(no subject)

[broments]

[ Ignis can't call it a pathetic attempt on his life because had Gladiolus not been watching it would have been successful, but it is a frustrating one. The event - a charity one, raising funds to help outer district schools - had been quiet and with copious amounts of security, nothing had gone wrong. It was only after, when Ignis was in the courtyard waiting for Gladiolus to get off of his shift tending to the Crownsguard (which would really need a different name, but that was neither here nor there) that things had really gone to shit.

Ignis was nothing if not competent and he'd heard the sounds of something from behind him but with the loss of his sight, he hears a lot of things and his mind sorts them one by one. Footsteps hadn't registered as important because he hears footsteps all the time and doesn't recognize all of them.

The gait was off, though; it wasn't Gladiolus' heavier, sure footsteps coming up behind him and that had put him on guard to begin with. Had he not been paying attention, the garrote would have slid properly around his throat rather than around it with his hands in the way, buying enough time for Gladiolus to come and subdue the man.

From there it was a solid hour of talk - the bruising around his throat was checked over and deemed not life-threatening (which he felt was obvious, but wasn't going to fight on) and Gladiolus' own injury, a slice that simply needed bandaged from a dagger the woman had tried to attack him with. Finally, his living room empties of Cor, Iris, the doctor, and Prompto, who'd hovered anxiously until Cor had dragged him out with Iris and the rest following behind to leave the two of them alone.

Not quite certain what to say, Ignis rises and trusts Gladiolus to follow him into the bedroom, heading for the closet to change into pajamas. Cautiously, hoping Gladiolus doesn't intend to make this a larger deal than it is: ]

Will you stay here tonight?

Comments

[fortificare]

[ Gladio tries very hard not to think about what would happen if he had been a minute or two too late, or if Ignis hadn't been more alert. The brusing would've become a cut throat, and there would be one hell of a lot more blood. He tries very hard not to think about what would happen if he loses his Ignis, if he slips out of his grasp the same way Noctis did.

So he does everything he can to make sure it doesn't happen again, subjecting Ignis to the physician's examination, ignoring his own injury -- it's minor compared to what could have been for Ignis, and he can't help but fixate on that truth as he's tended to. He doesn't even register when it's finished, and he makes a note to strengthen security around the perimeter so that this would never happen again.

His lieutenant is already off doing the investigation -- she'll report back to him tomorrow and heads are bound to roll, and for now, Gladio can only silently follow Ignis into the bedroom. He knows why Ignis had been there -- it's their agreed-upon place; tonight was supposed to be a night they could spend together quietly in each other's company.

And now, Ignis almost gets killed and somehow he manages to still be so unruffled about this. ]

Yeah.

[ He says after a moment. Gladio's coming in after him, circling over to the windows to make sure that the bars are securely bolted and that there are patrols redoubled just in case someone is stupid enough to try. ] Need to make sure that no one's trying to make a repeat attempt tonight.

[fortificare]

I might not be, next time this happens. You shouldn't be left alone anymore.

[ Gladio says sharply after a moment. It's always been a sensitive subject since Noctis passed -- Ignis would never want to mention anything about the Amicitia duty as Shields to the ruling class of Lucis. In this case, it's no longer the Lucis Caelums; the last of them vanished, sacrificed for the sake of the world. And now, Ignis has assumed presidency, and he's no less worthy of protection than Noctis, but that's always been a sore subject between them.

Gladio turns from the window now, watching his lover button up his pajamas like it's just another night -- if it is not for the dirtied clothes in the hamper, he can almost be fooled into thinking that nothing awful tonight has almost happened.

But, see, Gladio at heart is a logical, focused person, even if he'd been shaken by the attempt on Ignis' life. He takes a breath and comes over to him, setting his hands lightly on his shoulders. ]

We need to talk about you and me. More specifically, in the context of my duty to you.