Jasmine's eyes were fixated on the eight inches of ebony hair on the floor in a messy pile. She'd initially only wanted to take off a few inches, but with each snip, she just wanted more and more of her hair gone. 'It's still halfway down my back,' she rationed, taking a slow turn in her bathroom mirror. 'But knowing Noctis or Tifa, one of them will say something.'
Setting the professional-grade sheers on the edge of her large bathroom counter, Jasmine exhaled before taking a seat on the toilet, glad to have a bit of alone time.
In fact, this was the first time she'd been alone all day, and it was nearly six o'clock in the evening.
Jasmine folded her arms over her chest and stared at the king's ring that was still on her thumb.
'I still can't believe he asked me out,' Jasmine said mentally.
Before her thoughts could go any further, a knock on the bathroom door startled Jasmine out of her thoughts.
"Are you doing alright in there, dear?"
Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief.
It was only Tifa.
"I'm fine," Jasmine half-lied. "I'll be out in a second!"
While the majority of her soreness was gone, Jasmine couldn't deny how tired and heavy her body felt. Even though the doctors said she was okay for the most part, she'd never been this drained before. Jasmine reasoned that it had to do with the smoke inhalation and that strange toxin, but every task felt like such a chore. Until the poison worked its way out of her system, Jasmine would be out of action indefinitely.
Carefully (as her body still ached), Jasmine snatched a few pieces of toilet paper off the roll and swept up the hair she'd cut. Once she cleaned up after herself, she took a deep breath, tossed the loose strands aside, and left her bathroom to be greeted by Tifa, who immediately noticed her hair cut.
"Looks good, Jasmine," she said with a smile, running her hands through her goddaughter's still long hair. "Needed a change?"
"I guess," she replied. "It was too long anyway. I didn't even mean to cut this much."
Tifa laughed and led Jasmine back to bed. "That's how it always starts. Now come on, gotta get you ready for your dinner."
Jasmine inwardly groaned. Even though she'd spent the majority of her day sleeping, she was exhausted from the mission (emotionally and physically). And to top it all off, she was still feeling very numb to everything around her – even about Noctis admitting his feelings.
The only reason she still agreed to go out with the boys was that they would be gone for about a week.
"Now, are you sure you don't wanna go, Tifa?" Jasmine asked for the tenth time. She sat down at her vanity and stared at her reflection, unsure of where to even begin with getting ready. "Noctis said you should come out with us."
Tifa sat on the edge of Jasmine's bed.
"I know, but Cloud and I already had plans," Tifa reminded her gently. "He's gonna help me with some stuff for the Radiant Garden restaurant. He'll be by the day after tomorrow. He wanted to give you time to rest."
Jasmine mustered a small smile. "He also doesn't like a ton of activity," she added.
"That's also true," Tifa said with a light chuckle.
Just as Jasmine reached for a hairbrush, she immediately broke out into a coughing spell. She covered her mouth with her arm as she continued to cough, finding it hard to catch her breath. Just as the episode subsided, Jasmine pulled her arm back and, to her shock, found that the crook of her arm was lightly splattered with what appeared to be slightly blackened blood.
"Are you okay, Jasmine?" Tifa asked sweetly as she got up to grab the glass of water from Jasmine's nightstand.
The younger girl quickly reached for a tissue from the box on her vanity table and promptly wiped the blood away, tossing it in the trash before Tifa could see it.
"I'm fine," Jasmine lied, secretly concerned by what she'd just witnessed.
Tifa set the glass down on Jasmine's left, right next to a tin full of makeup brushes, and strolled on over to the girl's large walk-in closet. "Do you know what you're going to wear?"
Jasmine regained her composure and pulled her hair up into a messy bun. "Not really. Prompto told me this morning that they were thinking of extending the night and wanted to go to a lounge too."
"That sounds like fun!" Tifa called out, shifting through the many dresses Jasmine owned but never wore. "But do you think you'd be up for that in your condition?"
Jasmine looked at the clock on her nightstand and realized it was almost 6 o'clock, and dinner was at 7. She'd have to hurry if she wanted to get out on time. If there was one thing Noctis hated, it was being late or almost late.
"I doubt it," she admitted, starting with the base of her makeup. "But I didn't have the heart to tell Noctis "no" outright. I just said that I would let him know how I felt as the night progressed."
"How nice is this dinner?" Tifa shouted. "I can pull some dresses for you if you want."
"It's at a really, really nice restaurant." Jasmine finished off the base of her makeup and moved onto her eyes. She wasn't going for anything too dramatic because she was confident that all this makeup would be coming off very soon. "You can grab anything that you think would work."
Tifa chuckled. "No ballgowns, right?"
Jasmine reached for a fluffy eyeshadow brush and started blending a dark chocolate color over her lids. "Definitely not. Just something nice."
"Why do you have so many clothes?"
"I get them for missions," Jasmine revealed, having finished her eyeshadow and moving to mascara. "Otherwise, I have no need. After all, I usually just wear basketball shorts and sweatshirts around the apartment or when I'm training."
When Tifa emerged from the closet, she came out with a black, mid-length spaghetti strapped dress, a long camel-colored coat, and towering black pumps. "Think this will do?"
Jasmine turned around to examine the outfit, her eyes widening.
"Isn't that a little tight?" She asked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. "And won't my chest will be out?"
Tifa rolled her eyes and laid the outfit out on Jasmine's bed. "YOU bought it. It's in your closet," she reminded her niece. "Besides, I'm sure you've shown more skin than that."
Unable to rebuke Tifa's somewhat valid points, Jasmine agreed to the outfit before reaching for a deep, red lipstick. Once she finished, she stared at her reflection. She played with her bangs, ran a hand through her wavy hair, and rose to her feet. Jasmine quickly grabbed the outfit and hurried inside her closet to change.
"So," Tifa took Jasmine's spot at the vanity, "is Noctis your boyfriend yet? Or are you guys gonna wait until he gets back to start the courtship process?"
Jasmine grimaced at the word "courtship." It was way too formal for her liking.
"We're waiting until he comes home to start dating," she called out. "Like…officially."
Tifa could read through the lines. "So, you're dating," she deadpanned.
"Basically."
Tifa smirked. "If you don't mind me saying this, he's waited a while for this. In his mind, you guys are already together."
Jasmine emerged from the closet, all dressed and ready to go with her purse in hand.
Tifa whirled around and smiled as she took in the sight of her goddaughter. "You look so pretty, Jasmine!"
"Thanks, Tifa," Jasmine said politely as she slipped on her coat.
As if on cue, Jasmine's personal cell phone vibrated loudly on her desk. She reached over and grabbed her phone, quickly glancing at the name on the Caller ID before grimacing.
It was Riku.
He'd called twice since she'd been released from the hospital. So did Roxas, Namine, and Sora. She'd have a lot to explaining to do when she finally got around to it.
Even though she planned to return their calls, Jasmine had no idea how to even discuss what happened – not that she could reveal much anyway.
"It's Riku," she revealed, knowing that Tifa was studying her. "I feel bad, but I don't want to answer him. Not yet anyway." Jasmine sighed and slipped her phone into her purse.
"Is it because you're dating the prince now?" Tifa asked in a somber tone.
Jasmine shook her head. "Not so much that," she replied as she headed for the door. "It's just…" The events of Traverse Town began playing over in her head, just as evident in her memory as the day everything happened. And while there were many parts of that night she wished she'd forget, Jasmine knew that deep down, that night would never leave her. "I don't even know what to say to them. I can't talk about what happened, and I still don't feel like myself. I know I'll talk to them once I get more rest, but I just want to be alone for a while."
Before Tifa could offer advice, the sound of someone's knocking interrupted her.
Both women turned their attention to Jasmine's door while the younger of the two clenched her purse tightly.
"Who is it?" She called.
"It's Prompto," the familiar voice replied cheerfully, much to Jasmine's relief. "We're ready!"
Jasmine took a deep breath (well as deep as she could given her current state) and took one more look at herself in the full mirror by her door.
It was a strange thing. Even though Jasmine looked fine on the outside, she struggled with who she saw staring back at her. It just seemed so superficial for her to be going out for dinner to celebrate her when her friends were locked away somewhere with who-knows-what happening to them. Jasmine knew that Noctis and the others meant well by their generosity. Still, deep-down she felt, apart from the king being found, there was nothing to celebrate.
Tifa noticed the tension in Jasmine's face and walked over to the girl.
"Hey," she gave Jasmine's hand a gentle squeeze, seemingly shaking the girl out of her daze, "just try to have fun. If you really feel like you can't handle it, just tell the boys you need to go home. After all, you're still recovering. No one would be mad at you for leaving early to get your rest."
Jasmine pocketed the advice and did her best to muster a small smile. "Thanks, Tifa."
"Now," Tifa led Jasmine to the door. "Go out there and enjoy your dinner. That prince is waiting for you, and I'm dying to see the look on his face."
Jasmine grumbled and lowered her voice. "You're having too much fun with this."
"Of course I am! It's the most normal thing we've done together in a while. It reminds me of when you first came to live with me. Let me have this."
After all the time they spent together training…
After all the missions they'd spent together undercover as lovers…
After all the countless days they'd just been in each other's presence in their shared apartment…
Noctis was unable to hide his nerves when he first looked at Jasmine that night.
It was the way she styled her beautiful, flowing black hair…the way her dress seemed to hug every single curve of her body in just the right way…the way her makeup so flawlessly complimented her already gorgeous facial features and accentuated her stunning hazel/gold eyes…
But it wasn't the first time she'd looked like that. Noctis recalled her first assignment with the team. She did away with her oversized clothes and wore another, very similar, dark blue dress. Even Noctis had to admit that he was caught off guard by how attractive she was then as they played the part of a couple that night. Everyone in the group was dressed in their best for the occasion but, as usual, Jasmine stole the show.
'This time,' he thought to himself as he stole a glance at her during dinner. 'We're actually together for real.'
For the most part, Noctis was very tight-lipped about Jasmine agreeing to go out with him. The only people he told were his team (with Prompto being the first to get the news). And while Prompto was over the moon with Gladiolus being happy for the prince, Ignis was a little less than pleased to hear that Jasmine agreed to go out with Noctis.
"Thank you for everything," Jasmine said to the group as she set her used silverware on her empty plate. She motioned to the giant bouquet of crimson red roses in the center of the table that Noctis said the group purchased for her. "You guys didn't have to go to all this trouble."
Gladiolus grinned from ear to ear. "How can you say that? Without you, we wouldn't have found the king!"
The young woman mustered a small smile. Despite her limited time in the spotlight, Jasmine still had difficulty being the center of attention. Earlier in the evening, Ignis, Prompto, and Gladiolus even gifted her with presents. She tried to politely decline, but the Lucian men wouldn't take no for an answer.
"But even so, I'm just happy I could've helped you," she continued, taking a good look at her team. "I just want you to be safe and come back home."
"We will, Miss Valentine," Prompto beamed. "You can count on us."
Ignis, who remained friendly and cordial throughout the entire dinner, turned his attention to Jasmine. The prince hadn't left her side since she came back from her mission, so it was hard to pin her down. Having been made aware that Jasmine had agreed to enter a courtship agreement of sorts with Noctis, the advisor wanted to have a word with her before leaving.
"How are you feeling, Miss Valentine?" Ignis asked genuinely.
"I'm doing okay," she replied politely. "I'm glad I got to spend some time with you guys before the mission. I know it's only a week," she turned her attention to the group of men sitting around her, "but I'll miss you."
Noctis, who was sitting on Jasmine's left, frowned.
He really had hoped that they could've all spent more time with her. But…
He took another quick glance at Jasmine, grateful that she was at the very least up and out of the hospital…
At least they had right now.
"So your vacation officially starts today," Gladiolus stated. "What do you have planned for your month off?"
Jasmine opened her mouth to speak but instead coughed repeatedly, earning the concern of her teammates. "Rest," she replied after she grabbed a napkin and cleared her throat. "I still have to have tests done for a while, so I can't exactly do a lot for a couple of weeks. But mainly I'll relax and spend time with my family and friends. I'm glad SOLDIER didn't fight me on this."
"That's the very least they could do," Prompto grumbled, his expression turning sour. He recalled an earlier conversation he and the others had with Axel about the nature of Jasmine's side mission. Though the redhead couldn't give many details, he made it evident that Tseng knowingly put Jasmine in danger.
Ignis straightened up in his seat.
"Very true," he chimed in. "Axel gave us a bit of a breakdown of what happened. I think recovering would be the best thing for you. Then you can tend to your duties with SOLDIER later and think about how to proceed with them…especially given everything you have on your plate."
Jasmine got a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She could sense slight tension between her and Ignis. Though the pair hadn't always been on the best of terms, things had generally been pleasant between them for the most part. But ever since she agreed to go out with Noctis, there was a heaviness between them.
"I'll be fine," she said to Ignis, subtly matching his energy. "But I can handle whatever SOLDIER throws at me."
Noticing the shift in Jasmine, Ignis opened his mouth to say what had been on his mind all day…that Jasmine and Noctis' budding relationship shouldn't be taken lightly. It was bad enough that she even agreed to go out with him (something he was genuinely taken aback by). Still, now there was a real chance that she would be ascending the throne with him.
And as much as Ignis did truly respect and even admire Jasmine, he did not think their relationship was a good idea.
But before he could get anything out, Jasmine started coughing again. However, this time, the outburst was much worse, with her coughs being much more haggard and even painful sounding.
Ignis watched as Jasmine reached for a napkin and coughed into it. Once she was done, and while Noctis had his head turned to call for their waitress, Ignis had just barely caught a glimpse of something that resembled blood staining the white cloth napkin. And with the others speaking amongst themselves about their plan, it was apparent they hadn't noticed Jasmine skillfully hiding the cloth from their view.
That, coupled with Jasmine's well-disguised condition, gave Ignis the opening he needed to steal her away.
"Miss Valentine, will you be joining us this evening?" He asked politely, breaking up the conversation at the table. "I know you were invited out, but I think it might be wise for me to take you home so you can get your rest."
Prompto pouted and turned to Jasmine. "Oh, come on, Miss Valentine! It's our last night before the mission! At least stay with us for an hour or so. Axel already said you could come to one of his lounges with us."
Jasmine pondered the proposal. While she had faired well during the dinner, she had to admit that she felt less than herself on the inside. And even though it would be nice to spend more time with the boys, she would much rather be in bed getting rest.
"I think he's right," she agreed, much to the disappointment of her team. She noticed the waiters coming by to clear the table while Noctis took care of the bill. "I should probably get home. Besides, I have to go back to the doctors to get more bloodwork done tomorrow."
Happy that she didn't put up a fight, Ignis smiled. "Perfect. I can take you home whenever you're ready."
"No need," Noctis said. "I can take Jasmine home myself. I should probably call it a night too."
Ignis pressed on despite Noctis' alternative. "Oh, it's not a problem. You should enjoy yourself! I can drop her off and meet you out. It'll be fine."
Not used to Ignis outright arguing with him over seemingly trivial things, Noctis became annoyed. "I'll take her, Ignis."
Sensing the tension between the pair, Jasmine spoke up.
"Don't worry about it, Noctis. Ignis can take me home," she turned to the prince, who appeared visibly confused. "You guys can go and get a head start on the night. You should enjoy yourselves and have fun – you can come home early if you're that tired."
"But, Jasmine…" Noctis protested weakly. Before he could say anything else, Jasmine continued.
"Besides, I want to talk to Ignis," she announced, sending a wave of silence across the table, even catching Ignis off guard.
Noctis knew that there would be no point in debating this. He was hoping to spend more time with Jasmine. And even though he was still a little tongue-tied and a tad bit nervous around her, he still just wanted to be near her. After all, they were technically dating…or at least they would be when he came back.
Plus, if Jasmine wanted to speak to Ignis one-on-one, then who was he to stand in her way?
With a heavy sigh, he conceded.
"Alright, just get home safely," he said, not wholly able to hide his disappointment. "Let me know when you get there."
Jasmine rose to her feet and gathered her things, giving all her teammates a hug as she bid them goodnight. After all, she would see them in the morning at her apartment.
Ignis gathered Jasmine's flowers and told the group he would meet up with them shortly. After all, Axel's lounge was within walking distance, so the trio could make their way there with no trouble whatsoever. But before Ignis took off with Jasmine, Noctis gave him an almost threatening look, almost demanding to know what exactly he had up his sleeve.
But the advisor paid the prince no mind and simply offered another kind smile with a hint of smugness hiding behind it.
Jasmine and Ignis made their way through the restaurant, saying nothing to one another.
The air was thick with tension.
As the raven-haired girl remained in front of him, Ignis lined up everything he had to say. Even though he was trailing behind her, Ignis could feel the heaviness between them. But Ignis knew he had to have this talk with Jasmine now. With their team departing in the morning, it would be the only time he could speak this openly and candidly with the young Valentine.
Once the pair stepped outside and into the cool air, Ignis called for the valet to retrieve the car. Once he disappeared, Jasmine stood near the curb, with Ignis joining her.
"I'm surprised it took you this long to pull me aside," Jasmine said flatly, immediately breaking the silence. "I'm glad you didn't make a scene at the table."
Ignis turned to Jasmine. Even in the dark, he could make out her facial expression. To his surprise, the advisor saw no trace of emotion on her face. The only indicator of her ire was the tone in her slightly raspy voice.
"Noctis would've had my head," Ignis said simply as their car arrived and was pulled right in front of them. He opened the back door for Jasmine and helped her into the vehicle. "After all, you are his Queen for all intents and purposes."
He closed the door behind her and hopped into the driver's seat. Before taking off, he stole a glance at Jasmine in the back. She was seated just like Noctis was, leaning against the window with one leg crossed over the other with an unreadable expression as she stared out the window.
"I know you hate it," Jasmine said, a slight edge to her voice.
"Hate what?" Ignis asked, not knowing precisely what the "it" that was she was talking about. He drove cautiously through the streets, coming to a slow stop at the stoplight.
"That Noctis asked me to go out with him and that I agreed," she responded blankly. "I know that he's going to formally propose. You hate the idea of me being with him so much it drives you crazy."
Ignis frowned. While he expected Jasmine had an idea of what was going on, he hadn't expected her to read him in such an open and candid way. Instead, he composed himself and drove when the light turned green.
"You know that I do have a great deal of respect for you, right, Miss Valentine?" Ignis asked.
Jasmine casually shrugged and stole a glance at the gorgeous flowers sitting on the seat next to her.
"I know," Jasmine sighed. "That's what makes this harder. But to be fair, you've been worried about me since that last incident. At the end of the day, you just don't want me and Noctis to be together."
Ignis was surprised at Jasmine's very accurate view of the situation. It was true that he valued her as a comrade. But he didn't want her and the prince to end up together. It just wasn't the right fit.
But what also caught him off guard was how cool and calm and straightforward she was being. While Jasmine usually acted reserved around the team, she was a little more aggressive than usual. It wasn't like her.
Yes…
Something was very different about Miss Valentine ever since she got back from her mission.
Almost off even…
It was also very different from the manic way she behaved when her parents passed away. And while her actions then were quite troubling, this behavior of hers was a little more unsettling. This was a different energy altogether.
But he would never let her know that's how he felt.
"If things were different, I would have no problem with you and Prince Noctis being together," Ignis explained, hoping to reach Jasmine. "You're not of royal blood, and the people of where we're from are very leery of foreigners. Even though you are the one who located the king, I fear that you wouldn't be easily embraced by the kingdom."
Jasmine snorted. It was just like when she first got to the Destiny Islands for high school.
Once again, she didn't have the right background to fit in…the right pedigree, as it were. She'd been through this many times in her life and at this point, it just almost seemed comical. To a lot of people from more well-off backgrounds, she didn't have the right social standing. While it was true that her father attained success in his life and was a well-received member of various political circles, they were never enough.
SHE wasn't good enough.
In the past, this would've annoyed Jasmine; she'd been through this way too many times. At this point she just didn't have it in her to react.
"Plus," Ignis cleared his throat for his one, "I know you're not in love with the prince. Agreeing to see him once he returns is setting him up to be disappointed. He's already been through so much. I would hate for you to hurt him."
Jasmine sighed.
She knew she should feel some kind of way about this, but she couldn't muster anything at all. Instead, she reacted in a way that best seemed to call for: calculated with a touch of grace.
"I'm not; you're right about that," Jasmine replied carefully. "I made sure that I kept our relationship platonic like I promised Tseng. If it matters – I was honest with him about that."
"Oh?" This was news to Ignis. While Noctis had only told the group about his arrangement to "see" Jasmine once they return, he hadn't divulged the details of the conversation to the group, at least not to him.
"But regardless of what you say, I do plan on seeing Noctis," Jasmine said with a heavy sigh. "I want to see if there's something there. There's nothing you can do to stop it."
Ignis' hands tightened around the steering wheel. He hoped that Jasmine would see things from his point of view.
"So…will you say yes?" Ignis asked, almost afraid to know the answer.
Jasmine paused.
She could tell that Ignis was on pins and needles.
Then, she recalled an earlier conversation she'd had with Axel about numerous Queen's Candidates.
"That's where you come in," she began cryptically.
Ignis hung onto her every word.
"Go on…"
"Even without that royalty nonsense you were talking about, I'm a horrible choice for a candidate," she deadpanned.
Ignis was taken aback. That was not the response he was expecting. Once they entered the parking garage, he pressed her for more.
"His last fiance was killed," Jasmine continued, "and if you guys hadn't noticed, I've almost died several times recently. I've been fortunate, but I'm not so certain I'll keep being this lucky."
Ignis drove down to the lower level and remained silent.
That wasn't something that crossed Ignis's mind.
While it was true that she'd had several close calls, Jasmine was still a competent member of SOLDER who always knew how to pull through. Hearing her speak so candidly and openly about her own mortality (especially with her being nineteen and so young still) was eerie. But, she did have a very valid point that no one had considered up until now.
"If nothing else, I'm not reliable because people keep trying to kill me," Jasmine clarified.
"If you agreed to be a candidate," Ignis revealed, "You'd receive the full protection of the kingdom. No one, especially not Noctis, would ever let anything happen to you."
Jasmine rolled her eyes and sighed when Ignis parked the car.
"You guys can't be with me all the time," she explained. "Look at what happened on Traverse Town. I BARELY made it back alive. And SOLDIER won't send Noctis on the more dangerous missions. Yes, he can do them, but if something were to happen to him…."
Ignis sighed. "I know."
Once again, Jasmine was right.
Even though the prince and the others were 1st Class members of SOLDIER, the organization was still very leery of letting Noctis go out on particular assignments. They couldn't risk losing the only heir to the Lucian empire.
"I want to see Noctis because I think he's a good man. Deep down, you know I'm a good person, even though I don't fit the bill…which is why I have a favor to ask of you."
Ignis's ears perked up as he parked the car.
"I'm listening…."
"I'm going to go out with Noctis and see where this goes…but before I accept his proposal – which I know is gonna happen at some point – I need you to do something for me."
Ignis was on pins and needles.
"I need you to find other candidates. I don't want to be the only one. I'll gladly tell Noctis the same thing, but it's too risky to put his hopes in me when I can be killed any day now."
Ignis was surprised but also impressed. Maybe she wasn't as immature and unstable as she'd been in the past. "What brought that on? I thought you believed in monogamy."
"I do," she replied. "But this isn't a normal situation. Noctis needs a queen. And if something happens to me, you have to start all over."
Ignis chuckled. "Are you also wanting me to find other candidates so you'll have a way out of it? Seeing as you don't love the prince and all that…."
Jasmine rolled her eyes. She knew he was going to find something to pick at. "No," she fired back, "my reason is my reason. You should be glad I'm making this request and being reasonable. Plus, me being a candidate doesn't mean I'll automatically get the throne. Noctis and I could go out, and he might decide he doesn't want me."
Ignis rolled his eyes. That would certainly not be the case. Though the prince would most certainly deny it, it was apparent how infatuated he was with Jasmine. Unless she did something outrageous, the odds of the prince falling out of "like" with her were slim to none.
But still, this gave Ignis something to work with.
This was still better than Jasmine coming out of the woodworks professing her love for Noctis.
"I'll find other candidates," Ignis promised her. "But just so you know, he's not going to appreciate this deal of ours."
"It's the smart thing to do. Besides, it's not going to be a secret," Jasmine revealed. "I'm sure he'll understand when I explain it to him. Besides, he's had numerous candidates before. This time won't be any different. Besides, wasn't he romantically involved with Lunafreya?"
While Noctis and the others tended to be open (for the most part) about their past, the subject of Lady Lunafreya still seemed to be a sore spot for the group.
"Yes and no," Ignis revealed. "They were childhood friends when she was chosen to be the future queen. I think they found each other attractive enough, but other than mutual respect and dedication to the crown, I think their love was more like the love between two friends. I think there was potentially something there, but it most likely wouldn't have developed for years. But it still caused the prince great distress when she died. Hence, why I'm asking you to not hurt Prince Noctis unnecessarily. I think you know what I mean."
Taking all of it in, Jasmine agreed to be kind to the prince. Then, Ignis exited the vehicle and opened her door for her, making sure she kept her balance by taking her hand.
"I think you know the prince fairly well," Ignis began. "He's strong, intelligent, a great tactician and fighter, and he has a solid sense of right and wrong – even if his methods seem a little harsh at times."
Jasmine nodded her head. All that she did know for a fact about Noctis.
"However," Ignis added cautiously, "I think you and I know that he's a little awkward when it comes to interpersonal relationships. And, he's never taken an interest in anyone like this before."
Jasmine had to admit that she was shocked to hear this. After all, Noctis was 25. Most boys had numerous crushes and even relationships by this point. His being so green was quite surprising.
"That's never been my intention, even when we weren't on good terms," Jasmine reassured the advisor. "I still don't feel so easy about this Queen's Candidate situation, but I'm not going to do anything to hurt him – at least on purpose."
Ignis narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean on purpose?"
"I already told him I'm not romantically attracted to him right now," she explained, folding her arms over her chest while putting some distance between herself and Ignis. "I meant it when I said I always had kept it professional."
Ignis eased up a bit. "I see."
"But I did say that I was open to trying." Jasmine sighed heavily and thought back on the past few years of her life and all the men she'd been involved with: Roxas, Riku, and Ventus. She felt a slight pain flow through her chest as the memories of each destructive relationship made their way to the forefront of her mind. "I won't say I've always made the best decisions when it came to dating…and even though I know you don't necessarily like it, I'm going to be good to Noctis. I don't care about him being a prince or rich or even the strongest in SOLDIER. He's just a sweet guy deep down, and I know he's generous, and he cares about the people in his life. So, the least I could do is be open to it. If he's willing to risk his contract, piss you and the others off by choosing me as a candidate, then I can be open to dating him. But I still want you to find other candidates."
Ignis stared at Jasmine thoughtfully. This was one of the things he respected about her: her ability to look at things realistically. While he had openly questioned her actions in the past, Ignis always knew that she had a reason behind it. And even though he would never say this out loud, he knew that Jasmine had a good heart.
"It's just because I'm not royalty, isn't it?" Jasmine asked bluntly.
Ignis gave her a rueful smile. "If you'd been born into a royal family and lived just like the other princesses, I think you and the prince would be good for each other. But the mentality is different, and your upbringing isn't something they'd easily accept."
Jasmine sighed heavily but returned the smile. "Do you mean that?"
"Yes," he answered honestly. "I do. That's what makes this so much harder. Despite your flaws…I know you would be a good queen." Ignis inhaled, shut his eyes, and spoke. "If you were to accept the Queen's Candidacy, I would support you even though I have my reservations. I don't want to be your enemy, Miss Valentine. We've had issues in the past, but I want you to be happy and for us to be friends."
For the first time in a long time, Jasmine felt like there was hope for her and Ignis.
Even though he'd made things inconvenient for her at times, she knew that he was still young himself. He was just trying to do his best to make sure that Noctis could do his best as king. And for all intents and purposes, Jasmine knew that she was an outsider, an onlooker with only a faint idea of what their lives were truly like. She could understand how Ignis could consider her a "threat."
"I promise," Jasmine said, breaking the silence, "I've never crossed the line with Noctis."
Ignis chuckled. "I already knew that. I just needed you to know that I was watching you. Now…" He locked the car and held out his arm for her to link onto. "Let's get you upstairs so you can rest. I know you've been pushing yourself all evening."
Jasmine's heart sank. She thought she caught Ignis staring at her at the restaurant as she coughed blood into the napkin. "I know you saw it."
Ignis allowed her into the elevator first. Once he was sure they were alone with no one around, he closed the door and stood in front of Jasmine. "I did. I think you're doing your best, but I think you really should take time off and rest, Miss Valentine."
Jasmine laughed hollowly. "That's what everyone is telling me. I guess I really do look terrible."
"To be fair, others who don't know you as well might not notice," Ignis offered. "But then again, we know what you went through. Therefore, time off is necessary. Besides…" the man trailed off as they reached Jasmine and Noctis' top-floor apartment, "we need to make sure that Noctis has nothing to worry about. If you can manage to sit still for a while and get better, I'm sure it'll put his mind at ease."
"I know, I know. He has bigger things to worry about."
Ignis laughed earnestly for the first time this evening, opening the door to the apartment and holding it for Jasmine. "You might be a queen someday. I think him worrying about you seems quite fitting."
Author's Note: Yep. It's been a long time. I've been sitting on this chapter for so long because, to be honest with you guys, I had no idea where this story was going to go. But, after taking some time off (because 2021 is also wild for a slew of other reasons for me personally) I think I FINALLY figured out where I want this to go. I do want to thank you guys for still reading...because I can see the stats and I'm touched that you guys have been hanging in there with me. But I am already halfway through the next chapter so the wait won't be as long. Also, I wanted to give a shoutout to hopefuldreamer1991 for reviewing the last two (very long) chapters. It's super appreciated! Anyways guys, let me know what you think and I'll have the next chapter up MUCH sooner this time around. Take care and I'll see you guys next time!