Y/N took a deep breath and stepped outside of her room. Fear gripped her a moment but her determination and anger fueled her more. She was sick of being scared. Sick of being frightened and cowerding in her room. The fear was still there, though, keeping her from stomping off to her destination alone. She took a few steps down the hallway to Bernard's door and knocked. It was only a short moment before he answered.
"Princess Y/N! Did I miss your call?" he asked, worried.
"No! I didn't call first, I'm sorry Bernie. I was wondering if you would escort me somewhere."
"Of course! Let me grab my cell phone and keys." It only took him a quick moment to grab his things before joining her in the hallway. "May I ask where you need escorted to?"
"I need to see the Marshal about something."
Bernard glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but refrained from saying anything. As much as it was his business to keep her safe and watch over her, it wasn't his place to ask questions that may impeed on her privacy. Perhaps it had something to do with her training or her fiance.
The walk to the Glaives and Kingsguard wing was quiet and uneventful, much to Y/N's relief. Thankfully whoever her mystery stalker was, he had yet to attack her while she was actively with someone. Last night came close though. Ignis was only a short distance away and seemed completely oblivious to what was going on down the hall.
"Thank you Bernie. This is far enough."
"Are you sure you do not wish me to take you further to his office? He may not be in."
"It's fine. If he's not in, I'm sure he will come."
"If you insist, Princess." Bernard bowed and walked back toward the elevator.
Y/N took a moment to try and remember exactly which office was the Marshall's. It was about halfway down the hall if she remembered correctly. You would think it would have some kind of shiny big plaque on it or something. Then again, the man didn't seem the flashy type. She slowly walked down the busy hallway glancing in the open doors she walked past. There were so many offices. She only knew of about three people who had offices. Who did all these other ones belong to? Her thoughts were interrupted by a female voice.
"Princess Y/N…" Monica said out loud, sounding a bit shocked to see her. "Can I help you with something?"
"Yes, actually. I was wondering if you could please point me in the direction of the Marshall's office. I vaguely remember which one it is."
"Of course. Did...did you come here alone?" she asked, glancing behind Y/N.
"Oh, no. Bernard brought me. I sent him back though once we got here."
"Okay," she said, a bit relieved. "Right this way please." Monica walked her to about the midway point of the long hallway. Y/N was correct in her assumption of where his office was located. She knocked quickly on the open door, bringing Cor's attention to her. "Sir, Princess Y/N is here to see you." She stepped back and let Y/N enter the room.
"Y/N...is everything alright?" Cor asked with the same surprised tone Monica had a moment ago.
"I um...I wanted to speak with you about...something," Y/N quietly said, walking further into the office.
"And what is that?" Cor asked, always right to the point.
"There was…" Y/N paused for a moment as the fear from last night gripped her throat, before her anger took control. "There was another incident. Last night."
Cor's eyes opened a bit wider for a moment before narrowing.
"At the event?" he asked, his voice a bit harsh wondering how on Eos something happened when he had security nearly doubled. And why was nothing reported sooner?
"No, it was later. After I had left."
"Did it happen in your room?"
"Um...not exactly? I was just dropped off at my room and hadn't shut the door yet when he appeared again."
"And who escorted you back to your room?"
"Ignis."
"Hmm," Cor almost humphed. "If it is alright with you, I would like to invite Ignis to this meeting."
"Uh...sure. That's fine."
Cor picked up his phone and dialed what she assumed was Ignis' cell phone. After only a few quick seconds, he was speaking to someone on the other line.
"Are you able to come to my office right now?...Good." Not even a goodbye. Y/N found it almost a bit cold, but the Marshall was all business all the time. "Go ahead and have a seat."
Y/N sat in the chair off to the side a bit as Cor got up from his desk and opened the filing cabinet he had gotten in before when she first made him aware of the incidents happening, and got out a piece of paper. Another report to write up, probably. He got to work filling some of it out while she sat silently, waiting for Ignis to arrive. Something in her stomach fluttered nervously. How would he react when he found out what had happened?
"Do you need Monica here?" Cor asked her, still looking at the paper on his desk he was writing on as he spoke. His sudden question made her jump slightly in her seat.
"No. I'm fine, thank you."
It wasn't long after that when Cor's office door opened after a brief knock. Ignis stepped inside nodding his head at Cor as he greeted him.
"Marshall. May I ask…" Ignis didn't finish his sentence upon looking over and seeing Y/N sitting in one of the chairs across from Cor's desk. An almost panicked look crossed his face and he glanced between the two of them a couple times.
"Have a seat Ignis," Cor demanded.
Wiping his palms on his pants, Ignis shut the door behind him and sat in the unoccupied seat beside Y/N. He glanced over at her again with a slightly pained look in his eyes. He had a feeling he knew why he was called to Cor's office. He could probably guess it had something to do with their mystery stalker.
The thought tore Ignis apart. They were being so careful and diligent in security detail. How did this man keep slipping by them? When Cor spoke again, Y/N and Ignis both looked back across the desk at him.
"There was another incident last night. Y/N stated that it happened shortly after she was dropped off at her room. Before she even shut her door. Do you happen to recall anything happening? Did you not make sure she was secure in her room before leaving?" Cor asked, in what sounded like an accusing tone.
"I-I…" Ignis stuttered, looking over at Y/N with wide eyes. "I thought she was…in her room… I saw that she made it to her door and inside."
"He didn't know I opened the door back up," Y/N quickly told Cor. She didn't want Ignis getting in trouble for this. He made sure she was inside just as he was supposed to.
"I thought you mentioned you hadn't even shut the door yet. Why did you come back out after he left?" Cor asked, narrowing his eyes further.
"I was….that doesn't…" Y/N stumbled over what to say. She was going to tell Cor it wasn't any of his business. And she didn't want to mention the reason she had looked back at Ignis as he had left. So she came up with something else to say. "I had something I had forgotten to tell him. I shut the door briefly but opened it back up. It hadn't fully latched and I didn't walk back into my room before opening it again. When I opened the door back up, I saw Ignis standing at the elevators. Before I could call out to him, the stranger appeared."
"Did he harm you?" Ignis quietly asked her, his eyes darting over her body looking for bandages or any other sign that the man had touched her. If she was hurt, why was he not informed last night after it had happened?
"No, he just…said some stuff…" she whispered back.
Cor was busy on his computer pulling the camera feed to try and get the full story. He hated inconsistencies. His ears were still attuned to the two before him, however.
"What was said? These are details I need to know as well," Cor sternly asked her, his eyes never leaving his computer screen as he watched
"He asked if I had a good night. Other than that, he just stood there smiling at me," she replied.
"Were you speaking to Ignis the whole time you were standing in the hallway when he was at the elevators?"
Ignis frowned a bit and looked over at her. She was in the hallway?
Y/N quietly sighed to herself. The Marshall was ratting out that she was staring at Ignis like a creep. Damn him. Of course he would pull the camera feed and find out her little fibs.
"No," she simply answered.
"You didn't hear her yelling?" Cor asked, turning his gaze to Ignis to let him know it was him he was now addressing. "I assume by her body language she was yelling after a bit."
"Yelling? No, I…" Ignis turned back to Y/N. The look on his face was pained. She was yelling? For his help, perhaps? And he didn't hear or do a thing?
"I don't think he could," Y/N cut in.
"What happened after you went back in your room and shut the door? Did he somehow follow you inside?" Cor asked.
"No. He disappeared the last time I looked back over to where he was standing. I quickly shut the door hoping he wouldn't somehow follow me or teleport, or whatever it is he does, into my room."
"So you didn't see or hear from him at all after that?"
"No."
"Can you come around here and show me where you saw him standing?" Cor asked her, pulling himself away from his computer screen a bit.
"S-sure…?" Y/N sounded uncertain. Couldn't he see him? Wasn't he right there on the camera feed?
She made her way around his desk and looked at the monitor. Her eyebrows pulled together as she tried to find him.
"I….I don't know exactly. This angle is a bit hard to tell. Can you not see him on the camera?"
"No. He seems to not be picked up by any of our cameras so far. Sometimes you aren't either. Are these angles better?"
Cor brought up four different sets of footage to display in a grid on the screen. Y/N studied them all. She could see both herself and Ignis. As the footage played, she recognized the moment she saw him. But…nothing was where the man was standing last night. Surely they didn't think she was crazy, did they?
"I don't…see him. But he was there!"
"Show me where you saw him standing," Cor told her.
Y/N reached her hand out and pointed to a particular spot against the wall. She could picture him there even now in her mind. That smirk on his lips as he casually leaned against the wall staring at her. Cor clicked a few things on his computer and put a red circle around the spot she pointed to, marking it as a place of interest to go back and look at later. Maybe they could find a way to pick up some kind of magic static if they knew exactly where he was using it and try and pinpoint what kind of magic they were dealing with.
"Is there anything else you wish to add to the report? Anything you didn't mention. Anything else he said. Anything else you did?" Cor asked her, picking his pen back up.
"No, that's it. It wasn't…as major of an incident as the others but…"
"You still need to report to someone any time you encounter him. Even the smallest events can have an impact. Would you like me to summon someone to escort you back or would you like Ignis to?"
"I would be happy to do so," Ignis spoke up, looking at her with soft eyes.
Cor stayed silent waiting on her answer. She appreciated him giving her the choice. She didn't have anything against Ignis, though. And what happened last night wasn't his fault.
"That would be nice, thank you," she finally replied, referring to Ignis' offer.
"I don't think I need to remind you to make sure she makes it to her destination safely," Cor spoke as he wrote on the paper in front of him, never looking up. "And make sure the door latches this time before leaving."
That little bit felt like a punch in Ignis' stomach. He knew that was Cor's nice way of telling him doin't fuck up again. He wouldn't though. Not again. They were lucky nothing else had happened.
"Of course, sir." Ignis stood and opened the door and signaled for Y/N to exit first. The two of them walked quietly to the elevators. It was an almost awkward silence between the two. Ignis wanted to say something to her. To apologize or…something. He waited until they were in the privacy of the elevator before he decided to speak to her.
"Are you sure you're okay?" his gentle voice asked.
Immediately after, he jumped in alarm as she swung her arm out and punched the wall of the elevator.
"I hate this!" she yelled out. Her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head back and forth, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm so sick of it! As if I don't have enough shit going on right now I have to deal with this lunatic playing mind games with me! I'm scared to leave my room. Then I'm too angry to stay inside all day so I leave. Then after only a few minutes I'm back to being scared again. And now he's right outside my room! He knows which one is mine now. Am I safe anywhere?"
Ignis stood quietly letting her get it all out. He wasn't quite sure how to respond though. The deepest part of him wanted to reach out and embrace her. To run his fingers through her hair and let her know he would assure her safety. However, he never quite knew when she was open to his affections and when they would chase her away. He opted instead to comfort her with his words.
"I will request that we install more cameras outside of your door. We should post a guard there as well-"
"So now I'll be watched and babysat even more than before. Great!"
Ignis was at a loss. The best thing for Y/N was to up her security. They couldn't protect her from these incidents without more people watching her. He was still mad at himself for being right there as something happened last night. For being completely oblivious to her yelling down the hall while he stood at the elevators doing nothing.
"I don't know what to do beyond that right now," Ignis quietly told her, looking down at his hands as he began picking the skin around his fingers as a nervous habit.
Y/N felt a pang in her chest. Ignis looked so defeated. She tried reminding herself that he wasn't to blame for any of this. He truly was a good man trying his best for her and she was always shitting all over him because it was easiest to blame him. Sometimes she felt bad. He always seemed genuine but she couldn't help but be mad at him for taking part in this whole plan so willingly while she was kicking and screaming the whole way.
"I don't blame you…" she whispered. Ignis looked over at her with soft eyes wondering what in particular she was referring to. "I don't…blame you for what happened. This man seems to be able to trick a lot of people and I'm not…mad at you for not hearing me last night."
"Were…were you really yelling for me?" he asked.
"Yeah."
Ignis' heart broke. She was yelling for him and he did nothing. She was calling to him to help her and he stood by. She was-
"Do you want to get coffee and go to the gardens with me? I really just don't want to sit in my room all day. I need air." she suddenly asked, breaking him out of his mental scolding. "I mean…are you able? You're probably busy. I don't want to disturb your day."
Ignis noticed that the elevator had stopped at her floor and the doors were open, waiting for them to exit. He glanced at the watch on his wrist and mentally calculated his plans for the day. He had some files that needed to be dropped off in another wing of the Citadel, but maybe he could get Gladio to do that for him. That also reminded him that his friend was waiting for him to return to his office. He could make time. He could work through his lunch to finish the reports he planned to do this morning.
"That would be lovely!" he smiled at her. "I just need to stop by my office real fast if that's alright with you?"
"Of course," she agreed.
Ignis smiled and moved forward to push the button to take them to the floor his office was on. His heart felt a little lighter at her invitation. Perhaps she wasn't as disappointed in him as he felt she was. Any moment she wanted to freely spend with him on her own terms was a positive step in his mind. And those seemed few and far between.
As the elevator slowed and dinged, signaling they had arrived to the floor filled with various offices, he gestured for her to exit ahead of him. She stepped out and stopped, not knowing which direction to go.
"This way," he gently guided her, turning to the left. "I'll only be a moment. I just need to print a document and ask Gladio to deliver it for me."
"Okay," she answered.
The two walked in silence a short ways until they came to an open door Ignis turned and walked into.
"That was quicker than I thought it would be," a deep voice said as soon as Ignis walked into the room. "What the hell did he want?"
Glado watched Ignis walk over to his desk but noticed the man kept gazing toward the door. Wondering what he was looking at, Gladio turned in his seat and noticed Y/N standing at the threshold, almost as if she was afraid to walk in.
"Oh…good morning," Gladio greeted her, sounding surprised. He turned back to look at Ignis with an eyebrow raised and a clear questioning look on his face.
"Another incident happened last night-" Ignis started.
"Shit! Everything alright?" Gladio asked, sitting up a bit straighter in his seat and looking between both Ignis and Y/N.
"Language please, Gladio," Ignis scolded. "He made an appearance after the event last night-"
"Didn't you walk her back to her room? How did he-"
"I will discuss this later, please," Ignis interrupted, giving Gladio a stern look that said he didn't wish to talk about it at the moment. He clicked a few things on his computer before gathering a pile of papers and placing them in a folder, along with a paper the printer had just spit out. "Y/N and I are going to the gardens for a short while. Can you kindly bring these to Mrs. Falsa's office for me? I'll continue the rest of the reports when I return."
Ignis was postponing work for leisure time? Cause let's face it, Cor didn't order him to take Y/N to walk through the gardens. Either he asked her or the other way around. Either way, Gladio wasn't going to let anything stop what was a possible positive moment for the two of them.
"Sure thing, Iggy," he assured his friend. He glanced back at Y/N as she looked around Ignis' office, taking in every detail. She was still standing in the doorway, though. "You can come in, ya know. Pretty sure you have the clearance to be in here."
His last statement brought a look of uncertainty to her face.
Clearance? Of course one would need clearance to be in the official office of the Royal Advisor.
"You do, don't worry," Ignis assured her, noticing the look that crossed her face. "Thank you Gladio. I will text you when I return. Please lock the door as you leave." Ignis nodded at his friend before walking back out the door with Y/N.
Ignis grabbed his can of ebony and Y/N's to-go cup of hot tea off the counter before leading her to the big glass doors out into the gardens. He was glad she seemed to find a place in the Citadel she enjoyed. He often wondered how she could spend so much lonely time in her room and worried it made her only more miserable. He also doubted she asked any guards to go with her and assumed she only went the few times she was with him.
He let Y/N take the lead when they were outside. He wasn't sure if she wished to walk around or sit on one of the benches. She walked past the first few sets of white intricate benches not far from the doors and he assumed they would be walking.
"Here's your tea," he said, reaching her cup to her as he fell in step beside her.
"Thank you," she said quietly, taking it from him.
The two of them walked in silence for a little bit. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable or awkward. Y/N seemed to be deep in thought and not even mentally present. Ignis was wondering what was going through her mind. She likely was troubled over the night's events. He was hoping she would have had a great night. She seemed to have had a better time at Noct's engagement party than her own. At least for the first half she seemed happy. He wished he had run into his parents before she had. He likely could have avoided her feeling the way she did about not meeting them yet. He was never sure she even wanted to! She barely acknowledged that the two of them were engaged. Taking her to his parent's house seemed like pushing the issue.
"Do you think I'm crazy?" he heard her suddenly ask.
"Why ever would I think that?" he asked back, pulling his eyebrows together.
"About this man. None of you have seen him. He apparently doesn't even show up on the cameras. I just…randomly approach you guys every so often talking about some weirdo following me. Do you think it's all in my head?"
"I don't think a figment of your imagination could have left bruises on your neck and wrist," he replied.
"I just…I sometimes wonder if I'm imagining all of this. If I've finally lost it and am going crazy. Is the stress causing me to hallucinate or…is someone playing a stupid trick on me… I don't know."
"I don't think Cor would have doubled security and assigned you personal escorts if he thought you were simply crazy."
"Well if I'm not crazy now, I will be soon! I swear I think I'm losing my mind sometimes. And I'm so sick of being scared all the time. I'm already nervous enough as it is being in a strange place and so far away from home and knowing I can never go back. I'm so sick of always being locked in my room all of the time. And it's so awkward having a stranger follow you everywhere."
"You could always call me. I could take a break and take you for tea or a walk in the garden like we are doing now. I could take you out to eat if you wish after I am done working." Y/N sat silently, but nodded her head up and down slightly a few times. Ignis hoped she would take him up on his offers. "Although, after this week, you won't be locked in your room anymore. It shouldn't be quite so lonely for you."
"What are you talking about?" she asked him, confusion clearly written on her face.
"Well, after we're married you won't be living there anymore."
Y/N stared at him with a wide eyed look.
"Where will I be staying then?"
"With…with me?" Ignis replied, sounding a bit unsure of himself. Did she not know? Where else would she live? He clearly wouldn't leave her to stay in that tiny room alone forever.
Y/N sat in silence for a few moments taking in what he had just said. She would stay in his room? With him? It clearly made sense. He would be her husband. But she hadn't even thought of that part of their marriage somehow. A part of her may have wished the whole thing was for convenience sake and she would keep to herself most of the time.
"Where will we be living? In your room here?" she asked.
"I don't live at the Citadel anymore," Ignis answered.
"Well, where do you live then?" Y/N asked, her voice starting to raise a bit as her anxiety took hold.
"I live not too far from here in an apartment complex. I took over Noct's lease when he moved back here." Ignis was certain she had been told all of this, hadn't she? Did she forget?
"Why?"
"I…well, I figured it would be best for us to have a place of our own."
"Isn't it in the contract that I have to stay in the Citadel walls?"
"Only until we are married. Once we are, you…" Ignis paused trying to find the right wording.
"I'm nobody," Y/N finished for him. "My title will officially be stripped and I won't even have clearance to be here anymore…" Her voice wavered as she looked off away from Ignis.
"You will still be on the council and therefore have clearance to be inside. You will also be continuing your training with Gladio. And being wed to me gives you a certain level of clearance as well. You would be able to come up to my office. I am uncertain if you could join everyone in the royal dining hall anymore, but I could certainly look into it if you wish-"
"Yes, I'm certain they will make an exception for my peasant ass to dine with them at breakfast every morning," Y/N rolled her eyes.
"King Regis seems to like you very much. And he is an understanding and kind man. He won't just banish you from the Citadel. You still have certain rights."
"I never dreamed my life would be me living in a foreign country in an apartment building," Y/N whispered as tears started forming in her eyes.
"It's not a bad place. King Regis wouldn't have let Noct live there if it was. It has good security-"
"Well so does the Citadel, supposedly, but we see how that's working out for me, now don't we!"
That quieted Ignis. What would they do when they moved out? How would they properly protect her? If they were struggling to do so within the Citadel walls, how the hell would they do it outside of them? There was no way the cameras and security guards at his place compared to here. When Noct lived there, unbeknownst to his son, Regis had crown members work security often, posing as the guards who worked there.
It was something Ignis needed to take note of to discuss with Cor. They only had a few short days before she moved out and none of them thought of what to do when she did. Everyone was probably a bit more worried about the King and Prince than her, specifically.
"Do you…do you wish to see it?" he asked her carefully.
"See what?" she asked, still not looking at him.
"The apartment. I can take you this evening after I am finished working. We could…have dinner as well if you wish." Ignis watched her carefully, trying to gauge her reaction. After a moment of silence he added, "It would get you out for a bit."
Y/N sat a few moments longer contemplating Ignis' offer. She probably should go see the place before she just packed and moved her stuff there. It would be best to know what she was getting herself into. It couldn't be horrible if it once belonged to the Prince. And she doubted it was messy or unkempt. Ignis didn't seem the type to live in a typical bachelor pad.
Y/N nodded her head. Getting the hell out of the Citadel sold her more than anything to the idea. Ignis smiled.
"I get off work around six usually. I will phone you to let you know when I am on my way, if that works for you." Y/N just nodded her head again. "Wonderful!"
Ignis unlocked his office door and made his way inside. He had only just sat in his office chair when Gladio made his way in.
"Soooo….how did it go?" his friend asked, enthusiastically.
"Quite well, actually," Ignis answered him, but the smile was no longer on his face. He had a nervous movement to his hands which seemed to keep smoothing parts of his shirt down.
"Why do you look so perturbed then?"
"I…I invited her to my apartment this evening."
Gladio's eyebrows shot to his hairline.
"And she said yes?!"
"Well, I offered to show her the apartment. So she could see what it looked like before moving in. I also mentioned having dinner together and thought I could perhaps cook her something at my place."
"Perfect! Look at you Ig! Having a girl over!" Gladio reached across the desk and slapped his friend on the shoulder.
"Yes, well…don't get too excited yet. I still have to come up with something to make and hope she even likes the place. She seemed appalled at the fact that I lived in an apartment complex and didn't have a room at the Citadel. She also brought up an important question…how safe is she going to be when she leaves here?"
"Yeah," Gladio sighed, finally sitting in the chair across from his friend. "Cor and I were discussing that the other day."
"Any solutions to suggest?"
"Besides simply posting guards at the door? No. We aren't sure what this guy is capable of outside of these walls either. Will it get worse with less security? Will he even know where to find her if we keep the address confidential? It's similar to the anxiety the King went through when Noct moved out. Protecting without smothering."
"Which she already feels is happening. It's another reason I offered to show her the apartment. Get her out of here for a bit. Away from being followed by strangers."
"Technically, the only time she would need to have guards after you guys are married is when you are at work."
"That is true. Or any time I would be needed elsewhere. Otherwise I could handle it."
"So what are you gonna make her for dinner?" Gladio asked, suddenly changing the subject, eager to hear about how Iggy was planning his night.
Ignis eyed his friend briefly for changing the subject, but quickly let it go and leaned forward, turning his computer back on.
"I need to get through my day's work quickly so I can order some groceries to be picked up on my way home. I want to look up some Altisian recipes. I know she likes pasta. And they usually eat them with white wine sauces."
"Chicken is always safe," Gladfio shrugged, trying to help.
"She likes chicken but not paired with pasta. She says everyone does that and it's tired."
"She's a diva even about chicken," Gladio rolled his eyes.
"I'll probably go with seafood."
"Are you bringing her back to her room tonight?"
"Of course." Ignis looked over at his friend. "Why wouldn't I?"
"It's gonna be kind of late after you get out of work, pick her up, go to the store, show her your place, make her dinner…"
"Possibly, yes…" Ignis trailed off, wondering if he should reschedule. Problem was, they only had a few more weekdays and then it was their wedding. There wasn't time to reschedule, really. "If she is too tired, she can simply stay at my place. I don't live far from the Citadel, though."
"You think anything will happen if she stays over?" Gladio asked, a smirk forming on his lips.
"Hardly," Ignis answered, deadpanned.
"I'm just saying, you never know!" Gladio shrugged his shoulders. "Did you think anything would happen that night she gave you a handy?"
"I never should have told you about that," Ignis hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
"I just want you to be prepared! Do you need to borrow some condoms?"
"Assuming you want them back when I'm done with them?" Ignis asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You know what I meant," Gladio rolled his eyes. Ignis sat in silence for a little while. Gladio knew the gears were churning in his head. He was Mr. Responsible. Having the condoms on hand would be the safe and best thing. Always be prepared, and all that. But Gladio also knew his friend would never outright ask for them. He stood and dug two foil packets out of his wallet, tossing them onto the desk in front of his friend. "Look, take them just in case. Worst case scenario, you don't use them. Best case scenario, you have them on hand if you do need them."
Ignis grabbed the two small packets in front of him and quickly pocketed them. He mumbled a thanks and tried to get his mind back to work. He was thankful for his friend, even if he was a bit forward sometimes.
It was approaching 6:40 when Y/N finally got a text from Ignis.
IGNIS: Getting off work. Sorry I'm late. Do you still wish for me to pick you up?
Y/N sighed. She kind of knew this would happen based on past experience. Ignis was punctual but when it came to his work and duties, it was always unpredictable. She tried not to get too excited about leaving the Citadel today. There was always the chance he wouldn't show up. She was still a bit sour about him being a no-show at the meetings with the wedding planners.
Y/N: Yes. I'm ready.
She kept her answer simple. He didn't need to know that she had changed her dress to one a bit more casual. Or that she had touched up her make-up. Or that she had been sitting, staring at her phone for the last hour.
She stood from her vanity and fluffed out her dress bit. She chose a black lace dress. It had a black sleeveless bodice underneath so as not to give an illusion to it being see through. The long sleeves of the arms were, however. The skirt flared at the waist and went to just above her knees. It was shorter than she typically wore. Anything above the knee was considered lewd for a royal to wear. LeAnn had gotten her this dress as a going away gift. Perhaps she was feeling a bit rebellious tonight. She was still angry after being reminded earlier that these were her last few days as royalty. Come saturday…it will be over for good.
She shook her head lightly before slipping her shoes on. She didn't want the negative thoughts to take over tonight. She was finally getting out for a bit. Would hopefully have a nice meal. And…get to see her first home outside of a castle's walls. She was still a little on edge about that last one.
A knock at the door drew her out of her thoughts. She slowly opened it, already knowing who was on the other side.
"Good evening, Y/N," Ignis bowed slightly. "You look…amazing." Ignis' breath caught in his throat for a moment. He wasn't used to seeing Y/N in something quite like what she was wearing. It was always long gowns, which he absolutely loved, but the dress she had on now gave him a chance to appreciate a bit…more of her. She hadn't even stepped out of the door yet and her legs were already proving to be a bit distracting.
"Thank you," Y/N quietly replied. "Shall we go?"
"Of course!" Ignis stepped aside so she could come out into the hallway with him.
The two walked in silence to the elevators and rode them down. He wasn't quite sure what to say. This was technically only their second date. Nothing else they had done thus far quite qualified as such in his eyes. All he knew was that his deodorant was doing a great job because he was sweating bullets.
"I apologize for being late," he finally said as the two of them stepped out of the elevator underground in the parking deck.
"I'm just glad you still came," Y/N replied.
There was no bite to her words but Ignis still knew they were a slight jab at his being absent a couple weeks prior. He felt terrible that she had counted on him so much and he had let her down.
"Sometimes my work can be a bit unpredictable. I…pick up a lot of slack, so to speak. So when something needs done, I'm their go to person. It's never been much of a problem before. There's…not much I do in my free time." Y/N nodded her head in understanding, but didn't say anything. "I also can't just say no when it comes to the Prince or King. My duty is to them first, always. It doesn't even cross my mind to question it when they request my time."
"I get it," Y/N replied quietly. Although, she didn't, really. She knew what it was like to have people wait on her and do as she asked. She watched her parents and brother do the same. But she had never been on the other side of it. She just assumed they were there and paid for their time, so what. She never much thought of her servant's home lives. Ignis was far from a servant, though. He was a bit more…like Bernie? No, not quite. But that got her thinking a bit…what was Bernie's life like when she wasn't around?
They got to Ignis' car and he opened her door for her. As she slid into the seat, she immediately took note of the car's smell. It still had that brand new car scent fresh off the lot mixed with the leather of the seats. The interior was immaculate and pristine. And quite plain. Nothing frilly. Just a simple air freshener hanging from the mirror.
Ignis opened the backseat door to gently toss his suit jacket in and then got into the driver's seat. As he started up the car and backed out of his spot, Y/N couldn't help but try to fill the silence between them.
"Is this a new car?"
"Uh, no," Ignis replied, looking over at her a bit surprised. "It's still the same one as before."
As before? Y/N suddenly remembered that she had already been in his car once before. Her memories of that night were a bit muddled, though. Beyond the crying and screaming, she didn't remember much else.
"I just meant…newer. It's just so pristine and nice. It smells like it's straight from the factory."
"Oh. No, I've had this one for a little over a year. I get it detailed once a month. I really only drive it to and from work. When I drive Noct around, it's typically in his car or the King's."
The longer Y/N sat in his car, the more his own scent started to mingle with the smell of leather. It was an aroma that was almost intoxicating. She already loved the smell of his cologne. Smelling it seated so close to him in a small space? It was heavenly. She wondered if he enjoyed her perfume or if it stung his nostrils. Scent was something so objective and particular to each individual. And Ignis was so nice, he probably wouldn't even tell her if he was allergic to it, let alone didn't like it.
Her perfume was the last thing on his mind, however. Ignis was doing his best to keep his eyes on the road. His gaze kept darting to Y/N's crossed bare legs in the passenger seat. He wasn't some virgin adolescent losing his mind over some skin, but he couldn't help but keep looking. She was so beautiful. Every part of her. He dreamed of days they could go on a drive together and he could rest his hand on her knee. For now, he rested his hands tightly gripped on the steering wheel.
"I need to make a quick stop to pick up a grocery order at the store if you don't mind," he said, breaking the silence once more.
"That's fine," she replied.
Why were things a bit awkward between them? Sure, things were never quite…right yet. But something felt so…different right now. Y/N couldn't help but think that this would soon be their normal. Ignis driving home. Picking up groceries on his way. She was either waiting at home or riding with him if she had business at the Citadel. Something about it scared her. That wasn't a life she ever envisioned or thought about. It wasn't familiar to her. But something else about it…excited her? Made her curious? She wasn't sure yet what the feeling was.
Ignis pulled over against the curb in front of the small food shop.
"I'll be just a moment," he said as he got out of the car, still leaving it running.
Y/N took this time to look around the vehicle a bit. There were no extra trinkets in the front. Nothing decorative. Not even a chapstick tube in the front console. Glacing in the back seat, she only saw his suit jacket laying across the seat. No empty food bags. No old coffee cups. Not even a dropped coin between the seats, she imagined. Deciding to be a bit more nosey, she opened the glove box in front of her. Napkins and what looked like the car's registration papers. That's it. She quickly shut the small door before Ignis came out and found her snooping.
Why she was snooping, she wasn't quite sure. Maybe she wanted some sort of glimpse into her fiance's private life. She supposed she'd see that when they got to the apartment.
A moment later, Ignis came back out of the store with a brown paper bag in his hands. He opened the backset and placed it on the floor, to keep from spilling, and shut the door. As he got back in the driver's seat, his cologne hit Y/N again. Something about whatever scent he wore always made her swoon ever so slightly.
As they pulled onto the highway, Y/N wondered just how far they were going.
"How far is the apartment from the Citadel?" she asked.
"Not terribly far. I would say about twenty minutes. Unless you hit traffic. I usually leave early enough in the morning from home and late enough in the evening from work to avoid it."
"I see…" she mumbled.
The two of them sat in silence. Neither one was really sure what to say. For some reason, Ignis felt all choked up again and nervous. He was getting better around her. Their walk in the gardens earlier felt easy and light. Why was a car ride so nerve wracking? He assumed it was because she was about to see his private living space. A space she soon would also occupy.
"Would you like me to turn on the radio?" Ignis finally asked. "I usually try to catch the current events broadcast on my way home but I can turn the music on if you wish."
"Sure…" Y/N responded. She was thankful for the offer. The silence was becoming deafening.
Ignis clicked the volume up and turned to a station he frequented when he wasn't listening to the news. He was pretty sure she didn't listen to the same music Noctis did when in his car. He didn't know many people who did.
"Is this alright?" he asked, finding a classical station with simple, easy listening tunes.
"It's nice. Thank you." Y/N replied.
She knew he would probably put on something similar to this. She was almost expecting opera. Ignis hardly seemed the type to like rock or heavy music with harsh lyrics. He didn't even seem the type to like popular pop tunes. That was fine. She was used to music similar to this being played at the castle back home. She didn't often listen to it herself. But it was something to fill the silence and was…peaceful. It helped to ease her nerves a bit.
The two rode for a bit longer, silently listening to the music filling the car. Every so often Ignis would wipe a hand down his pants across his thigh. His palms were sweating more than he cared to admit.
They finally exited the highway and Y/N stared out the window at the tall buildings lining the streets they were now on. She thought being further from the city center there would be less skyscrapers but she was wrong. This whole city seemed to be nothing but tall buildings. There didn't seem to be such a thing as the suburbs here. She figured all that must have been beyond the city limits. All the barren land she saw on her way into the city when she first arrived. Insomnia was far bigger than she thought.
Ignis pulled the car up to a security gate. The large metal bars opened inward and he pulled through, driving down a ramp into what seemed to be an underground parking garage.
"How did it know to let you in?" Y/N asked. No one took an ID card or seemed to even be in the small building next to the gate.
"There is a barcode sticker in my back window," Ignis explained. It gets scanned when you pull in letting the gate know you reside here."
"What about visitors?"
"The guard inside the building would come out if the gate didn't open and make sure you had clearance."
"I didn't see anyone there…"
"I assure you there is. This place is very safe. The king wouldn't have allowed Noctis to reside here if that weren't so."
After Ignis parked and two exited the car, making their way up the elevator, Y/N took in her surroundings. The floor of the hallway they were walking down was a lush, burgundy carpet. The walls had intricate wallpaper with an almost dizzying design of creams and blacks. Ignis stopped before a door with the numbers 1113 etched on it. Eleventh floor. Thirteenth apartment, she assumed.
"After you," Ignis motioned for her to enter after unlocking and opening the black door before them.
Y/N walked through the threshold and into the apartment. She immediately removed her shoes as Ignis turned on the light beside the doorway. With the light on, she could see the small shoe holder next to the door holding about four different pairs of dress shoes and one pair of sneakers. She wasn't sure if she should add her shoes to the holder and leave them as they were on the floor. This place wasn't hers yet and something about using the holder felt like a claim on the space.
"I apologize I don't have any house shoes for you at the moment. I assure you the floors are clean, If not a bit chilly. We can get you some as soon as you wish," Ignis told her.
"That's fine," she answered, looking further down the hall to see if she could tell what the place looked like.
The hallway she was in was rather plain. A small table sat near the shoe holder with an ornate ceramic dish on it. Ignis emptied his wallet and keys into it before walking further down the hallway motioning for her to follow. At the end of the hallway, Ignis flipped another light switch on that illuminated the entire space in front of them. Immediately at the end of the hallway led into the kitchen. It was a smaller space than she expected. Hearing that Ignis loved to cook, she pictured a more grand kitchen full of multiple appliances and long counters with elaborate backsplashes. This one was…small and almost plain.
The countertops were white. The cupboards were white. The handles on the drawers and doors were just a generic metal painted silver. A white stove sat against the wall and an equally plain white fridge stood right at the edge of the hallway and kitchen entrance.
Y/N glanced over at the living area. The only thing separating the kitchen from it was a long breakfast bar. The living room had a black colored sectional facing a rather small television that was sitting on a small, black table. Two lamps lit the room, each on an end table at the end of each section of the couch. A couple bookcases lined one of the walls on the far end of the room. Other than that, nothing else was even hanging on the walls. This was…not what she expected at all. She could only imagine what the bedroom looked like. This was the apartment of the Prince's advisor? This was the great Ignis Sciencia's apartment?
Ignis glanced sideways at Y/N to try and gauge her reaction. He wouldn't say she was impressed, but he couldn't tell if she was disappointed either. He quietly cleared his throat and made his way to set the bags in his hands on the counter.
"I hope you aren't terribly disappointed. We could decorate the place to your liking!" Ignis encouraged. "I'm not overly attached to anything here. Well, except my books. I would like to keep them. But we could move the shelves to a different space if you wish."
"You don't…really have much…" she hesitantly replied.
"Well…no. I don't have much leisure time and I'm not often here so…a place full of things I don't get to interact with much seemed a bit silly. And I only just moved into the place not long ago. I haven't taken the time to…do much with it."
"Are you allowed to…paint?" she asked.
"Certainly. This complex allows for minor interior design work to be done."
"Does that include the counters and stuff too?"
"If…you wish," Ignis looked at his kitchen. Did she dislike it? It was rather plain but functioned just fine. Did she wish for fancier countertops? Perhaps marble to resemble her home in Altissia?
"It's, um….small," Y/N quietly commented.
"It would be a bit hard to expand the kitchen. I suppose if we took out the breakfast bar but then-"
"No, I meant the apartment. It's….smaller than I expected. Prince Noctis lived here?"
"He did," Ignis replied. "He wasn't going for big and loud. He wanted to blend in. He was sick of living in the largest building in the city with lavish design. He's more simple than people think him to be."
"I see," Y/N simply answered.
The two stood in silence for a few moments that quickly became awkward. Ignis wasn't sure what else to say and hoped to impress her with his cooking since his place surely wasn't doing it.
"Well, if you don't mind, I am going to get to making dinner. It's nothing too fancy so it shouldn't take too long. You are welcome to explore the rest of the apartment if you wish. Or you may watch tv or something."
"Alright," Y/N stated simply.
Ignis got to taking ingredients out of the grocery bag on the counter as Y/N stood in place a few seconds more. She couldn't bring herself to explore his bedroom. That seemed too intimate and personal. While she would like to see the space she would be sleeping in, it brought about other thoughts of them sharing a room and a bed and she couldn't think about that stuff yet.
She slowly made her way over to the couch and sat down, looking around for the remote. A long black coffee table sat in between the couch and tv stand that she couldn't see from her spot in the entrance hallway. She picked up the remote and looked back at Ignis in the kitchen.
"Are you sure it's fine if I watch something?" she asked. "I don't want to seem rude."
"Of course!" Ignis said. "I don't wish for you to be bored.
Y/N turned the tv on and began flipping through channels.
Ignis listened to the channels she would stop on every so often trying to gauge what she was interested in. She skipped over many of the news stations rather quickly. He knew the world news wouldn't be on until later tonight. Perhaps she wouldn be more interested if the news possibly included her old home.
A small smile graced his face hearing her stop at a cartoon for about ten minutes. He sometimes wished he himself could put the mind numbing, senseless animations on and just unplug for a bit. He was thinking of canceling the cable subscription Noctis had. Ignis rarely turned the TV on except to catch the news he may have missed while at work. But he was thinking of keeping it now for her.
The channels started flipping again and he heard what sounded like an after school teenage drama playing. He turned momentarily to see her still sitting on the edge of the couch cushion watching the tv rather intently.
"Find something you recognize?" he asked lightly. Y/N jumped in her seat as if startled and turned to him with wide eyes. "I'm terribly sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you."
"No, I just…I guess I got a little sucked in. LeAnn and I used to watch this after school all the time. I didn't even realize another season had started."
"Anything exciting happening?"
"No just…typical high school drama," she chuckled.
Ignis hesitated before saying what he did next.
"You should ask Prompto if he's seen it. He's into those types of shows. And don't let Gladio fool you, but he may have seen it as well."
Ignis wasn't sure why this weird jealousy sparked when he thought of his fiance and Prompto together. Maybe because of the coffee shop incident where he didn't even know the two of them were hanging out. Why the secrecy? He also couldn't help the small jealousy thinking of her and Gladio together. It didn't bother him, the two of them sparring and training. He knew she hated that stuff. It was them sharing something in common. Having shared interests. Something he felt he lacked with her.
When dinner was done, the two ate mostly in silence. Y/N wasn't sure what to talk about. A million things were going through her mind. The tv helped her to escape for a bit but she was violently yanked back into the present when Ignis called that the food was ready. Bless Ignis' heart, he was trying to engage her in conversation when she suddenly burst out.
"I'm sorry but I…I don't want to do this."
"Is…is the food not right? I followed the recipe the best I could but I'll try again if-"
"It's not the food!" she yelled.
Ignis jumped back a bit startled.
"What…is it then?" he asked, with a fallen look on his face.
"This! It's….everything! I don't want this I don't….this wasn't what I pictured!"
"Are you talking about the apartment? I know it's small and rather plain. You are welcome to change any of the decor-"
"YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A DINING TABLE!" she yelled out again.
"We can get one-"
"It's not just the table, it's…all of it. I'm a fucking princess! I was raised in a castle to live in a castle to run a country from a castle to die in a castle. I wasn't meant to be kicked out of my home and forced to live with a man I never met in some teenagere's apartment on the edge of town!"
"I know it's not-"
"No! It's not! It's not ANYTHING!" Y/N yelled once again. The look on Ignis' face gave her pause a moment. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to yell and I know that none of this is your fault. But it's not mine either and I can't help but feel like I'm being punished for something. Like the universe is shitting on me over and over! I hate this. I hate all of it. I've been nothing but miserable since coming here and I can't help but feel like I'm going to be miserable forever." Y/N started crying.
"I…" Ignis was at a loss for what to say. "We can find another place. We-"
"It's not just the apartment Ignis," Y/N whispered.
The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Ignis stared at the food in front of him wondering what he could possibly do to make her feel better. He had hoped the meal from her home country would help but it seems to have only made her miss home more.
"I want to go home," Y/N quietly said.
"I'll get my keys and drive you back to the Citadel."
"That's not my home," she mumbled as she got up to put her shoes on.
A/N:
Well….first of all I AM SO SORRY! I never in my life intended for the next chapter to come this late. But that should hopefully not be happening anymore. There are a few different reasons it's so late. But I got a new chrome book so I can better write on the go. I have a new schedule that will help me write a bit more. And I'm hoping it helps. If you wish to know the true reason I was gone so long, I will briefly explain it. If you don't wish to know or have triggers (because it may be triggering) then just stop here. Thank you for the continued support! It has meant the world to me!
.
.
.
.
I do feel I owe a bit of an explanation. I had someone very close to me that I was in a relationship with who took his life on my birthday. It tore me to pieces and I couldn't even bring myself to want to do anything I enjoyed anymore. Everything made me upset or ticked me off. I started writing again and trying to get this chapter out there and had another mental breakdown and am now seeing a psychiatrist and getting proper help. I'm on my fifth med change in 2 months and headed for outpatient and haven't been easy….but things are finally looking up and getting better! A lot has changed in my life and a lot of stressors are being taken care of. I am getting better and far more well than I was a few months ago. I have seen you guys' comments, kudos, and story hits and they kept me wanting to write this again. I have plans to complete this and get back to updating every other week or sooner. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement and love I have gotten. I'm sorry I didn't respond to the comments, but they helped me push on! Thank you!