Title: Coffee
Chapter's genre: Humor, friendship
Summary: Ignis learns that sharing is caring – when under pressure.

Chapter 8: Coffee

To Ignis coffee brewing was a combination of love, art and science. An amateur could make a pot of coffee as easily as a toddler could make a finger painting, but that didn't make it an Etro's Rest quality painting. It took more than measuring water and coffee grounds or buying cheap instant coffee. Ignis took pride in being a man of refinement and owning a rather expensive taste. Even so, he was the most level headed of the group when it came to shopping and managing goods. He knew how to get a good bargain on the market. So it was only fair he allowed himself to indulge in purchasing a packet of Ebony, at least that's how he justified it to himself.

He was lax in sharing what little he had brought with him – not that the other three really cared about touching his cooking utensils – but when it came to Ebony Ignis turned into a fierce mother bear. He went so far as keeping his precious coffee stock under lock and key. More than once he had caught Prompto trying to picklock his travel-sized safe. To him a lock apparently meant 'please open me' instead of the more traditional 'keep your filthy hands off my property'. Even so, as far as Ignis was aware, his companions preferred the cheap grog common men referred to as coffee (which he secretly called plebe piss in his inner monologue).

Suffice to say it came to him as a shock – horror would be a better description to what he felt – when it became known that the Lady Lunafreya also shared his love for proper high quality coffee. And not for just any brand, oh no, but his beloved Ebony. Prompto wasted no time revealing Ignis' not-so-secret stash and how he always made sure to stock enough for their long drives.

"Makes sense", she said. "He is the one driving for hours without break. Takes more than practice to keep sharp focus for extended periods."

Well. That was a compliment if he ever heard one. He straightened his posture in smug self-satisfaction.

"But a gentleman will share with a lady in dire need for good quality coffee."

… Only to feel the world come crashing down on him all over again.

"Yeah, Iggy. Be a gentleman and open the safe, so all of us noble folk can take part in your fine refinements", Prompto urged.

"That singles you out, then, Lord Prompto", Gladiolus quipped, chuckling as the young man's pompous noble-act fell faster than the Prince falls asleep during council meetings.

"That's harsh", the blonde sulked, but instantly brightened. "Although, you gotta admit Lord Prompto has a certain ring to it. Maybe one day I'll do something great and earn myself a fancy title." He was beaming like a kid at a chocobo ranch as he imagined himself wearing a fancy suit, surrounded by classy highborn ladies and being addressed as milord.

Ignis could feel the urge to roll his eyes burn behind his closed eyelids as he pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. On a positive note, Prompto was too busy foaming about his most certain future lordshipness that the sensitive topic concerning Ignis' safe was forgotten. He had won some time to prepare himself, ready to defend his beloved Ebony against the imminent appeal to his chivalry. He knew it would be a lost cause. He wasn't quite ready to resort to groveling to spare his stock. Compromises would have to be made.

He noticed Lunafreya glancing towards his safe occasionally.

Probably much sooner than he'd prefer.

They sat around a cheery campfire, bantering back and forth – in a mild fashion, one might add. They were making an effort to behave around female company and keep the rowdier stories behind closed doors. Ignis noted that the Prince was making subtle advances on his betrothed; resting his hand on the small of her back, 'accidently' brushing fingers with her – what he considered typical awkward 'teenagers with crushes' -clichés. Ignis would've commented on it, but he found it strangely endearing to see His Highness go through the motions of what he suspected to be his first love. He was so engrossed watching as Lady Lunafreya demurely accepted a mug of coffee from Noctis that he completely missed the devilish smirk flash across Gladiolus' face that should've set the alarm bells ringing in his head.

Never dropping his gaze from the highborn pair, Ignis reached for his mug and watched as Lunafreya brought hers to her face. Her eyes closed as she inhaled the scent of her coffee. She daintily sipped it, savouring each gulp. Ignis brought his mug to his lips, eager to fulfill his need for caffeine.

His eyes bulged and he spat the foul liquid back into his mug and turned to glare daggers at suspect number one.

Prompto was shaking with laughter. Next to him Gladiolus was trying to keep a poker face, but failing miserably while Noctis merely raised an eyebrow in question. Lunafreya, oblivious to the world around her, held her mug close to her face breathing in the stolen Ebony's scent. Her eyes were still closed as if she was far beyond their reach in some distant memory the men had no access to.

"You will regret that, I'm afraid", Ignis said calmly as he dumped the mockery of coffee on the ground.

"I wouldn't have had to do that if you had offered to share it in the first place", Prompto retorted in a singsong.

"How very ungentlemanly of you", Noctis drawled as he caught on what was going on.

"I blame my lack of manners on my present company's influence", Ignis shot back and went to unlock his safe. To the three men's surprise he returned with enough Ebony for four mugs. "But I will not stand idle while my reputation is on the line."

No love, art nor science was spared on brewing the next set of Ebony. Ignis made sure to do his utmost best to show them how serious he was. Prompto got impatient midway, but Ignis merely slapped his overeager hand away and continued to work. Twenty minutes later four steaming mugs were raised in a toast. Ignis watched his companion's faces with keen interest as they took their first tentative sip of the godly beverage.

Gladiolus swirled the coffee in his mug absently and smacked his lips in discontent. Prompto's face reminded Ignis of a Garula about to sneeze. Noctis took a tiny sip of the coffee, wrinkled his nose in distaste and offered his mug to Lunafreya who had returned to the land of living. She eagerly replaced her empty mug and was surprisingly aware for the rest of the evening.

All in all Ignis was happy to note that at least the three men would not bother him about his beloved coffee again. There was still the matter of sharing with Lady Lunafreya, but he was sure they could come to some kind of agreement. She was a reasonable woman, after all. Perhaps if she put her feminine charm to use to get a discount on soap bars they could get even. Speaking of which…

"I could do with a bath."

"Oh yeah, you better. Wouldn't want you to feel unkempt."

Prompto, as expected.

"You take pride in your poor hygiene?"

A soap bar flew across the air. Ignis barely managed to catch it.

"Greetings from Tenebrae from yours truly", Lunafreya continued to sip her coffee as Ignis smelled the sweet scented soap. Not a feminine smell that he'd expect her to use. Perhaps it was originally meant as a betrothal gift to the Prince? Frankly His Highness spent so much time glued to her side he was surprised they didn't share smells by now. Ignis nodded his thanks and set the soap bar next to his towel.

Oh yes. If these were the terms to surrender half of his Ebony stock he could certainly live with that.

A/N: I don't drink coffee. I know nothing about coffee. I hope it's not too obvious.

You might be wondering why I stopped writing almost a year back. Reason is that they revealed Lunafreya was an Oracle and then there was the whole thing about Gentiana. I didn't really know how to fit all of that in my short stories as these are based on the little information that Episode Duscae offered. I had a story at work dedicated to Ignis' and Luna's friendship, but I lost the notebook where I wrote the draft. Was something about them being stuck under a collapsed building and Iggy losing his glasses and stepping over a corpse and stuff. Can't say I honestly remember much about it anymore. I'll try to find it and see if it's worth posting.

Hope you've all had fun with the Uncovered event! I'm not sure if I'll write more chapters with the new information we've been given. We'll see! :)