A pair of slender hands worked quickly in the hues of the rising morning sun. There was no room for noise in the early morning-he worked quietly to prepare a meal fit for a King-perhaps a bit more. Ignis was a calm worker, a fairly quiet man who could carry on perfectly with little to no company. It was nice to have companionship every now and then, but it was certainly foolish to assume anyone else would be early to rise, especially Noctis. It wasn't bothersome really, playful taunts and gentle banter were replaced with the lull of the wind and the song of the birds. A break was needed from such antics every now and then. A break from a stiff leather seat even more-so.

His thoughts switched from the greens on his cutting board to the growing pain in his lower back. It reminded him of his early youth. Oh how fondly he could recall learning correct posture. The pain was strikingly similar. Hopefully it wouldn't last for long. With all the fast-paced events their small group had been tasked with, Ignis found himself rather tense more often than not. It was hard to relax when always thinking one step ahead. It wasn't tiring as much as it was stressful. Yet he still found endless stress was worth it in the end. Being greeted by pleased faces every time something went right was absolutely thrilling.

A soft sigh slipped past his thin lips into the chilled morning air. The cold was enough to nip at the skin, yet nothing uncomfortable. Perfectly workable conditions. They would soon face far worse-that he could only assume. Not being one to linger on things for too long, his focus was soon restored on his original task.

His hands worked in fluid motions-his experience showed through his generally flawless actions. The green onion was chopped into small, even slices and slid into a pan with chopped tomato and a few whisked eggs. Salt and pepper was added for taste, as well as a few other ingredients they had picked up along the way. He would serve them a simplistic hash brown as well. It wasn't anything too complicated. If possible he would attempt to prep a fruit salad for lunch. He was always thinking ahead, per usual. Ignis moved to adjust his glasses with his left hand while his right focused on folding the eggs together in a pleasing manner. Presentation was important as well. A curious gaze was paired with a quirked brow as a rather large shadow was cast over both him and the surrounding area. A hint of irritation was visible only by the slight twitch of his lips. He'd been enjoying the gentle warmth of the sun, even though that was the least of his worries at the moment-it seemed to be the most irritating. A quick glance upwards left him both irritated and relieved.

"Mornin' Iggy." A deep voice as warm as the planet's core spoke out towards him. "Up a bit early, aren't you?" Ignis took his gaze off the other man, his focus shifting towards a perfect looking meal. The steam rising off the eggs contrasted against the cool air. A ray of sunlight illuminated the small cloud. "You're just in time for breakfast-well, part of it." Ignis portioned out the meal between four plates. Each plate got special attention in both presentation as well as the type of garnish. Noctis could be rather picky at times. "Oh yeah?" Gladiolus's voice came out smooth, yet it pierced through the cold air. "Looks great, could even say it's egg-cellent." He laughed out at his pun as he roamed around the side of Ignis's cooking station. He pressed a flat hand against his friend's back in a comforting manner. His laugh only increased as Ignis shook his head. "Good one." Ignis spoke in a tone that hinted a great deal of amusement. He wasn't hard to understand, but he sure could be hard to read at times. "Say, since you happen to be up strikingly early-what do you say to helping fix the rest of breakfast?"

"You mean there's more?" Genuine surprise hit Gladiolus. His eyes had been on the great deal of food already portioned out-what more was there?

Looking rather perplexed Ignis gave a short nod. "Indeed there is. It's nothing too complicated. I was going to fix up hash browns. Simple, really." He spoke in a reassuring tone that was unmistakably laced with enthusiasm. Ignis always liked the idea of cooking alongside someone else-especially if they would converse with him. "You can cut up the potatoes with me-if you'd like."There was a smile on Gladiolus's face that just could not be hidden. "If you think I can handle it." Playful sarcasm fit him well, the look on Ignis's face said just that. "Think of it like your sword. With less swinging and a smaller blade. Perhaps even a bit more technique." It was interesting, the way Ignis joked around with him. They were in such grand positions in relation to the King. He cherished the fact that they got along so well. Who would imagine the Adviser and the Shield cooking side-by-side? The vision was rather amusing.

"Got it. More swinging, less thinking."
"You almost got it."
"Your instructions weren't all that clear."
"I question if you ever really listen."

There was a shared smile between the two as they bantered with softness. That same smile had accompanied them in similar conversations many times before. Gladiolus had a way of calming his nerves-that was his calling, wasn't it? While he was the man a step ahead of the King, Gladiolus was the man right in front of the King. They were meant to be irreplaceable and disposable at the same time. What an odd thought that was.

"Am I cutting it right?"
"A little thinner would be preferred."
"Like this?"
"Almost, let me show you."

With genuine intent to help Ignis moved to stand next to the rather large man. A slender hand gracefully slipped over the top of Gladiolus's hand. Ignis's fingertips barely brushed along his flesh. His hands were soft-but incredibly cold. Just how long had he been out here? Where were his gloves? Perhaps he didn't wear them while cooking. Yeah, that made sense. Gladiolus focused on the way Ignis was moving his hand. The motions he was guiding him through were things he was unfamiliar with. Sure he'd sliced potatoes before, just not in such a precise manner. "Do you understand better now?" Ignis withdrew from his position, his brow quirked in a questioning manner. He always crossed his arms when he was expecting an answer. "Yeah, I think so." Gladiolus offered a large grin to the adviser before turning his gaze back towards his cutting board. "Good to hear." Ignis gave a soft pat to the shield's shoulder.

"I really appreciate your help."
"Ah, it's no problem Iggy."
"...Your company is appreciated as well."
"You get lonely out here? Working by yourself and all?"
"I don't dwell on it. I'm rarely ever truly alone. Certainly nothing to stress over."
"If you say so."
"Indeed."

Gladiolus rolled his eyes at the stubborn man. He was hoping that conversation would go somewhere. Ignis was terrible at keeping a conversation. His mind was always on something else-something in the future. He was use to reacting quick in tough situations, especially as of recent. Yet the idea of always being a step ahead exhausted him. That was Ignis's job though-wasn't it? Just as he was the shield.

"Job well done Gladio."
"It's nothin really."
"I wouldn't say that. Cooking isn't for everyone."
"It wasn't too bad."
"Perhaps you should consider doing this more often."
"I'm up early, but not this early."
"So I've noticed. Any particular reason for your early rising this morning?"
"Bad dream."
"Really? Anything similar to Noct's?"
"Nah, normal nightmares. I worry about my sister, you know?"
"It's only natural."
"Guess so."

Damn it. Another dead-end conversation. It bothered him that Ignis was so stoic and composed all the time. He saw his frustrations every now and then, but Ignis's compassion generally only showed through his actions. What a guy."You sleep well?" He was trying to show some interest in Ignis's health. The adviser never veered from his schedule unless absolutely necessary. Every morning he would rise early and every evening he would rest at the most decent hour he could manage. Their sleep schedules were mere hours off. Perhaps 3, maybe 4.

"I slept-but not very well."
"What kept you up?"
"My lower back. It's been giving me a lot of grief recently."
"You should take it easy."
"Oh I'm quite alright."
"That can only last so long. Why the pain?"
"I suspect it's the long car rides catching up with me. Cruise control saves my legs at times but there's not much I can do to further my back support."
"Why not let Noct drive?"
"Because back pain is a small price to pay for safety."

While the comment was made in a joking manner, it told so much about Ignis. He wasn't one to complain. Even though he was going through some pain-mild or not-he saw it as something small. "...What?" Ignis questioned, quirking a brow at the man. He was referring to the warm smile that rested on Gladiolus's lips. "Don't worry about it Iggy." With that comment Ignis simply continued his work. There wasn't a great deal of effort or concentration that went into making something as simple as a hash brown. Ignis still somehow managed to look absorbed by the task. Now he was cutting the thin slices of potato into something even thinner-and smaller. Gladiolus followed along without a word. It felt a little off to just be silently working together. Perhaps he'd gotten use to the loudness of Noctis and Prompto. He was hearing sounds he usually wasn't able to hear-some of his favorite sounds. He could hear the birds softly calling in the distance, he could hear creatures around the area scrambling around in the brush-he could also hear Ignis breathing. It was a soft sound that caught his attention. Gladiolus shifted his gaze towards the adviser with a great deal of curiosity. The way he moved was enchanting-the calmness he possessed seemed to fit in perfectly with the untouched outdoors. Out of all the things he wanted to express he could only find words of awe.

"It's really beautiful out here. The early morning holds some treasures of her own."
"Indeed she does. I find it a rather comforting place to do my cooking."
"You ever do more than that in the morning? You've got a lot of hours to kill before Noct gets up."
"Ah, yes. I usually start the prep for our next meal. Speaking of, if you'd like help further I will be heading out in search for various fruits."
"Fruits?"
"I plan to make a fruit salad for lunch."
"You're always one step ahead aren't you?"
"I do try."