Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XV or any of its characters.
Title:the world at your fingertips, you just need to seize it
Summary: As far as the six year old Noctis was concerned, his entire world consisted of four walls and Father always told him it's safer to stay inside than going outside. It's when those walls come down that Noctis's entire world changes.
Rating: T
Warnings: Potentially disturbing imagery, emotional abuse
Author's Notes: I can't believe it took me this long to write more bonding time with Gladio and Noctis, so here it is. And originally, my plan wasn't to end the chapter where it was but I simply couldn't resist. Cliffhangers are always fun, right?
" Why don't we go to the kitchens? I'm certain that the chefs will let me use it to prepare dessert for you."
Noctis shook his head, uninterested.
" Let's go to the training rooms. You can be the judge of Prompto and my wrestling match."
He was far more concerned finishing his coloring.
" You know, I have more video games in my room. Wanna go there? It's just down the hall."
He shrugged, content with King's Knight on Prompto's phone.
Noctis wasn't sure why Ignis, Gladio and Prompto were so invested in him leaving the room. As far as Noctis understood, the room was the safest and best room to be in.
He refused to leave through those doors, all previous excitement at exploring the Citadel dwindled to an all-time low. While the burns on his arms were almost healed as deemed by Ignis, Noctis remembered the heat that smoldered through his skin and the dizzying headaches that lasted. He shuddered at the memory, hoping to never experience that again.
At least Umbra was a regular visitor, content to spend hours curled around Noctis's feet. Umbra came at least once a day, even twice a day if Noctis was lucky, bringing little trinkets and gifts from Luna who was quite worried when she heard what had happened.
A Tenebrae stamp. A necklace with a blue jewel adorned with silver wings. A special coin called an Oracle Ascension Coin. Noctis treasured all these things.
Since Noctis was staying inside, there was no more collection of leaves or rocks or sticks he could gather and show Luna. So instead, he drew pictures for her. Of his room, of Ignis, Prompto and Gladio, of Insomnia's buildings and roads, of grass and the sky and oceans.
Prompto showed a photo of Luna once and Noctis's eyes had widened at how pretty Luna was with her golden hair tied up in a bun and in her long white dress. She was the prettiest girl he had ever seen, next to Gentiana (even if Nocits at that point had only seen two girls).
He tried drawing Luna with Gentiana and Umbra up in the mountains and Luna would always praise his artwork. She even drew a brief sketch of Umbra alongside another dog called Pryna. Seeing Luna's messages were able to bring a small comfort to him.
Nightmares began to plague Noctis at night, a lingering fragment of his encounter with the black king in the gardens. Frightening images of smoky black claws and fingers dug into his face and shadows loomed over him, shrieking incomprehensible words. Noctis would wake up screaming and waking up whoever was sleeping closest to him.
They all had different responses to it. Gladio would carry him to the windows, throwing them open wide and let Noctis feel the cool night air on his sweat-soaked skin and realize he hasn't been stabbed or torn apart. Prompto would embrace him, curling his arms around him, letting his cries rack through both their bodies until he fell back into an uneasy sleep. Ignis would stroke his hair as he sobbed into Ignis's chest, waiting until he calmed down before preparing some warm milk for him to lull him back to sleep.
The nights became a source of agitation, frustration and uncertainty and it seemed it only made his friends more determined to have him leave the room for his own peace of mind – even if Noctis continued to refuse.
Noctis would ask for Father on a daily basis, asking if anyone had seen him or if Father was less busy for today. And they would give him a vague answer like before. It made Noctis agitated and wondering if Father really knew where he was or if Father had forgotten about him. Both thoughts weren't pleasant to think about.
As a result, Noctis fretted endlessly if someone had to leave the room, if it was only for a few minutes or for hours. They would reassure him that they would be back, to take a phone call or to meet with someone or to do some adult things that they wouldn't share with Noctis. But Noctis wouldn't stop staring at the door, refused to look away until they were back.
Noctis was near inconsolable when Cor had to leave the room and not come back for longer periods of time. Cor tried to explain he was busy – busy like Father, was what Noctis understood – and he made firm promises to call Ignis's phone. Unlike Father however, Cor kept his word and made regular phone calls at least once a day to speak with Noctis and reaffirm that he was well and would come up to see Noctis when his duties were finished.
Cor was only able to see Noctis once in the last few days, looking haggard and exhausted but he would always manage a smile for Noctis's sake and listened with interest and amusement as Noctis showed him the pictures Noctis had drawn of Cor, towering and large ("His muscles definitely aren't that big," Prompto sniggered, only to earn a heated glare from Cor).
On this particular day, Noctis woke from an afternoon nap. He had been taking more naps now. Ignis tried to act unconcerned whenever he saw Noctis rubbing his eyes or yawning after a meal or after any activity, but his eyes always appeared troubled when Noctis laid down. Sometimes, Ignis would say he had to do some research and disappear for almost a whole morning or afternoon, much to Noctis's alarm. Gladio tried to explain that Ignis sometimes got ideas bumping around in his head that he had to figure out or he wouldn't settle down.
On this day, Noctis was disappointed to wake up to find that Ignis wasn't in the room again, probably doing research again, and even Prompto wasn't there, though he did leave a written message for Noctis that he would be back in less than an hour.
It was just Gladio in the room who was currently handling a sword.
He watched with fascination as Gladio lifted the wooden sword, calm and unhurried, before swinging it down with quick, sharp precision. He moved the sword to sweep to the side, upwards again, allowing it to fall in rhythmical strokes. To Noctis's eyes, it was as if Gladio was in a harmonious dance with the sword. It was a part of him and the sword a part of Gladio.
Noctis didn't want for this dance to end, wanted to keep watching Gladio forever. A single word could break the spell of what he was witnessing here.
But curiosity eventually won out. " What are you doing?"
To Noctis's regret, Gladio stopped, sword held in a frozen stance. " Practising," he replied.
Noctis scooted a little further out from the pillow fort. " For what?"
" Against anything or anyone who might mean us harm."
" With a wooden sword?" Noctis doubtfully said.
Gladio grinned. " Nah, this is just for practice. I have a real sword."
" But real swords are bad!" Noctis stressed, bewildered that someone as nice as Gladio would use such a thing. " Only monsters and bad people use swords."
" Who told you that?" Gladio's expression darkened.
" Father."
Gladio scowled. He did it almost every time Father's name was brought up. It made Noctis wonder if they had met before. It definitely seemed they were not friends. Perhaps something had happened between them?
" That isn't true," he said after a moment where it appeared Gladio had to take a slow breath in to compose himself. " Not completely anyways. Anyone can use a sword, both good and bad. It just depends on how they choose to wield it."
" What do you mean?" Noctis leaned forward, intrigued.
" People can use swords or any weapon to hurt, to terrorize. Others use it only to protect and defend."
" Like you?"
" Like me," Gladio confirmed. " When I raise my sword, I only do it in the defence of others."
" What about yourself?"
Gladio blinked.
" You didn't mention defending yourself," Noctis prompted.
" Trust me, it won't be me in danger," Gladio snorted. " If anything, it's part of my job to protect others, not the other way around."
" But – but what if you were in danger?" Because the very thought of the black king coming to hurt Gladio was terrifying for Noctis to imagine.
All mirth faded from Gladio and there was an unreadable expression on his face. " If that were to happen," he slowly said. " I know I have Ignis and Prompto to watch my back. And you too."
He ruffled Noctis's head. " But what good am I?" Noctis said plainly. He was so small and helpless compared to Gladio, Ignis and Prompto who were adults and could do all these amazing things. " I don't know how to use a sword."
" No? Never tried to swing a toy one before?"
" Father told me I don't need to learn how to use a sword," Noctis shrugged. He had begged Father to gift him with a toy sword many times, hoping to use it to pretend to be a pirate or a knight. Father had always laughed and told him there was no need for him to use it.
The room is all the protection you need, Father's voice whispered in his mind. No need to concern yourself with swords.
Gladio grunted, his frown darkening. " Everyone should learn how to use a sword," he roughly said. " Come over here and we can start on the basics."
As Noctis shyly made his way next to Gladio, he absently wondered how many times in the last week or so had Noctis disobeyed Father and if Father would find out how bad he was being.
Very quickly, Gladio began directing him to hold his arms like this and to keep his feet flat like that. It took a few minutes for Gladio to correct his stance, making him steady and firm to the floor. Once Gladio was satisfied, he handed Noctis the wooden sword.
The sword was more bulky and cumbersome than Noctis had anticipated. The hilt was rough and worn, proof of long hours of practice. Within seconds, Noctis's arms became weighted down with exertion. He could feel the sweat coating at the insides of his palms as he tried to lift it up like Gladio had done so seamlessly and casually, only to struggle to even get it an inch above the floor.
" What's it like holding it?" Gladio prompted.
" It's heavy," Noctis admitted.
Gladio grinned. " Of course it's heavy. This kind is meant for adults and people with more muscle. Something you haven't grown into yet."
He playfully poked Noctis's arm, making him giggle. " The only reason I gave this to you was to give you a feel for the sword. No point swinging and slashing at things if you don't understand the sword itself. You would only end up hurting yourself. You need to understand what it's like to hold a sword, to know it becomes an extension of your own body, before you can start using it."
" Like how Ignis used the ladle to poke Prompto on the forehead?"
Gladio chortled. " Something like that. Except a sword is a bit longer than that."
Noctis shyly scuffed the back of his foot to the floor. He had gotten used to the coolness of the tiles against his bare feet. " You will really teach me?"
" Of course. If you want me to."
" Promise?"
Gladio already had his much bigger finger around Noctis's. " Promise."
He couldn't think of anyone better than Gladio to teach him. " Good. Because I want you to."
Gladio smiled, looking relieved and proud and pleased all at once. " Then there's no time to waste. Now, I want you to tell me what you know about the characteristics of this particular sword."
~.~.~
Noctis was strangely and almost immediately roused from his sleep.
He blinked drowsily, feeling the cool glass of Carbuncle in one hand and a dull ache in his arms where Gladio had him performing sword drills for the rest of the afternoon.
Noctis was almost smothered from the several blankets and cushions Ignis managed to get his hands on. Gladio had also draped more blankets over their pillow fort to accommodate for all four of them sleeping in the area. Prompto had deemed it the best pillow fort in the world.
He raised his head, squinting at the dim light emitting from the outside.
At first, he thought Gentiana was visiting again. She had not returned since their last meeting where she healed his fever and aches.
But it was not her that serenely greeted him with a pretty smile.
Because standing at the opening of the pillow fort was Father.
He looked exactly as Noctis had remembered, wearing his long billowing jacket and his funny hat with a wide brim. His hair looked especially gleaming red and purple under the moonlight. And a familiar teasing smile was upon Father's face.
" Father! You came back!"
Noctis scrambled up to his feet, kicking off his blankets and tackled Father around the middle with a delighted squeal.
It felt like it had been ages since he smelled Father's recognizable scent and felt the scratchy scarf against his face.
Father chuckled, almost immediately untangling Noctis from him, holding him out to inspect Noctis. " It seems you have been having fun without me, my sweet Noctis." His tone was casual and somewhat accusatory.
Noctis ducked his head guiltily. " But Ignis and Gladio kept saying you were too busy or were faraway," he stressed.
Father smiled. " Did they? How adorable."
" But you're here now! I'm so happy that you're here!" Noctis buried his face once more against Father. How he had missed Father.
" Of course. I wouldn't forget about my cute little pet, would I?" He tapped Noctis's nose hard enough to make him rub it afterwards.
" Let me wake Gladio, Prompto and Ignis! They will be happy to see you too!"
He scooted back under the pillow fort and began to shake their shoulders and patted their faces but Gladio continued to snore and Ignis's breathing remained even and slow and Prompto didn't even move.
Noctis pondered to himself that it was a little strange. Usually they were light sleepers and seemed to wake up at a moment's notice. Perhaps they were simply more tired today.
" No need to concern yourself with them," Father airily said. " Let them sleep a little longer. We have places to go after all."
Noctis was puzzled as he scooted away from his friends and out of the pillow fort. " Go where?"
" It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you."
" But – but the black king is out there! He found me earlier!"
Noctis looked towards the opened door – it was opened? He could have sworn that he saw Gladio close it just before turning off the lights.
" Oh?"
Father dragged out that one word, lips curling in amusement. " Yes he is here, isn't he? But not to worry, my little kitten. I am with you now, ain't I?"
That was true. Now that Father was back and here and next to Noctis, he felt like he could do anything. Because Father was the strongest and surely even the black king would cower before Father.
Father led him to the hallways. Almost out of habit, Noctis reached over and held Father's hand like he had done many times with Gladio, Prompto and Ignis whenever he left the room's doors. Father looked amused but to Noctis's relief, he didn't try to swat Noctis's hand like Father had done before.
The Crownsguard weren't standing anymore but instead slumped against the walls and on the floor. A metallic smell filled the air, making Noctis wrinkle his nose at the unknown odour. He simply supposed the guards were also very tired and went to sleep as well.
" It has been such a long, long time since I walked these halls," Father pleasantly reminisced, looking at the paintings on the wall and gazing outside at the slumbering city with a quirk to his mouth.
" You have?"
" Hush now, not too loud. You will wake up everyone."
Noctis stifled a giggle. " Okay," he said, a little more quietly.
They walked in silence down the hallway. Noctis had never done this during the nighttime. He admired the way the moonlight and the stars cast interesting shadows on the wall.
" So where are we going?" Noctis wasn't able to contain his curiosity any longer.
" Somewhere special," Father hummed. He seemed especially in a good mood today.
" Like finding a treasure?" Noctis excitedly asked.
Father laughed. " Yes, I suppose it is. But you have to be quiet or else we will wake up the giant guarding the treasure."
Noctis could hardly contain his excitement. This sounded like it was going to be fun.