There was no time to spare when it came to cooking. From start to finish Ignis never stopped to take a break. By the time he was done four beautiful meals had been made. Each one had their own little twist. It was surprising to even Gladiolus that Ignis knew his eating habits so well. Ignis hadn't even turned around to ask him his preference of sides-he already knew. Gladiolus liked his eggs with salsa, but only the equivalent of a tablespoon or so. Had Ignis made the salsa too? That would explain where the tomato chunks came from. The salsa was more-so a garnish than anything else. Ignis had also taken it upon himself to add a bit more salt to his hash browns-he couldn't eat them without the salt. "Pardon me for not asking. It's habit to fix meals this way." He spoke to Gladiolus from over his shoulder. He even hummed a bit as he individually wrapped the meals. He would heat them back up one at a time as the group awoke. Ignis saved the early morning meals for when everyone was ready to eat-yet he himself only ate when Noctis decided to. Be it courtesy or consideration for him, Gladiolus could only guess.

"Would you like me to keep your meal out?"
"It wouldn't feel right eating alone."
"If you insist."

Ignis moved on from one task to another-it was almost as if he couldn't sit still. As soon as he was done wrapping the plates of food he was moving to retrieve his gloves. "Still want to join me for some berry hunting?" The adviser asked as he was putting on his gloves. Ignis curled his fingers inwards once the gloves were on. He had a habit on continuously trying to break them in. Even if they were pretty worn from use. "Sure." Gladiolus mused back, his arms crossing in front of his chest. "Think you can handle to rough outdoors Iggy?" Gladiolus's voice was overflowing with a warm playfulness generally reserved for the adviser. They knew each other well enough to tell what tones were genuinely serious. It was something they all had to learn when it came to Noctis. To anyone else it would sound as if the two were lightly arguing.

"Oh I just don't know what I would do if a saw an insect."
"Don't worry, I'll protect you."
"More the reason to be concerned."
"You flatter me."
"Just try not to startle the wildlife."
"This isn't my first time outdoors."
"Certainly. I figure you'll know more than I."
"Probably."
"We shall consider it a lesson then."
"Whatever you want."

The two had been speaking to each other in a hushed tone up until they were a decent distance away from the camp. Waking Noctis at this hour would be terrible. It'd be like disturbing a monster. If only he'd retire at a decent hour. Oh that was certainly wishful thinking.

"Do you take interest in the shrubbery as well?"
"I take interest in all sorts of things."
"Such as?"
"Birds, trees, animals, and whatever else might be in the area."
"Have you ever considered researching minerals?"
"Can't say I have."
"It might be something you like."
"Yeah, could be useful later on."

Gladiolus was actually slightly shocked that Ignis would ask him about these things. The two rarely spoke just one on one. It was something they'd most likely be doing more of in the future. Might as well get use to it now. Spending time with Ignis was rather calming to both his mind and body. While Gladiolus was a natural protector he felt he could be more relaxed around the adviser. It was Noctis he had to worry about. Yet even as he told himself he didn't need to worry his gaze still rested on the man as they walked. He analyzed his movements as he talked. Gladiolus found himself scanning the man for any signs of discomfort or concern. While he found nothing in relation to those feelings he did seem to notice the slight winces here and there when Ignis moved certain ways. "You sure you're alright?" Gladiolus jogged ahead of Ignis a bit, his hand moving to rest on the male's shoulder. "Is your back bothering you that bad?" Deep concern was obvious in Gladiolus's gaze. Ignis was a gentle frame. His mind worked wonders but his body couldn't endure the same things as everyone else. Sure he was flexible and rather quick-but his overall stamina was lacking. "You're going to over work yourself if you keep this up."

"There's no need to show so much concern, Gladio. I'm fine, it's just slight irritation is all."
"You keep telling yourself that but the more you work the worse it's going to get."
"It's a small price to pay-"
"Not to me!"

Ignis was staggered by the sudden outburst. It showed in his gaze-in his posture. He was angered yet defeated. While he knew the words being spoken were true he didn't feel there were any other options. Taking it easy would render him useless. In the end it was all up to the King. "Your concerns should be presented to the King." The adviser spoke softly as he settled his hand on top of Gladiolus's. "I know you're concerned. Your focus must stay on the King during these times. You and I both know his well being is worth far more than our own."

Silence.

Gladiolus was both stunned and angered by Ignis's response. It was true. It was painful. In the end he knew Ignis was choosing the best path for the King. That was the infuriating part of the situation. He could clearly see his pain hidden away in his occasionally staggered steps. He caught the tinge of pain that would stop Ignis from bending in a certain direction. Would Noctis notice these things? Was he thinking outside of himself yet? All he'd been dwelling on was himself-and Luna. His friends were stressed too, they were hurting too. Those concerns were optional for the King. They were most likely preferred hidden. Gladiolus chose to ignore the subject. Neither of them would further it and he knew that. Ignis would always drop the topic in favor of something less stressful. The man seemed almost uncomfortable if he was the topic of a conversation for too long. "It seems we've found what I was looking for." Ignis motioned towards several trees and bushes covered in colorful fruits and berries. It was a beautiful sight in the morning sunlight. Dew still covered the plants. The little drops clung to the berries in a way that managed to catch the sunlight. This was the kind of scene a picture just couldn't properly capture. He would remember the scent of the crisp air and the warmth of the sun as it found its way through the trees.

"Seems so. We better start gathering. We've got a bit of a walk back to camp."
"A nice stroll doesn't do any harm."
"It might if Noct wakes up."
"Fair enough."

The two worked in silence as they gathered all the fruits they could carry. Ignis seemed rather excited about making a fruit salad-was it one of his favorites? Gladiolus smiled at the thought of Ignis finding such joy over something as simple as fruit. Was he always like this? Had he never taken the full time to analyze him? Ignis had all of his attention this morning. Gladiolus found himself wanting to spend more time with Ignis while he was alone. Perhaps it was time for a change in his sleep schedule. This was a memory he would cherish for a long time. One couldn't forget the way the sun got caught in Ignis's brown hair. He couldn't shake the image of the orange and pink hues caressing his figure.

Yes, these were the memories he wanted to hold onto. They were peaceful-they were quiet. He felt as if they could equally look after each other. His life didn't feel like an endless job for once.