Gladio took a break from shoveling and rolled his arms to loosen the knot quickly forming just between his shoulder blades. He wasn't sure if it was from shoveling, the havocfang attack, sleeping on the couch wrong, or maybe it was the amazing sex he'd had yesterday afternoon that had tweaked his back. One of the possibilities he certainly wasn't going to complain about.

He leaned both arms on the handle of his shovel and admired Ignis work. They'd been shoveling for hours again and not once did the strategist complain. He'd set to the job at hand just like he did everything else in life, with methodical determined tenacity.

Although he did suggest they hold off on snowball fights until the work was done.

Ignis had made several calls and all the plows in the area were busy clearing off the roads and inner streets of Lestallum. Apparently, the city got hammered more than they had. Which meant if they still planned on leaving any time before spring then they had to shovel themselves out by hand.

Not that Gladio would complain being locked away with Ignis for a few extra days. Especially considering the recent development.

They'd showered together after making a mess of themselves and ended up sharing Ignis' full sized bed instead of sleeping in the two separate bedrooms. If you counted the night of the havocfang attack that would technically be two nights that they'd slept together, in the literal sense, and it was something the shield could quickly grow accustomed to.

"Is something the matter?"

The words cut through Gladio's daydreaming as his eyes focused again. Ignis was looking at him, shovel in hand. His cheeks flushed with exertion and from the chill in the air. Gladio picked his head up off his gloves and tilted his head to the side. "Nope, you just caught me staring s'all."

A smirk crept to Ignis' lips. "Oh, don't worry, Kitten, I won't tell." The statement was an interesting mix of mockery, sensuality, and humor.

Gladio laughed and shot back a wolfish grin. "Keep talking like that and we'll never get this driveway done."

Ignis hummed. "Is that a promise?"

Gladio liked this new Ignis. Free of any need to be formal and only with Gladio as company he seemed to let himself go a bit. Even so much as to crack a joke here and there. The shield wondered in vain whether Ignis would let this carry back to Insomnia. Gladio would have to wait and see.

Glancing down what was left of the driveway he estimated that they had maybe another hundred feet to go before they'd be clear to the plowed gravel road beyond. There was still a decent crust of ice atop the knee-deep snow, but they were making some decent headway. So long as they kept the pace up they might be done in an hour. He sighed and gripped the shovel again. "Let's finish what we started first and then we can have some fun. If we stop now it'll only be harder to finish once it melts and freezes again."

Ignis began shoveling again. "I thought I was supposed to be the logical one."

Gladio smirked. "Praise the Six for small wonders. Now, let's finish this shit. I'm getting hungry."

Thankfully they finished the path to the end of the driveway in a little over an hour. Ignis pulled out his phone and with a little arm waving he managed to get enough bars to send a few texts to Prince Noctis.

We've managed to clear the driveway without the aid of a plow.

The truck has been excavated out from the snow as well.

We should arrive back at Insomnia as scheduled shortly before you get back from Galdin Quay.

…barring any further meteorological anomalies.

"Hey," called Gladio from further up the driveway. "You texting Princess or writing an essay?"

When Ignis saw that the message had successfully sent he put his phone away and followed the shield back up toward the cabin.

After they'd grabbed some firewood from the shrinking pile on the porch they went back inside and shed their boots and excess layers. Gladio tended the fire while Ignis made his way into the kitchen. He washed his hands and found his apron before asking, "What would you like to eat?"

He heard the fire crackle and pop as Gladio got the flames going again. "Is there any more of that stew left?"

"You finished that last night."

"Hmmm… Well I could go for anything high in protein at the moment after all that shoveling. I'll let you decide the rest."

"Very well." Ignis opened the refrigerator and pulled out the remaining anak loin and browsed the other seasonings he had at his disposal. Finally he settled on a packet of dried Leiden peppers and some teriyaki sauce. He turned the broiler on to heat up and sliced the meat into strips before skewing them, applying a liberal amount of salt and pepper before popping them into the oven for a few minutes while he worked on the sauce.

It was fairly straight forward. The peppers and sauce were put in a pot to hydrate for a few minutes before Ignis put them over some heat as well. After it simmered for a moment Ignis tried it and found it was flavorful and spicy, but lacking something. He chewed his lower lip as he thought before turning and pulling the bottle of bourbon out. He added a splash of the alcohol and waited for it to burn off slightly before tasting the sauce again. Much better.

He put the sauce aside before checking on the meat and flipping the skewers over and setting the timer for another few minutes. Upon standing up he was caught off guard as strong hands wrapped around him in a warm hug and was greeted with a soft kiss on his neck. "Smells good."

Ignis leaned back into Gladio's arms and melted a little. "It's an experiment. I don't have my normal variety of ingredients."

"Well it still smells great." He sniffed the air and noticed the bottle of bourbon on the counter. "Glad to see the booze mixes well with things other than chocolate."

There was still a half tray of brownies left from the other night, but Ignis thought he'd have some later. "How do you like your anak cooked? Medium? Well?"

Gladio shrugged and kissed his neck before releasing the hug and pulling out the two glasses from the drain board. "Personally I like my anak walked through a warm kitchen and put on my plate, but you're the chef." He poured two glasses of bourbon and handed one to Ignis who accepted it. "I leave it to you."

Green eyes rolled. "What is it with you and uncooked food. First the brownies and now this." Ignis took a sip and let the alcohol warm his chest before peeking into the oven again. "Well, they're about medium now. Should suit your tastes enough." Using a towel he pulled the rack out and killed the heat before slathering each skewer with the sauce and letting it sit for a few minutes. "I believe there's a large plate on the top shelf just behind you. Could you hand it to me please?"

"Sure thing." Gladio turned, opened the cabinet, and reached up high before flinching. Ignis noticed him twinge for an instant before grabbing the plate and handing it to him.

"Are you alright? Is it the stitches?"

Gladio rubbed his neck. "Nah, just a tweak in my back. Probably from shoveling."

Ignis putt the plate down on the counter and spun his finger around, indicating for Gladio to turn. He did and Ignis reached out and felt through the fabric of Gladio's t-shirt. Even after last night he was still impressed at the sheer amount of muscle the shield kept hidden just under the cotton. He traced his hand down the larger man's spine before feeling an inconsistency in the muscle. He traced it with his thumb. "Here?" Gladio grunted in confirmation. Ignis pushed a little harder against the muscle and felt it twinge under his fingers. "That's a nasty one."

Gladio pressed his head against the fridge and took a breath. "Tell me about it."

Ignis chipped away at it. He really didn't have very good leverage to make any real progress, but he had to wait for the food to cool anyway. What better way to pass the time than to relieve some tension from his friend… lover… boyfriend? "Gladio."

"Hmm?" He said, his forehead pressed against the refrigerator door.

"What are we?"

"Human, last I checked."

He pushed a little harder and the knot began to loosen. "You know what I mean."

Gladio turned his head. "What would you like to be?"

Ignis' face flushed at the direct question. "Well… I certainly wouldn't want this to end once we got back to Insomnia. Although I wouldn't want it to get in the way of our duties." Ignis knew that if anyone would understand that, it was the Prince's shield. "Nor would I like it to be the whole Citadel's business. However," he relished the muscles beneath the cotton for a moment, not just for Gladio's sake, "I would like this to continue. Officially."

A sincere smile crept to the shields lips. "Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?"

Ignis cleared his throat. "The term itself seems a bit adolescent, but yes."

Gladio turned and wrapped his arms around Ignis' waist again and kissed him. It was chaste, but warm. It might have continued further if Gladio's stomach hadn't chosen that moment to growl. They broke the kiss and chuckled. "Told you I was hungry."

Ignis sighed, the moment subdued at the moment. "Well I'm sure the food is cool enough to eat. Could you grab the coleslaw out of the fridge?"

They both loaded up their plates and flopped down on the couch. Thankfully the snow had melted off the satellite dish on the roof, so they were able to get a few channels on the older model television. There really wasn't anything on, so they settled for the news while they ate. A good portion of it was talking about the freak snowstorm along with the chaos is caused in Lestallum. Thankfully their power plant had held out through the blizzard with limited power interruptions.

Ignis had to admit that the anak skewers weren't bad. They would probably be better if he had some fresh Leide peppers instead of dried ones. An open fire might add some smoky flavor too. He turned to Gladio, "What did you think of the…food?"

Gladio's plate was already empty. The shield was using a broken end of the kebab to pick at his teeth. He let out a light burp before sighing contently. "That might just be my new favorite meal."

Ignis smiled. Clearing the plate that quickly would have been a compliment enough. "Flattery will get you everywhere."

He rubbed his stomach. "No I'm serious." He licked some remaining sauce off his thumb, briefly reminding Ignis of the previous night and unintentionally sending some blood south. "Anak skewers are now near the tip top list of favorite things I've ever put in my mouth."

Ignis opened his mouth to say something, but then thought it a bit vulgar and withheld the comment at the last moment.

"I saw that," Gladio said through a half-lidded eye. "You know I can take a dirty joke or two. S'not like the kids are around or anything."

"The kids? Are you referring to his Highness and Prompto?"

"You know anyone else we regularly have to babysit?"

Ignis stood up and took Gladio's empty plate. He would wrap up the rest of the food for later. "Fair point. I'm going to clean up. Would you like me to try and get that knot out of your back for you? I think I packed some balm that might help."

Gladio smirked at him from over the back of the couch. "Are you sure you're not just trying to get me naked again?"

Ignis put the plates in the sink to soak with the broiler pan from earlier. "I don't think that would require much cajoling considering you run around half naked most of the time anyway." He waited for a retort, but none came.

As a last thought Ignis grabbed the bottle of bourbon before heading to the living room. "It'll be easier for me to get at your back if you're lying down. Would you prefer the floor, your bed, or mine?"

Gladio looked like he was weighing his options. "I haven't slept in my bed yet this trip."

"Suit yourself," he said handing the bottle to Gladio. "Top me off would you. I'll meet you in your room. I just need to grab a few things."

Gladio poured Ignis and himself another inch of liquor before taking a hearty sip and placing both glasses on the end table. He laid a towel down and took off his shirt before sprawling out on the bed, not bothering to turn the light on. As he got comfortable he glanced outside as the amber hues of the sunset reflected off the still snow blanketed back yard.

Hard to believe they'd only just arrived here three days ago. What initially started out as what he thought to be a relaxing hunting trip turned out to be a fight for his life and a mild battle with mother nature. All of it seemed worth it, despite the bandage still wrapped around his forearm and leg. Without this little trip, he may never have realized the latent feelings he'd been holding for the Prince's advisor.

He heard Ignis' footfalls enter the room from behind him. "Comfortable?"

Gladio hummed a response as the mattress shifted. He heard Ignis lay a few things on the table next do the bourbon. Ignis' warm hand was placed on the bare skin of his back as fingers lightly traced around the knotted muscles. "When was the last time you got a massage. You have quite a few insidious knots back here."

He thought for a moment. "Do physical therapy sessions count?"

"I'm inclined to say 'no' unless they actually gave you a massage."

Gladio tried to remember, but all that came to mind were a few strategically places electrode pads and hot/cold compresses when needed. "Never, then."

Ignis' hand pulled away and Gladio heard a cap open. "Well then, this seems to be a vacation of many new things." He placed an oiled hand on Gladio's back, eliciting only a mild flinch at the cool sensation. "Let me know if you want me to stop of if anything is beyond your pain tolerance. Alright?"

Gladio turned his head toward Ignis and just now noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt either and seemed to have left his glasses elsewhere. "I've got a pretty high pain tolerance."

"Do you now?" Ignis pushed the palm of his hand deep into the muscle and ran it firmly, but slowly over the stubborn knot of muscle. Gladio felt it resist and held his breath as Ignis palm passed it like the release of a bow string. His hand circled around and repeated the process a bit firmer. He continued holding his breath as Ignis pushed through it again. "It helps if you try and focus on your breathing rather than the pain. If you hold your breath you'll only concentrate on it and tense up more. Try it." Gladio did, taking a deep breath and letting it go slowly as Ignis pushed through the knot a third time. This pass it seemed to release a bit more and by the time Gladio finished the breath it was time for the next pass.

Thankfully his endorphins started to kick in to fight off all the lactic acid this was releasing from his muscles. A few minutes later and the knot was all but gone, leaving only a bit of relaxed but tender flesh in its wake. He sighed in relief. "Thanks Iggs, I think you got it."

He was still rubbing, but had moved up to his shoulders. "Much obliged."

"When did you learn to be so zen?" Gladio asked as Ignis' fingers worked their magic at the base of his skull.

"Eight years of yoga." Ignis' expression didn't change. He was serious. "Between that and Ebody I think it's the only thing that's kept me sane."

Gladio smiled into the pillow. "Maybe we'll have to test out that flexibilityyyyYYYYYY!" His comment morphed into a whine as Ignis found another knot hidden just under the left deltoid.

"Oh no. Can't leave that one be." He made another pass and Gladio strained to take a deep breath and let it out normally. He wasn't sure if Ignis was trying to cure him or kill him.

They danced like this for what felt like two hours. Ignis would break up a knot and then work the muscle around it until Gladio just started to relax before finding another one and starting the process over.

Somehow this wasn't what Gladio had envisioned. His head was already swimming between the lactic acid and the counteracting endorphins. Granted the glass of bourbon he'd drank before they started may have had a contributing factor.

When Ignis finally reached the line of his sweatpants Gladio began to relax again, thinking that finally he was done. If Ignis left the room right now Gladio would probably shut his eyes and pass out contently. Even if he was covered in oil balm.

He had already begun to doze when he thought he felt Ignis' hand dip below his pants. He opened one eye and waited for it to happen again. When it did there was a very intentional rub over one of his glutes. Part of him preyed to the Six that he didn't have any knots there, because he didn't think he could take any more.

He wasn't entirely surprised when Ignis hooked his fingers in his sweatpants and tugged them slowly down past his feet along with his boxers. "Enjoy the view?" Gladio's member was already half-hard and lounging on the towel between his legs and he was fairly certain Ignis had a good view of it. Even with his glasses off.

"Who wouldn't?" Ignis said as he crawled up on the bed behind him and applied a liberal amount of the oil onto Gladio's backside.

"What are you plotting back there?"

Ignis shot him a sly grin. "You're smarter than you look. I'm sure you can figure it out."

Gladio was about to say something about the backhanded comment, but Ignis' hands stopped him. They palmed his ass very much like they had worked on his back, maneuvering the muscle around and finding just a few tiny knots to work. Thank the Gods.

Every now and then Ignis fingers would dance closer to Glaido's entrance.

He didn't verbalize as such, but he was pretty sure Ignis had figured out that Gladio had never been on the receiving end before. It wasn't like he wasn't interested, but the few people he'd been with prior were all about receiving. The fact that Ignis had figured him out so well in such a short time only made more blood pool south. Glaido was sure that Ignis had an eye full of just how good this was making him feel. Knots or no knots.

The feeling of a slicked finger trace over the ring of muscle made Gladio's breath hitch before Ignis lazily rubbed in another direction. A moment later he did the same before some part of his thigh that needed attention instead. "I swear to Titan, Iggy…" He began to growl just before he felt a very deliberate thumb against him. Ignis held it there, pressing ever so slightly against the ring of muscle while his other hand ran down to Gladio's oiled shaft and gave it a few slow tugs.

"Sorry, what was that? You told me to stop?"

Gladio shook his head as he buried his flushed face into the pillow. When he almost felt Ignis draw again he turned his head and pleaded, "…keep going."

Gladio swore he could feel Ignis smirk as his hand shifted and he gently inserted a finger. Slowly, but deliberately, as far as it would go before moving it out again. The tension in the room shattered and he very nearly came at that moment, but somehow he held back. Ignis was still languidly stroking him as he added another finger and Gladio grabbed the pillow into a vice grip for support. He'd done this to himself, but he was never able to reach the depths that Ignis was. A third finger was added and Gladio lost his composure, moaning deeply in to the pillow as Ignis' skilled fingers slowly opened him up.

"Ignis…" he managed to eek out.

"Yes?" the strategist asked with a tone that was almost infuriatingly calm given the circumstances.

"If you plan on fucking me, do it. I can't take this torture anymore."

Ignis made an affronted face. "Torture? Well I could always just stop and go back to finding some knots in your thighs."

Gladio audibly growled at him. "Don't. You. Dare."

After that Gladio felt Ignis withdraw from the bed and for a moment he thought he'd actually offended him somehow. That thought was cast away when Gladio heard the familiar unwrapping of a condom. The mattress shifted again and there was a hot weight pressing against the cleft of his ass. There was another snap of the oil and extra lube was added to the fray. Ignis crawled up his slick back until his lips rested against the shell of his ear. "Ready?" Gladio nodded just before Ignis began to press in. He hitched his breath at the invasion and held it for a few seconds before Ignis stopped. "Breathe, remember?"

The shield took another breath and tried his hardest to focus on that. It helped a bit and soon Ignis was fully sheathed. Gladio could feel his heart hammering in his ears and he couldn't fathom how Ignis had managed to hold it together last night.

Okay maybe 'hold it together' wasn't the best way to describe it what'd occurred, but it was the best he could come up with at the moment.

As his thoughts became jumbled Ignis pulled out again before pushing in just a little faster. Then faster again. Gladio had been so worked up that it didn't take long before he was grabbing fistfuls of blanket as he raised up on his knees a bit. With the new angle Ignis began to hit his prostate with every couple of thrusts, sending stars before Gladio's vision.

Ignis' thighs were beginning to tremble against him as his breath hitched. He was close too.

Somehow Gladio managed to remove a fist full of sheets and take his own member in his hand. Stroking himself fast enough to blur. He came only seconds later all over the towel that he'd had the foresight to lay out. He could feel Ignis' nails dig into the sides of his hips as the strategist lead out a moan that sounded a lot like his name. He came a few ragged breaths later.

Both utterly spent, Gladio managed to ball up the towel and toss it to some corner of the room before sliding down to the comforter. Ignis followed suit and after some minor clean-up they were sprawled on the bed together, not yet bothering with the blanket.

They lay there in silence until Gladio was fairly sure that Ignis was sleeping.

By now the sky outside the window was dark and Gladio wondered where the entire day had gone. Had they really don't little more than shovel snow, eat, and have sex all day? Well… two out of three of those things sounded like the kind of vacation the royal shield and strategist could make a regular thing.

Like maybe every day.

X~X~X

There's probably one or two more chapters to come with this story. And I've decided to write a Promptis after this one's done that parralells their time in Galdin Quay.

Thanks YET AGAIN to Goldslactuar for the cover art. It's awesome.