voice dripping with sarcasm as she laughed.
"Wouldn't be half bad if our Prince didn't mope around the whole time."
"He doesn't like it?" she frowned.
"He's not really into his Princely duties. Something I gotta beat it into him every once in a while."
"Well... not everyone can be so accepting of their duty. I don't exactly like the spotlight either."
"Don't got a choice in the matter."
"No," she sighed, "Not always."
He was about to speak again when his phone went off. He waited and she took more of his fries while he wasn't looking. He slapped her hand playfully until his face went serious. He let out an exasperated sigh, the person on the other end obviously delivering unwanted news. She tried to ignore it, not wanting to pry into his business. Though Gladiolus only said a few words she knew that this wasn't going to be a good night for him. He hung up the phone, putting it back in his pocket.
"Son of a-"
"What is it?"
But he didn't answer her, halfway out of his chair and walking toward his car without another word. She looked after him completely confused with no idea of what she should be doing right now. She had never seen him like this but hoped that everything was alright.
...
Ignis sighed internally once he was out of the conference room at the Citadel. While everyone was getting ready for the holidays the war raged on and there was no rest for the council. The Advisor took it upon himself to make sure he was properly informed so that he could keep Noctis in the loop. Of course, the young Prince didn't show much interest, distracted by the upcoming festivities. Okay, more like brooding about the annual ball but Ignis wished to show him that despite what was going on around the city there was still important business at hand that did not rest just because it was a holiday. He got into his car, a whole new set of problems running through his head. He had plenty of things to do in order to get ready for that ball. He was already stressed out at the thought of going over the details with the Prince, knowing how the conversation would go. There had to be an easier way to do things. Unfortunately, there was no time to figure it out. He faithfully made his way out of the Citadel parking lot and toward the dwelling of his charge.
It didn't take him too long to get there and he heaved a heavy sigh as soon as he walked inside. There was a giant mess that resembled a very close relation to one he had cleaned up a few floors down in Dr. Virum's apartment. Feeling an all too familiar headache reach him he began to clean up. Noctis, of course, was nowhere to be seen which made things easier despite annoying him at the same time. It took a matter of hours to get things back into order which meant that he was behind schedule and that didn't sit well with him at all. He gazed at the time and frowned, noting that the Prince was far too late himself. They had matters to discuss, not to mention dinner should have been ready by now. Ignis was starting it now but the fact that there was no sign of his charge only worried him.
There was no help for it. Ignis didn't want to leave just in case the missing Prince showed up while he was out and then more time would be wasted. He had no choice but to enlist the help of someone else to find him and bring him back home. He held off as long as possible but since dinner was about halfway done he had to do something. He pulled out his phone, calling the only person that may be able to track down Noctis and bring him back without too many protests. He could tell from the laughter on the other side of the line he had interrupted something and that only made him feel worse.
...
Noctis cheered as he once again took over the high score of the game he was playing. He knew that he had things to do later in the day but when Prompto had come over to his house the two of them were so bored that they decided the arcade was the best way to cure them of their ailment. It was then that he realized how long it had been since he let loose like this, enjoying his time for far longer than he meant to. He knew he was getting into deep water ignoring his phone the entire night but he wanted to deal with it later. After today there was no way that he was going to get any more of these excursions until maybe after the holidays. He was dreading his part in it all but knew there was no getting out of it. So might as well enjoy what little freedom he could get before all of his time would be occupied by the second.
Prompto had long since disappeared, finding a group of girls that were obviously not interested in him. Not that the Prince cared too much for that he hated extra attention. At least his friend was nice enough to keep that away from him in the event he get involved. He shook his head, turning around to go find another game only to bump into something that was not there before. He grunted, nearly falling over but managing to catch his balance beforehand. He was about to figure out what the big idea was until he realized that he was face to face with a glowering form of Gladiolus, arms crossed and a very nasty look on his face. That was when he sighed, knowing that if the big man was here than all of his fun was over. And judging from the scowl he was not happy to be here collecting him.
"Move," commanded Gladiolus darkly, his amber eyes narrowing.
He didn't answer, knowing better than to challenge the Shield in a mood like this. He called for Prompto and then gave a wave before following him toward the exit. Prompto caught up, about to open his mouth but Noctis just elbowed him before he could say anything. It was a very tense walk toward the car, one in the back and one in the front while Gladiolus took off a little rougher than he meant to. Still, no one spoke, that hard look on the older man making them a little afraid to even test it. Noctis kept his gaze out the window, a sullen look on his face while his head rested on his hand. Prompto was behind him, more nervous than usual. He should have just stayed where he was, not liking what he happened to have walked into. They were broken out of their thoughts as soon as they heard the speakers in the car ringing, trying to connect a phone call.
"Yes?"
Noctis looked over at the stereo, hearing Athenacia's voice inside the car.
"Where are you?" asked Gladiolus, his voice gruff.
"Walking on the street because some jerk picked me up from work and then just ditched without saying anything, leaving me stranded to get home without my car in the cold winter night," she replied.
Her voice may have sounded pleasant but the three men in the car knew she was upset about what just happened. Noctis and Prompto looked at Gladiolus in alarm, not believing what they heard.
"I'm on my way," he said, the sigh in his tone evident.
"Don't bother, I'm almost at the train station."
"Stay put."
"Gladio-"
But he hung up on her before she could protest. He knew that she would argue until she got her way and since he was the one who screwed up here he wanted to fix it. He was very aware of the two younger men staring at him after what they just heard and that only infuriated him further. The scowl on his face deepened as the seconds passed by and every obstacle he could find was delaying him further from getting back to Athenacia. He knew she wouldn't wait too long for him and he wasn't interested in chasing her down right now. He had enough of that for today.
"When you can't meet your own obligations, it disrupts other people's lives," said Gladiolus darkly.
Noctis sighed, looking away again, "I know."
"But you did it anyway."
"I didn't think Iggy would send you after me."
"You didn't think at all!"
The large man roared and it made Prompto flinch. Noctis remained unresponsive, knowing that fighting him on this was useless. It really was his own fault right now, no sense in acting like a child. He knew he would face consequences if they happened to be the wrath of Gladiolus then so be it. He just felt bad that somehow Athenacia was dragged into this, remembering how uncomfortable she was around him. They were friends sort of, but the accusations against her being a traitor made her self-conscious to be seen anywhere near him so that often meant he rarely saw her. She had no idea that he was here in the car and wouldn't until she was already inside.
"So... you just left her there?" asked Prompto.
"Didn't have much of a choice," replied Gladiolus, his voice still dark.
The young man let out a small laugh, "You are so lucky she puts up with you."
Gladiolus grunted but didn't say anything about it. Prompto was completely right, Gladiolus was lucky that she even answered the phone on the first try after the way he had up and left. He was so upset about being interrupted on his date after finally seeing her for the first time in a week he just wanted to deal with this matter quickly. He was halfway to the arcade before he realized he left without saying anything. Stupid. They weren't in the car long before pulling onto the road where the train station she was talking about was. He parked on the street, looking over at the Prince with that same scowl on his face.
"Get in the back," was all he said before getting out of the car.
The Shield walked toward the station stairs leading down, looking for the small doctor. She wasn't in sight. He frowned before heading down the stairs three at a time. He kept his eyes peeled for her, looking for that white hat in the mass of crowds. He finally spotted her, just as the train was coming in and made a beeline for her. He didn't have a problem pushing through people thanks to his size, reaching out his arm and grabbing her just before she boarded through the doors. She let out a cry of surprise, getting ready to attack the person that grabbed her only to stop in her tracks as soon as she laid eyes on him. She gave him a glare but the look on his face told her that she needed to hear the story behind this before she judged.
Keeping a thoughtful frown, she heard the train depart and she started to walk after the large man that was heading back the way he came. She had to practically sprint to catch up to him given that he was walking really fast. Yeah, he was definitely upset about something and she knew that he probably didn't mean to just ditch her on the spot like that. Once they had gotten up the steps she followed him to his car that was parked on the street. At least he had come back for her. He opened the door for her, something he rarely did and she smiled at the thought of him making up for the mistake he had made. Her dirty mind wondered how far she could make him go and a slight blush crept to her cheeks, her face looking downward.
Until she saw who was in the car. She gasped, her eyes widening before she took a step back and tried to stand straight up. But a large hand had her in the car before she could protest and she flinched when the door was slammed shut beside her. She kept her eyes on her feet the colour drained from her face completely, even as the driver got into his seat.
"I should take the train," she said instantly, her hand going for the door handle.
Gladiolus took off before she had a chance to open the door, "Don't bother."
"Do you honestly think I can't tuck and roll?" she glared at him.
The look he returned shocked her and she instantly took her hand away, folding them in her lap and looking back at her feet. She had never seen him this upset before and decided challenging him was probably not a good idea. She would just have to hope that no one recognized her along the way. The car was quiet the entire ride, all of them looking out their own window except for Gladiolus who was focused on the road. Athenacia let her eyes wander over the lights decorating the streets, residences and businesses everywhere they went. The citizens really got into the festive spirit and sometimes she wished she could join their excitement. She jumped a little when she felt Gladiolus grab her hand, looking over at him in shock before allowing their fingers to intertwine. He still had a scowl on his face but gave her a reassuring squeeze and she felt bad for being so upset with him before.
They turned down a more residential street and there were more creative designs in the decorations. She had never been down here before, never having a reason. She held a small smile as she looked on, wondering if the house beside the one she grew up in put on their usual display of lights. It was the only time she really ever enjoyed herself during the holiday, when she didn't feel so alone. That was almost like a lifetime ago. As she was still within her thoughts they started to decelerate and then finally stop in front of a house that she could have sworn she had seen the outside of before. Gladiolus put the car in park.
"Get out," he commanded, his voice still hard.
"I'll.. call you later?" said Prompto uneasily, looking over at Noctis.
"Sure," shrugged the Prince, still sullen about earlier.
Prompto opened the door, "Bye Cia."
"Good night," she nodded at him before he shut the door.
They left instantly, her hand still in the large man's and the car feeling tense still. She tried to keep her mind from the fact that she was in the same car as the Prince. She was just happy that it was nighttime so it would be a lot harder for anyone to see them. She started to recognize the streets, knowing that they were headed back toward the apartment building where both herself and the royal in the back lived. Though she had lived there for years without the knowledge that he did too she considered moving quite a few times so that people didn't happen to catch on. Thanks to her childhood she had avoided anyone (except Grun) coming around to her home. It was a complete accident that she found out she was bunking with the Prince and after that, it would have been hard for Gladiolus not to come over as often as he could. Not like she was home much anyway.
When he parked in the underground parking the three of them got out and she was trying to make herself small. They got into the elevator, tensions still high and she reached out to push the button for her floor after Gladiolus swiped his card. But he just grabbed her wrist and gave her a scowl, stopping her in her tracks. He pulled her so that she took a step back but she swiftly managed to hit the button with her other hand. She shook out of his grasp as the seventh floor came and the doors open. She was going to exit the lift but was stopped by a hand grabbing her scarf and pulling her back inside.
"Gladio!" she shouted in protest.
"I'm not done with you yet," he said, his voice hard and silencing anything else she might say.
She was red-faced as she took a step away from him, standing beside Noctis while the elevator went up higher. She bumped shoulders with him and then took another step away.
"Sorry," he muttered to her under his breath.
"It's fine," she whispered, afraid to even blink at this point.
Once they reached the desired floor at the top of the building, Noctis exited first. Gladiolus stood there with his arms crossed until Athenacia finally followed after him. She did not want to be up here at all, her nerves causing anxiety to build up in her stomach. She flinched when she felt an arm come around her shoulders, guiding her gently down the hall and toward the door. Noctis opened it, stepping through and then that left her to come in as well. She released a deep breath, white-faced completely and jumping when the door closed behind her. She had never been here before, refused every chance she could get. But for whatever reason, she had let Gladiolus bully her into it and she was not happy about it whatsoever.
"Relax," she felt his breath behind her ear, "No one can see you in here."
"But what if-"
She was silenced by a finger to her lips, his stern face coming into view. She looked up at him with pleading hazel eyes, wishing that he would just let her go home. He kissed her forehead and she felt some of her fears melt away. She released another large breath, nodding at him before removing her wet boots. He didn't wait for her, walking out of the foyer and down the hall toward the main room. She took a step up onto the hardwood floor, passing a bathroom and then took a peek into the next door. It was his bedroom, spotless and she raised a brow. But then she remembered the comment Ignis had made once about the Prince's poor living habits and she figured that the other man must have cleaned things. She came toward where all the lights were on and saw the main part of the apartment. While this unit was not a corner one like her place, there was a wall of windows similar to her own living room that had a door to the overly large balcony. There was a sectional couch where she would have her window sill and the same lining of shelves on one wall she had. the kitchen was much more open than her own, having no nook but a very large table that separated it and the living room.
It was the source of the smell, Noctis sitting down at the table and enjoying his meal. Gladiolus had his arms crossed and that same scowl on his face as she was standing just a step behind him. She noted that the room was also spotless and Ignis had taken his seat across from the Prince, his plate already cleared but a folder sitting in front of him. Athenacia felt nervous still, especially when the man's gaze seemed to find her. She flushed, her hands going to the back of the large man in front of her and instinctively hiding behind him.
"Apologies, Dr. Virum. It was not my intention to interrupt your outing," said Ignis calmly.
"It's fine," she replied instantly, her voice squeaking a little. She was a dark shade of crimson right now.
"We done here?" asked Gladiolus his voice still hard.
"Unless the two of you would care for something to eat," Ignis spoke though he was sure that there wouldn't be a need to get up.
"We already ate."
"As I suspected. I'm sure Noct will be kind enough to respect his own duties from now on."
"Yeah, yeah," replied the Prince though muffled.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," snapped Gladiolus.
His arms dropped, reaching for the woman behind him. He managed to catch one of her hands, holding it in his own firmly and pulling her from her hiding spot. He felt her body relax just a little but knew that she wouldn't be happy until she got out of here. Since there was nothing left to do, he nodded at Ignis and turned to leave but not before glaring at his charge as he did so. Athenacia heard Ignis open up the folder in front of him, beginning to speak of a meeting that was held with the King and the council regarding the war. She frowned, unable to stop herself from listening, even as she was making her way toward the door with Gladiolus.
"It's happened again, more casualties this time," said Ignis, "At this rate perhaps the Kingsglaive will not suffice. The King himself may have to step in."
He was talking about a skirmish that happened on the Lucian border. Athenacia listened as the next assault was ready to take place and what sort of precautions were being raised. She clenched her fist, trying to push it from her mind. She wasn't a Glaive anymore there was no need to get involved. The plan of action was something that made her cringe and she stopped in her tracks. She swore under her breath, Gladiolus looking at her curiously once she had finished tying up her boots. She groaned when Ignis was finished, hating herself as she stomped back toward the kitchen.
"It won't work," she said before coming into view.
"I beg your pardon?" asked Ignis curiously.
"Their plan, coming in from stealth. It won't work."
"Is that so?"
"The reason the Glaive magic goes down is because of the number of devices they have to suppress it."
"Suppress it?"
She nodded, "It's experimental, not quite there yet but from the sounds of things they're starting to get better since I clocked out."
"You've encountered these contraptions before?"
"Sort of. The prototype was originally brought out during the invasion of Galahd. I wasn't there but shortly after I started fighting I was warned about it from the vets. There was this one run we did where we were completely powerless until Drautos got involved directly. From what I could remember there was a very small device on the ground that emits a pulse, like a ringing in the ear almost. The frequency is so low that the human ear can't hear it but I could sense it before it was gone. They're usually heavily guarded and if they're starting to work better you can guarantee they'll have as many as possible in order to knock out the magic and try to gain the advantage."
"So what do you propose then?"
"You need at least five people to go in after the rest cause a giant disturbance outside the magic radius. Those are the only stealth you need and Drautos will know what those things look like."
"I'll be sure to mention that. You have my thanks."
She nodded, turning again to leave without another word. Gladiolus had a brow raised as she came into view but she ignored him, pointedly walking out the door. He followed after her, all of his earlier anger gone and replaced with a questioning look.
"Thought you didn't care," he said.
She shrugged, "Not all of them hate me."
"Admit it, you enjoyed that."
She sighed, "I do miss ordering people around."
Once the elevator door closed he pushed the button to her floor and then wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. She flushed, not really sure what he planned on doing in the 30 seconds it would take to get down to the seventh floor.
"Tell you what Doc, since I screwed up you can order me to do whatever you want."
The mischievous grin on his face had her mouth go dry, her gaze unable to leave his own. The elevator stopped, the door opening and he crashed his lips upon her own as soon as it did. Her breath caught in her throat, her body beginning to make its way out while he followed. He made sure that they were still pressed against each other, even as they were somehow managing their way toward her door. Her head was in a haze once they had reached 708, her back against the wooden door while he was still claiming her mouth. The softest of moans escaped her and she was about to lose control of herself. She regretfully pushed him away, fumbling around for her keys in order to unlock the door. She turned her back, panting still as he brought his warm lips to the nape of her neck, moving the fabric of the scarf and planting a kiss there. He snaked an arm around her abdomen, pulling her back against him and grounding his hips into her, making sure she could feel exactly how much he wanted her.
That was only making things harder for her. She groaned in frustration as she struggled to find the key she needed to fit inside of the lock. Why did she have so many keys anyway? Once she finally got it she opened the door quickly and removed her scarf. She tossed it on the ground where her mountain of shoes was before turning around and meeting his lips once more. He managed to get her keys from the lock, kicking the door closed as she latched onto him. He tossed the hat from her head aside even as she threw away her gloves. Her purse was next and she unzipped his coat. As soon as it came off his arms were around her in an instant, expertly undoing the buttons of her jacket and swiftly getting it out of the way. All the while they were still attached at the lips. Next was her shirt and he had to break their connection in order to get rid of that.
She fell onto her own couch, having backed into the arm of it. He looked down at her, taking in the sight before him. She still had her boots on, those jeans hugging her hips. Her pink bra obstructed his view as well, rising and falling heavily while she panted. Her creamy skin looked so soft, and that dreamy look on her face made his mind go completely blank. He was on top of her in an instant, feeling her cool fingers reach the hem of his shirt before coming to pull it off. He let it go over his head and she shuddered at the warmth of his bare skin against hers. He removed the bra, liking that the hook was so conveniently in the front. It freed her breasts and he ran a hand over them before claiming her mouth once more. He moved his lips to her neck while his hand travelled down her body and toward her navel. Her soft moans in his ear only fueled him further, as he breached her panty line and ran a finger along the outside of her most sensitive flesh. She moaned loudly, her hips involuntarily bucking when he repeated his first action.
"Gladio," she let out a breathy moan.
"What do you want, Doc?" he asked in his husky tone.
The roughness of the stubble on his face rubbing against her ear and neck made her shudder, goosebumps forming all along her skin, "I... Ahh..."
He didn't give her a chance to answer. He pushed hard against her and she moaned louder. He smirked, the sounds she was making filling him with pride. He kept to his work until one finger found its way deeper. Her cries grew louder and she bit the bottom of his earlobe hard. He growled, increasing his pace and causing her to arch her back into him for a better angle. Once the second one joined the first she was seeing stars. He watched her the entire time, the pure bliss that crossed her features and was only available to him. He was completely enamoured with everything that she was while he kept working. She reached for him but he only held her hands by the wrists above her head. He dived at her neck once more before moving lower to her breast. He let his tongue swirl around the hardened nub and she writhed beneath him, no longer able to hold herself in. Her body tensed against him, one long cry escaping those lips as the full force of her release took over her completely.
She sighed as he removed his hand from her, those dreamy hazel eyes looking back up at him. He held a smug smirk on his face and she didn't even care right now. He kissed her, giving in to his whims and claiming those full lips once more. Her face was in one of his hands, holding it in place while he gazed into her eyes again. She was having trouble staying conscious and he knew that he shouldn't push her anymore tonight despite that he wanted a second round. She just finished a double shift he was surprised that she was even awake for him at all. He kissed her forehead, getting up off of her and causing her to frown slightly.
"What are you doing?" she asked though her voice was laced with sleep.
He didn't answer, just scooped her into his arms and carried her to bed. Her eyes widened a little but relaxed once she felt the comforter beneath her. He left her for the bathroom but smirked once he returned. She had already thrown her shoes and pants aside and burrowed beneath the blankets. He was quick to remove his own clothes, coming right up against her and putting an arm around her. At least he had managed to make it up to her.
...
The Winter's Solstice was fast approaching and with it Insomnia's festivities. Everyone was getting ready to spend the day with their families and then the ball would take place a few days after. They rarely ever fell on the same day but no one seemed to mind. In fact, it was more like taking almost a week's long vacation for most of the people in the Crown City. It was the one time a year that many were able to focus on something besides the war outside of the magical wall. A warm blanket of snow covered the city still but at least it was sunny out today, unlike the last few days. The temperature was fairly mild all things considered but it didn't stop anyone from going outside and doing what they needed to do.
Cor Leonis was one such person that did not stop just because it was a holiday. He was the Marshal and while most training was suspended for now he still had a lot of things to take care of. He worked nearly every day in his life and the Solstice was no exception. The ball was something that he had to organize his men for as well, given that very important people were going to be exposed into the open among many citizens. Enemies liked to take advantage of such things and security was extremely tight. Lots of outsiders liked to come and it always made him uneasy. The Empire was pushing their way through and Cor was sure that they would try to find an angle to work here. It seemed there was no rest for the wicked.
But right now he wasn't thinking about any of that. There was always one obstacle in particular that he had to face and it was the most difficult thing in his life. He'd gladly fight thousands of wars than come to this moment every year. The winter solstice reminded him that Athenacia's birthday was right around the corner. In the past, she used to enjoy celebrating them with him as a child untarnished by the evils around her. But she went to fight in the war and everything changed after that. She no longer enjoyed the day, in fact, she did everything she could to avoid it. On top of that, the two of them were barely on speaking terms over the last few years after Grun was killed in battle. The two of them weren't so stupid as to think that Cor didn't have anything to do with it but he was okay with her thinking the way that she wanted. She couldn't know the truth, not wanting to disrupt her life any more than it already was.
He sat looking at his phone, knowing that seeing her was going to be a challenge like every year. Any other day she did whatever she could to avoid him, but she at least allowed him the courtesy of seeing her on her birthday. On his own day of birth that she never forgot, she often just sent a gift to his home with a card that someone else wrote. He liked that she thought of him but wished that she would at least drop by. They at least didn't fight much anymore when they were around each other, progress in some way. The stress of asking her to meet him was always hard. She would protest and then he would have to go through her entire schedule, make some phone calls, stalk her until he finally had her cornered and then she had no choice but to agree to spend at least an hour with him. He only saw and spoke to her once a year since their falling out and it killed him after raising her most of her life.
He sighed, sending out his message and then putting his phone back in his pocket. She wouldn't respond to the first one, that much he knew. It would take a day of messaging her first before she finally declined his invite. Thus the cycle would begin and it weighed heavy on him. He looked out the window of his home, seeing the yard where he first started training her. If he had never given her that sword... No sense in dwelling on it. He just steeled himself for the hardest battle with the strongest Niff he knew.
...
A few days after Gladiolus had spent the night at her house, Athenacia was out shopping on one of those fabled days off she rarely got. Actually, she had taken the day, wanting to get her gift bags ready for the children's cancer ward and the orphanage. Since her schedule was still a mess and the administration staff were requested to attend a mandatory annual ball at the Citadel she had no idea where she would end up during the Solstice. She tried not to think about it anyway, remembering that her birthday was just around the corner from the holiday. It didn't matter how long it had been, the wound just seemed to never heal for her. She shook herself out of the thought, not wanting to get caught up in that again.
She smiled when she thought about the last time she saw her boyfriend. She loved that he always seemed to put a smile on her face no matter how she was feeling. She remembered waking up wrapped in his warm embrace and nightmare free. She was practically naked, as was he and she turned to face him. He was sleeping so soundly and she knew that she would have to wake up him up so that she could get a ride to work. She did so in a way that he was most definitely happy about. If she didn't have to get to work she was sure that he would have penetrated more than just her mouth that morning. It wasn't like he didn't try but she couldn't be late and she hated herself for that. However, that was days ago and she was only texting him since then. She knew that he would be very busy between now and after the ball and so would she.
Cor was also trying to get a hold of her and she knew in the back of her mind that she had to get that dealt with as well. He was already beginning his cycle, starting earlier than usual this year. She knew she only had a matter of time before he started getting relentless and she wanted to finish her children's baskets first before she started to get involved with that. She was nearly done, paying for the last remaining items in her cart and then taking hold of the massive amounts of bags she had purchased. She probably should have done this in a few trips but she had come too far into the store to go back and do it again. Putting everything back in her shopping cart she wheeled it out into the parking lot. She sighed at the slush all over the ground, making it difficult to push things.
She pushed the button on her keys and saw her trunk open up. Once she had managed to get the cart there she brushed off the snow that had taken hold over her things before putting each bag inside. She groaned in frustration when she was finished, closing it up and looking for a place to put the cart. Thankfully it wasn't too far away and she trudged through the slush once more to get it there. She pushed it against the others, not even bothering to fold it in neatly before huffing once more in annoyance. Her body went rigid after that, someone closing their hands over her eyes. At least they tried, as soon as she felt someone behind her she swiftly turned and laid a blow to the jaw of her assailant.
"Geeze, Doc."
Her hands went to her face, her eyes wide, "Gladio!"
He rubbed his jaw where she had struck him, wincing slightly, "You got a mean right hook."
"Sorry," she bit her lip, bringing her gloved hands to him, "Let me see."
He moved his hand so she could examine him. His face was red, she hit him hard. Her own knuckles hurt from the impact but she would deal with them later. He would be fine, go figure he had such a thick skull. It was then she felt the full force of her own injury, wincing as she removed her glove. Her knuckles were already starting to bruise. Just great, it looked like he did more damage to her at this point. He took her hand in his own gently, running his thumb along her knuckles before bringing them to his lips and placing a soft kiss there. She giggled at his actions, putting the glove back on carefully.
"You know that's not actually a medical treatment," she commented.
He grinned, "Let me know how it heals and we can talk about it later."
She laughed again, shaking her head at his antics, "What are you even doing here?"
"Dropping off my sister, she likes baking. This year she decided she wants to bake for the party."
"Party?"
"Yeah, we host it every year. My dad gets a bunch of important people over, Crownsguard with their families and then we all overeat, drink and enjoy some time off. Amicitia tradition," he shrugged. He then looked at her with a thoughtful frown, "You should come."
She blinked in surprise, "Me?"
"Yeah, who do ya think I'm talking to."
"Gladio, I don't know..."
"Look I know you got those idiots accusing you of something you didn't do. But you'll never get them to stop if you keep running away from it. Show 'em you got nothing to hide."
She sighed, looking down, "I wish it were that easy."
"You're my girlfriend. Don't you think maybe it's about time I got to bring you home?"
She looked at him sharply, about to protest but completely unable to. Why was he looking at her like that? She searched his amber eyes, seeing how much he actually wanted her there. She was so happy with the way things were right now she wasn't ready for him to jump into another level so suddenly. She bit her lip nervously, clenching her fist as she tried to quell the anxiety that was forming within her at the thought of going to the Amicitia residence. But she had to give him an answer.
"C-can I think about it?" her voice was weaker than normal.
He gave her a small smile, bringing his hand to rest on her shoulder and then giving her a quick kiss, "Fine."
Her phone started to buzz in her pocket just as she was about to steal another kiss from him. What rotten timing. She sighed as she pulled it from her pocket. She frowned, reading the message she just received and he could tell that she was about to take off. She looked up at him but he just smirked, taking her hand and walking her toward her car. He gave her another kiss before letting her get inside of it and giving a wave. Athenacia replied to the message on her phone before starting her car and driving off to her unintended destination. The drive wasn't a long one at least, especially when she barely noticed it after all the things floating around in her head.
Athenacia pulled up to the familiar house with a heavy heart. She hadn't been here for about a year and was shocked that she even agreed to come. Cor texted her while she was in the parking lot with Gladiolus and she was in such a rush to get out of the conversation she was having she agreed to meet up with the Marshal right away. Of course, she couldn't tell anyone that. No one could know that Cor raised her, not even Gladiolus. She knew that he was probably the safest one but she'd rather stick to her old habits. After the bombshell of coming to meet his family during a Solstice party, she wasn't even sure where in their relationship they were. She was fairly happy with things the way they were now. She should have figured it was a matter of time before he got tired of being constantly held at arm's length. She had issues letting anyone get close to her, especially after what happened last time.
She let out an angry sigh, remembering the whole reason she rarely saw Cor. Okay, so Grun tried to kill her but that didn't mean the man deserved to die over it. Cor was far too overprotective of her sometimes and this crossed a line that she was barely able to forgive. But every year he cornered her into seeing him and she was forced into his company. She didn't want to be around him but knew that after all the hell she had put him through she owed him this at least. It did get easier every year but she just didn't want to bother with any of it. Rubbing her head, she turned off the car and got out, hating that the snow was falling again. She walked up to the door, not even bothering to knock as she stepped into the house.
Nothing about it had changed. The mat was even still the same, letting the snow soak into it as she carefully unlaced her boots on the bench. She took off her winter outerwear and hung it up on the peg that hung above the bench she was just sitting on. She sighed again, taking a quick look around. The stairs to go up were right in front of her, then off to the right was the living area equipped with a couch, tables, love seat, television and fireplace. To the left was the kitchen which was where she made her way. Cor was waiting for her at the island of it, the fridge and stove behind him and counters in between. There were two mugs in front of him and one he pushed toward her carefully. She smiled slightly, seeing that he made her hot chocolate. There was whipped topping on it and cinnamon. She was sure that it had some fudge in it as well. He made it the most perfect way, starting it when she was a child and hating the cold.
"Happy birthday," he said lightly.
"Thanks," she nodded at him, looking away.
She grabbed her drink, taking a sip and letting its warmth spread through her. It tasted the exact same as she remembered and she was happy he put in this sort of effort for her. She supposed she wasn't too overly upset that she had decided to come over after all.
"You're early this year," she said absently, taking another sip.
He shrugged, "You're unusually responsive."
"Just tired of fighting I guess."
He raised a brow, "You sick?"
She smiled, "Perhaps. I do spend a lot of time around sick people."
He smirked, taking a drink from his own mug. They were quiet again but it wasn't all that awkward. They still stood at the island in the kitchen but that was normal for them. It was where they spent the most time together when they weren't training in the backyard. She ran her fingers along the marble top, seeing some of the damage done to it from when she was a teenager. It was almost like she had never left and she was sure that Cor didn't spend so much time here anyway.
"How's work anyway?" he asked.
"Busy. But that's the way I like it. You?"
"About the same. The ball is more of a nuisance than it is a night out.'
"Yeah, your end is always like that."
"Clarus throws a better party."
"Funny you should mention that I was invited to it this year."
"By Gladio?"
She nodded, looking down nervously and taking another drink.
"Are you going?"
The question hung in the air and she was still uncertain of what to do. She knew that he really wanted her there but she was so nervous coming around a bunch of Crownsguard after what happened to her years ago. She walked away from that life, from all of them. Somehow the Prince's Shield had broken through all of that and she was still trying to figure out how and why.
"I don't know," she sighed, "Probably not."
Cor frowned, "You still can't see good things in front of you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she looked at him confused.
"It means don't screw this up."
Her face hardened instantly. She shook her head in disgust, pushing her drink away and turning her back toward him. She put on her boots in a lazy manner, grabbing her winter coat and then opening the door.
"Cia," he called for her, his voice thick with emotion.
"Thanks for the well wishes!"
She slammed the door behind her after that, stomping toward her car and getting inside. She slammed that too, crying out in frustration as she started it. She drove off as fast as she could, hating that she let him get under her skin like this. She didn't stop until she got home, still fuming by the time she parked in her spot. She didn't turn the car off yet, wanting to enjoy the warmth as she let that encounter swirl in her head. She pulled out her phone, noting the messages she had from not only him but Gladiolus.
Think enough yet?
She leaned her head back against the headrest of her car, letting out a deep sigh. She held her phone lazily in her hands, knowing she had to give an answer. "Don't screw this up" what a jerk Cor was! But she knew that he was right, she shouldn't mess this up. How was she ever going to move forward if she just kept running away? What did she really expect anyway? Eventually, Gladiolus would want her to meet his family in a more formal manner. With Grun, he never had any family so there was never an issue there. But she couldn't deny that she really did like that large man she was currently dating. She wanted to be around him every second she got. He was so busy and so was she, the opportunities seemed few and far in between. She wasn't getting any younger either.
Letting out another deep sigh, she composed her message.
I'll be there.
...
hey! so this is part of one of Love Like Winter. I wanted to get some of it out today since it would technically be Cia's b day. Anyway, anyone who is confused reminder to go and read Terminal State and I will see you all in the next part. thanks so much for reading!