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[shatteredlenses]

 

This is Ignis.  Please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.  Storyteller willing, I may actually be able to read messages left for me soon.
...
And, no, your Highness, this doesn't mean I will be too busy to make sure you eat your vegetables. 

Comments

[piercetheheart]

[It doesn't really matter what Ignis says, just the soothing cadence of his words ease some of the fear. The pet name is something that barely registers, a burst of something warm in his chest and a soft hum of appreciation. A sound that's repeated when Ignis takes his hand and kisses his knuckles and all he wants to do is wrap himself around his friend and pretend none of this happened.

But then Ignis is pressing something into his hands and he blinks at him for a long moment, confused and having trouble tracking. Water? Right... yes... drinking.

It takes a little bit of squirming to be upright enough to drink comfortably, each movement sending fresh lances of pain through his body. He has to take a moment to catch his breath before he can take a drink. A small sip at first, then a larger one. He shouldn't chug it and he knows that but what stops him is the way tilting his head back makes the world tilt unsteadily.]

shit... [Soft and his voice wavers just as much as the world is.] Mmm... got the water just- oh... just dizzy.

[shatteredlenses]

[It's a shame that Gladio won't remember the endearment. He's the only one Ignis has called it--all others being 'dear' or 'darling' if they don't have nicknames of their own--and it would perhaps put to rest some of his worries.

Life is rarely so easy, though.]

I'm not surprised. You've lost far too much blood for my liking and you're probably in shock. Just focus on drinking that water. Go as slowly as you need to.

[As he speaks, Ignis pulls free a container he keeps with the medical kit and pours some of the water into it. He drops a small square of cloth into it and then uses a little more to wash his own hands once his other glove has been removed.]

I'll try my best to be gentle. Please accept my apologies in advance.

[Ignis sets to work cleaning what's left of Gladio's wound then, working as quickly and careful as possible. The sooner he has it bandaged, the better.

He just hopes that Gladio is too out of it to notice how much his hands are shaking.]

[piercetheheart]

[He's still drinking, slow and steady, when that first bit of water touches the wound. It's all he can do to stop himself from spluttering it all out and his head slams back against the wall as he tenses. It takes him a moment to swallow, to remember how to breathe. His next breath growls out between clenched teeth and he slams his free hand into the floor in a tight fist.]

Fuck! [Adrenaline spikes higher with the fresh wave of pain and he has a moment of clarity, a moment where he does, in fact, notice how badly Iggy's shaking. But he's no steadier and when he finally lifts his head to look down at the wound he grimaces.]

No stitches... should pack it, though. Till the deeper parts heal, so it can drain. [Which is gonna hurt like a bitch. ]

[shatteredlenses]

Gladio!

[The strength of the Shield's reaction catches Ignis by surprise. He'd hoped that his friend's exhausted state might dull the pain a little. Of course, it couldn't be that easy.

Adrenaline does a lot to push back exhaustion and clear the mind, even if it does leave it all the fuzzier once it's run its course. Still, Ignis is glad that the shock clears his mind enough that he draws his hands straight back away from the wound instead of jolting into it and causing Gladio more pain.

Carefully, he sets aside the cloth and the bowl, bring a damp hand up to cradle the side of Gladio's face.]

Easy. I'll be quite cross with you if you give yourself a concussion on top of this.

[His thumb rubs gently over the Shield's cheek, movements slightly unsteady as the short burst of adrenaline starts to fade already.]

There is enough healing magic in the bandages that neither stitching or packing will be needed. Just be strong for me a little bit longer.

[piercetheheart]

[There's a small delirious part of him that almost lets foolish words tumble free. "Anything for you." Maybe an "Always" or some other sentiment that he can't let go of. Focusing on stopping those words takes up what little bit of clarity he had regained from the shock of pain. Instead all that comes out is a soft, mumble.]

Ah-huh [Meant to be an affirmative but perhaps to garbled for even that. What he does do, before he even realizes what he's doing, is turn his face into Ignis' hand, pressing into that comforting touch like a cat, tipping his head just enough to press a feather light kiss to his palm.]

[shatteredlenses]

[Though it shouldn't in such a serious situation, the mumbled assent and light kiss bring a smile to Ignis' face. There's something so innocent and open to it, things that Ignis is very unused to seeing expressed by Gladio.

Unconsciously, his thumb moves to trace lightly over the man's lips.]

I need to get back to work or we'll be here all day. Be good for me.

[Ignis pulls his hand away then, so he can return to cleaning and bandaging Gladio's wound. However, before he goes, he does pause to press a gentle kiss to the corner of the Shield's mouth.]

[piercetheheart]

[This time it does slip out, the words, the kiss, it's too much and he's so very tired.]

Always...

[Be here for him, be good for him, be whatever Iggy needs. Always.

And before he's even done bandaging Gladio is drifting, barely aware of what's going on and mostly asleep. He'll move if prodded but getting a coherent response out of him isn't going to happen for hours yet.]