A/N : I told you I like teen Ignis seducing older men, so here we are again, but this time it's Titus, and Regis gets to play matchmaker. Because Titus doesn't get enough love.

Titus x Ignis, some Cor x Ignis later on. Not really AU, but again not perfectly canonical. Whenever I write any Titus, for some reason I like to throw in a lot of Luche, so he'll pop up occasionally to be a smarmy third wheel. I had a weird phase a long time ago where I enjoyed shipping Luche and Ignis, so remnants of that linger here and there. 3

SHIP OF SAND

Chapter 1

Setting the Stage

Being a teenager was an expectedly confusing and tumultuous time, but Ignis thought he had been handing everything fairly well, up until the day he realized that he had fallen head over heels for a man that very likely couldn't even describe what love was.

Of all people, of all men, Ignis had to fall for the most impossible.

Naturally.

Still, though, although he knew it well by now, it somehow seemed so absurd to Ignis when he stood there in front of his mirror and uttered to himself, 'I'm in love with Titus Drautos.'

How ludicrous.

Titus Drautos. A man practically made of steel, who walked a straight line without ever wavering, who seemed to feel nothing, who feared nothing, who thought of nothing but duty, whose will was as strong as his body, and who would never in a million years notice that Ignis existed at all.

Titus was a living statue.

But, oh—was he ever gorgeous, despite his age. By now, Ignis had watched Titus come and go so fervently that he practically knew every detail about him. Knew the location of every single visible scar, every little sunspot, and could have closed his eyes and recited them all perfectly from memory alone. Ignis found Titus exceptionally visually appealing, found him utterly fascinating. Beautiful eyes, intense and very sharp. Brunet hair, always well-trimmed and yet somehow quite messy. The broadest shoulders Ignis had yet to see, with perhaps the exception of Gladio. Pleasant cheeks, attractive facial features. A perfect build. Titus was the perfect specimen of an alpha male, and yet always stood alone. Ignis had only ever seen the Marshal approach Titus in a friendly manner (two perfect legends, after all), and had rarely seen Titus speak to anyone except the Glaives and the council around him, and that only for work.

What Ignis found the most attractive about Titus, perhaps, was his voice.

That was the first thing Ignis had ever really noticed about Titus in his youth. Titus was huge, powerful, intimidating, stern and cold and unapproachable, and yet his voice was oddly soft. Gentle. A pretty, soothing voice, for such a frightening man. Had one heard the voice separately, they never would have attached it to Titus, for they seemed worlds apart.

Titus' many scars only enhanced the entrancing nature of his very soft voice.

Ignis had fallen hard and fast, though to be fair Titus was technically Ignis' second teenage crush.

The first had been Cor.

Ignis was a hard-headed, naïve, impossible fool. Couldn't have fallen for someone at his own level, of course not, had to aim for the next universe.

Ignis had been thirteen when he had first started noticing Cor in a different way, and had nothing but Cor on his mind every day after that. Thought of nothing else, aside from Noctis naturally, and had striven hard to get Cor's attention for a while there. Never had worked.

A fool, alright, he had been, watching Cor the Immortal himself walking about, love-struck and dazed and hanging helplessly on Cor's every motion. Cor was positively gorgeous, the most strikingly handsome man Ignis had ever seen, and Ignis was painfully aware of how out of his league Cor was. Wanting Cor hurt, more than anything, because Cor was stoic, blank, distant, aloof, and Ignis saw him as a statue even more than Titus, a warrior of old, a legend for sure, truly an immortal being that was entirely untouchable. Ignis could never have had Cor, and that was one of the more agonizing realizations in his life.

Still, Ignis was very single-minded and very stubborn, and yet clung to thin hope for years.

But Cor walked by him in the hall, and never once offered more conversation than pleasantries.

Hurt.

For four years, Ignis was in love with Cor, and had never been able to rid himself of that nuisance of a crush.

Well. Until Titus had come onto Ignis' radar.

Came from nowhere. Suddenly, one day, a Glaive had come marching up, to escort Noctis and Ignis through the city to pick up Noct's car from the mechanic. Ignis had glanced over by chance to Titus, who was accompanying as usual, and who, much like Cor, was always hard and unreadable and so far away even when he was right there in front of you.

Something was different that day; Titus was with his Glaive, a black-haired, handsome, wild looking fellow that Ignis had seen several times about, and they were speaking quietly to each other as they walked up to waiting Noctis.

Ignis couldn't say precisely what it was about Titus in that moment that drew Ignis' eye. Ignis had always found Titus handsome, naturally, almost as handsome as Cor, but had been so focused on Cor for a while there that perhaps Titus had never been truly in Ignis' sights even when they had spoken.

But that day, as they marched up, Ignis saw something different in Titus. His perfect posture was much looser, his stance was relaxed, his shoulders were lower, his face was gentler, everything in his demeanor so much more approachable than Ignis had ever seen him before.

The Glaive suddenly muttered something incomprehensible under his breath, and there was a snort from Titus.

And then, remarkably, Titus smiled.

Ignis fell instantly.

Pitiful to say it like that, love at first sight in a manner, but when Titus smiled he went from handsome to quite gorgeous. Something about him softened, and unlike Cor, Titus actually felt very much down to earth. Normal.

Titus, smiling. Bizarre and very welcome.

Stunned and breathless, Ignis had just watched them sauntering up, as Titus gave him a quick up and down as usual, and Ignis' heart had started hammering as furiously as it ever had for Cor. It was that moment, seeing Titus smile and playfully engage his Glaive, that Ignis gave up on Cor and focused his gaze entirely on Titus.

Cor, after all, was more a god than a man.

Titus in that moment seemed perfectly in reach, looked amicable and approachable, and Ignis could see at last that Titus was just a man. Cor was on another plane, but Titus was on the ground, perfectly mortal, and Ignis foundered. How handsome Titus had been as he had smiled.

When at last they were before each other, the Glaive bowed, Titus followed suit, and Ignis bowed to them in turn as Noctis waited impatiently. Titus remained relaxed as he met Ignis' gaze, and Ignis was very certain that it was in that moment that their eyes locked that Ignis could say he had fallen in love. It was just a glance, just a look, and Ignis could never have truly explained how it felt, because even trying to put it into words up in his own head sounded ridiculous. Had he attempted to word it to anyone else, they would certainly have thought Ignis daft.

So he stayed silent, as he always had, and watched from afar.

This time, though, he was older, more sure of himself and who he was and what he wanted. He wouldn't sit there on the sidelines as he had for Cor and just stare away like a forlorn puppy.

Time to be more proactive.

Ignis knew it was a daydream, an impossibility, but despite it all he found himself testing the waters, putting himself out there so to speak, because he had zero expectations and therefore couldn't have possibly been disappointed by anything. Why not? He truly had nothing at all to lose, except perhaps some pride and self-confidence.

Those could be replaced in time.

Game on, then!

The first thing, of course, was to let Titus know that Ignis existed, because Titus was so focused on his duty that it was very likely he forgot the world around him was there at all.

Very simple things, and very tentative.

Titus was always at the King's side when he wasn't leading his Glaives, and Ignis had just graduated Crownsguard training and was now invited by King Regis to attend royal councils. Ignis was elated at the opportunity, obviously, and wouldn't lie and say that he wasn't excited to be in the same room as Titus.

Ignis paid close attention, because in the end he was here for Noctis, for the future king, and learning all he could was the most important thing. That being said, when council was over, Ignis was free to do as he would, and would forever be grateful that King Regis always came over and greeted him, because Clarus and Titus came right along with him.

Loved it when Regis paid him attention, and yet found himself glancing frequently up to Titus, because when Regis was speaking to him Titus always seemed to stare Ignis down. A habit, no doubt, that came from so many years of guarding the king. Needed to know who he was with and why, and Ignis frequently found himself pinned under those pale eyes.

That gaze was rather unnerving, relentless. Intense. As if Titus could literally see everything and right through a man. Felt as if Titus could even read his mind. Whew—hoped not! Ignis certainly had some unholy thoughts about that man.

When Regis bid Ignis farewell, Ignis threw himself out there a bit by adding, with a glance at Titus, "An honor, Captain."

Did Clarus snort?

The first two days, Titus had merely bowed his head in acknowledgement, silently walking away, and yet Ignis' persistence perhaps paid off, for on the third day, during this new ritual, Ignis was finally rewarded when Titus spoke up at last, to utter, softly, "Farewell, Ignis."

A jolt of adrenaline.

Hearing his name from Titus' lips was always quite a thrill. For seeing each other almost every day, none of them ever actually stopped and spoke to the other much, the lot of them. To be so close to men he knew well and only actually have words with them once in a blue moon.

After six days, when Ignis gave that same old goodbye, he was yet rewarded ever more when Titus lifted up his chin, stared away at Ignis, and finally said, "No need for this formality, Ignis. I've known you since you were a child. You can call me Titus."

Elation.

All the same, habits were hard to break, and Ignis bowed at the waist once more, replying, "Yes, sir."

'Sir' wasn't exactly a first name, and Titus had snorted a bit at that, and walked away.

Ignis watched him go, and knew he was smiling. Regis would merely lift a brow and smile along, and Ignis was so focused on catching Titus' eye that he wasn't very worried over the fact that he was likely also catching Regis'. Regis' little leer didn't truly register to Ignis then, as focused as he was on Titus' green light. Certainly not anything close to romantic, goodness no, but permission to be informal with Titus was as good a start as any. Rather odd, wouldn't it have been, to start a vocal flirtation with a 'sir' that wasn't in jest.

...unless, of course, Titus liked to be called 'sir'. Ignis would gladly oblige, but small steps first.

The next day, after council ended, Regis came immediately over to Ignis rather than after everyone else, and Ignis did think he spied Regis smirking, but that could very well have been in his head.

Titus as always trailed behind, Clarus beside him.

Regis' smirk may have been in Ignis' head, but Ignis was absolutely positive that Clarus was leering, and he could clearly see Clarus glancing quickly back and forth between Titus and Ignis.

Hm. Seemed Ignis was being caught up on.

No matter—it was only inevitable, and years wasted being invisible to Cor had emboldened Ignis far too much for him to back off just because Clarus and Regis might have known that Ignis had a crush on the Captain.

For his part, Titus was ever unreadable, and if his friends had already started teasing him then he gave absolutely no sign of it.

Regis hobbled up to Ignis, and asked, so airily, "Ignis, did you find today's council to your liking?"

"Of course," Ignis immediately replied, trying not to lose nerve under Regis and Clarus' leers, "What's not to like, Highness? The council is truly wise. I find my time here quite enlightening, indeed. Better to prepare me for when I may one day find myself in the future King's council."

Ignis kept glancing at Titus, as Titus stared at him unwaveringly, and Clarus was quick to pipe up, "Yes, and of course we're good company as well, no? Some of us, at any rate."

Ignis lidded his eyes, tried not to smirk along with them, and teased, "Indeed, some of you far more than others."

As Titus stood very quietly in the back, Clarus offered, "Well, keep in mind many of us tend to lose our personalities during council, making us dry and boring. The Captain is a grand example."

Titus barely rolled his eyes, his lips twitched, and after a moment of Ignis smiling at him, Titus finally uttered, ever so softly, "Some of us need to remain professional."

"There's no one more professional than the Captain, I'm sure," Ignis offered, and was fairly certain that Titus looked a bit pleased.

Was he successfully flirting?

Perhaps not. Ignis wasn't exactly an expert on these matters, not like Gladio, and he couldn't exactly go to Gladio and ask him for advice on how to seduce the Captain of the Kingsglaive. Gladio may have had a small problem with that, so Ignis was left to wing it and make it all up as he went along.

This was terrible flirting, no doubt, but it was a work in progress.

So Ignis parted ways as always, but this time, Ignis said, "Farewell, Titus."

First name basis, check.

Titus bowed his head, and replied, "Until next time, Ignis."

Clarus crossed his arms over his chest, and Regis smiled.

Ignis lied in bed that night, stared up at the ceiling, and tried to figure out what 'good' flirting was, and realized that it certainly wasn't dry and formal words tossed out in council. He tried to think of Gladio, of the girls he courted, and tried to remember how the girls had responded, what was appropriate, the way they stood and the way their hands moved, the way they caught Gladio's eye.

Ugh; this shouldn't have been so difficult.

Flirting was a science as much as anything else, and Ignis would eventually crack the code.

Several days later, Ignis happened to pass a solo Titus in the hall. Their eyes met, Ignis slowed his pace very pointedly, and was quite shocked when Titus slowed down as well. They fell to a halt beside each other, an impasse of sorts, and Ignis bowed his head and greeted, "Good morning, Captain! Another busy day?"

"Busy enough, though your day is likely more of a hassle," Titus offered, imposing as ever in full uniform, staring Ignis down as usual.

Ignis analyzed, calculated, took note of the not-so-busy hallway, saw Titus' agreeable mood, brought forth in his mind all those girls that Gladio flirted with, and with a steeling of his will, Ignis began.

He suddenly thrust his hip out, placed his hand upon it a bit dramatically, and was quite pleased when Titus lifted a brow and then his eyes flitted ever so quickly down to Ignis' legs. Ignis lifted his other hand into the air, and waved it a bit as he said, with all possible airiness, "Ah! Come now, Captain! No one man in this city works harder than you. My day is positively serene compared to yours, I'm sure. You carry us all on your broad shoulders."

—yes!

That was good, right? Complimenting Titus without being too brazen.

Titus' other brow flew up to join its brother, another twitch of Titus' lips, and Titus seemed to stand up a little straighter, as Ignis swore he pushed his chest out. Puffing out a bit like a peacock then, and Ignis shifted his weight again and was pleased when Titus' eyes once more followed the motion.

Maybe this wasn't nearly as hard as Ignis had imagined it would be.

Unlike Cor, Titus was just a man, truly, and men were easily played to.

Titus gave Ignis a long look-over, and then said, in a warmer tone, "Perhaps, but I'm not the one who has to look after our moody Crown Prince day after day. I'd rather fight daemons, if it's all the same."

Ignis snorted, as a little glimmer of what could be considered a personality came out.

He was worried about being too overwhelming, of coming on far too strongly, of scaring Titus off before he could get his claws in, and so Ignis found this good enough, and said, with another wave of his hand, "I'll let you be off, then, Captain, to fight your daemons. I must go corral mine." Titus was the one to snort. "Be safe out there. Farewell."

Ignis carried on as casually as possible, as Titus replied, "Good day, Ignis."

At the last moment, Ignis glanced over his shoulder as he rounded the corner, and felt a wondrous jolt of adrenaline when he saw Titus standing yet still there in the hall, watching Ignis go.

Brilliant.

Ignis clenched his blankets and very nearly kicked his legs in excitement that night, as he plotted away and felt actual hope rising. Knew better than to raise himself up lest he fall, but it was hard not to when Titus seemed so cooperative.

Ignis' favorite new pastime was running into Titus in the halls and waving a hand very close to him as he spoke, because Titus responded by splaying his legs and bracing his shoulders and making himself as big as possible.

Not so hard, at all.

Every day, it seemed that Titus' eyes lingered upon him longer and longer.

Closer.