Chapter Text
Ardyn did as he had promised and stayed away from Cid as much as he could. He didn’t want to cause the poor man anymore pain and he refrained from taking his car to the garage for the time being. In fact, Ardyn stayed away from Hammerhead for a good few months; he knew that Cid still blamed him for Mid’s and Melba’s death and would not want him anywhere near Cindy. Ardyn still blamed himself for that matter as well, and there was very little that Cor could do to change either of their minds. The Marshal bloody well tried to as well. He kept trying to enforce the idea in Cid’s head that Ardyn could not possibly have full control over the daemons all the time and he tried to tell Ardyn that Cid was still grieving. It didn’t work. They were both stubborn old grumpy men who thought they were both right no matter what.
Why did Cor ask for them to be his family again?
This behaviour between the two carried on until little Prompto came into their lives and he definitely made things a lot better for them all.
Cor loved his wonderful sunbeam of a child even more for finally, finally getting Ardyn and Cid in the same place as each other for the first time in what seemed like ages. The interaction may have been a very frosty one but it was better than nothing. At least they spoke to each other and didn’t argue when Cindy and Prompto decided they wanted to play a game. However, Cid still refused to allow Ardyn within a few feet of his granddaughter. Ardyn wasn’t offended, well he wasn’t externally offended anyway, he didn’t trust himself near the girl either. Again, Cor couldn’t complain, it was a step in the right direction for the two. And maybe Cor could have a family that actually liked and cared for each other again. That’s all he wanted and it would seem that was all little Prompto and Cindy wanted as well.
However, there were no new developments in Cid’s and Ardyn’s ‘relationship’ for a long while after that interaction. Not until Prompto had turned three and Cor had been taken ill because Ardyn had accidentally put a daemon inside of him. No one blamed Ardyn entirely for it but Cid did. It didn’t matter if Cor was half the reason for him ending up in the hospital, to Cid it was completely Ardyn’s fault. And Cid made good on his promise about turning Ardyn into car fuel. That only caused Ardyn’s (and the daemons) fear for the mechanic to enhance by tenfold and he promised to never, ever, ever cross the man again for as long as they both lived. Cid was more than happy with this and because he finally trusted the daemon’s word on the matter, he decided to return to Insomnia with him to see how Cor was fairing and to apologise for killing his husband. Cid was still wary of Ardyn, so he placed Cindy at the Amicitia Manor before going to see Cor who was still cooped up warm in bed.
“Wesk sent cookies, Kid.” Cid said, placing the box on the bedside table next to Cor.
“Thanks.” Cor smiled, shifting on the bed, trying to hide the fact that he was grimacing in pain.
“Kid. Ya in pain again?” Cid grumbled seeing right through Cor.
Cor just waved it off. “It’s fine. I have just taken painkillers. Don’t worry, Ardyn is pampering me like you wouldn’t believe. He’s got Prom bringing me plenty of water and hot water bottles as well. I am being well looked after. Nothing to worry about, as you would say; I will keep on keeping on, now.”
“Ummm.”
Cor rolled his eyes and opened up the box of cookies as he began to scold Cid. “Leave Ardyn alone, Cid. He is really trying and he feels really guilty about what has happened.”
“I know. He said. Many times.” Cid muttered, looking away from Cor. “Look, I’m sorry for hurtin’ him.”
“I am not the one you need to apologise to here.”
Cid didn’t verbally respond to that. Instead, he pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down with a massive sigh. A brief silence fell between the two, as the younger continued to munch on cookies and he waited for a reply to his words. The Marshal rolled his eyes, he loved Cid but sometimes the old fart was more stubborn than he was. When Cor knew that no reply was coming he cleared his throat and threw a cookie into Cid’s lap.
“Ardyn’s not all bad. You do know that, right?”
Cid picked up the cookie and nodded. “Yeah.”
Cor shook his head and he had to do a double take on what the mechanic had just said. What? What the hell just came out of his mouth?!
Cid scratched the back of his neck and continued to look down at the floor. “Don’t look so shocked, Kid.”
“I am not.” Cor said quickly, it was clearly a lie. Cor thought after what he had been through and the fact Cid still hadn’t let go of his hatred for Ardyn over Mid and Melba’s death yet, that was the last thing he was ever going to hear come out of the man’s mouth. Being impregnated with a daemon was one thing but hearing Cid Sophiar admit that Ardyn was alright, that just… Cor didn’t know. It kind of scared him. “I just… I am glad you think that.”
“He told me what happened. I mean ya two are fuckin’ idiots, and I want ta bang your heads together, but I will admit I didn’t take what he was sayin’ at ya weddin’ as fact. About lovin’ ya and protectin’ ya. After all this… I can see that… He’d never hurt ya on purpose.”
“Thank you for saying that Cid. That really means a lot to me.” Cor smiled, knowing what strength that must have taken Cid to say. He was so proud of him.
“Good, cause Kid, I know ya don’t want ta hear it, but ya are like a son to me. Ya nearly died and… I don’t want to go through the same pain I went through before.” Cid said choking on his words, and he didn’t need to look up for Cor to know there were tears forming in his eyes.
Cor’s heart sunk, he couldn’t get out of bed but he tried to give him comfort with words. “Cid-”
“Let me finish.” Cid cut him off, finally looking up at the Marshal. “Ya maybe called ‘Cor The Immortal’ but ya ain’t one. Can ya just learn for once in ya stupid life not ta get into trouble?”
“No sorry.” Cor said, giving him a cheeky grin.
“I thought as much. Anyway, as much as I hate that daemon, and I am only gonna say this once, I know he will protect ya. That is as good as I am ever gonna get to trustin’ and likin’ him. I am just glad that ya are safe and happy. And… I am sorry for givin’ the poor sod such a hard time.”
“It’s okay.” Cor said lightly. But he couldn’t help but ask. “Cid? What has brought this all on? I mean I am so happy to hear you say it, but why? Why now?”
Cid shifted in his chair and finally took a bite of the treat. He knew Cor would want to hear that. Well he better give him the information.
“Great, ya back.”
Cid sneered as Ardyn poofed back into existence before his eyes. The man was still furious. How could he do that or let anything like that happen to Cor?! Their Cor! That kid needed more protection than he would ever let on and to Cid right now, he needed protection from his own husband. Cid thought he was right to raise concerns when this all started. If he had been more persistent and kept pushing Cor maybe he would have seen what a big mistake he had made.
Ardyn blinked and with a voice laced in defeat. “Believe me Mr Sophiar, I want this curse to end as much as you want me dead.”
“Nah, I highly doubt that. Ya can piss off then.” Cid snapped, abruptly. He didn’t want Ardyn anywhere near Cindy for any longer than he had to be. But Ardyn didn’t move. “Why are ya still here?”
“Because we need to have a chat.” Ardyn said calmly.
“Nah we don’t.”
“Fine, I will talk and you can listen if you like.” Ardyn said, trying not to sound scared. The man had literally just turned him into car fuel, and yes he was terrified. But he had waited so long to say this. He was not backing down, not when it was just the two of them. “I am sorry for what happened to your son and daughter-in-law-”
“You bastard! Shut the fuck up!” Cid screamed, wrench in hand ready to throw it at the daemon, to kill him again.
“I am not trying to upset you! I only want to apologise!”
“Nah! Fuck off!”
The fire in Cid’s eyes ignited and he was about to go batshit crazy. He wanted to tear Ardyn apart again for bringing up his boy. For making him think about what took place. It had only been three years, and for three years Cid had done nothing but loathe Ardyn for it. He didn’t want an apology, he didn’t want anything but to see Ardyn suffer.
Before Cid had a chance to go off the handle, Ardyn raised his hands in the air and spoke as quickly and as genuinely as he could to make Cid see how much pain Mid’s and Melba’s death had caused him. “I just want you to know that when I found out they died I felt so guilty. I felt beyond guilty and it wasn’t even my fault! If I was here when it happened, I would have done all I could to protect them. I have never wanted a soul to die because of the monsters I control. Their death is my fault and I am sorry.”
“Shut up!” Cid shouted again.
Just like before Ardyn refused to listen. He stood there and took the scream and waited until Cid was calm enough to hear him out. In a calm and gentle voice, he poured his heart out to the one person on Eos who could scare him to his core.
“No. You know what else, when I found out what happened to Cor I didn’t want to be on this planet anymore. I wanted to come here and see if you could finally end me. Because Cor and Prompto are my life and if I hurt them… the thought of losing either of them is unbearable. So Cid, I finally understand why you hate me. I understand why you can’t bear to look at me and I understand why you blame me for your son’s death. I blame myself too and I am telling you, one father to another, I am so very deeply sorry for what I did. I don’t want you to forgive me, I don’t want anything from you. You don’t have to believe a word I say either; I am just so very sorry for what has happened. With everything, with Mid and Melba, with Cor and Prompto. Everything.”
Cid glared at Ardyn and for the first time ever, Cid genuinely felt something other than hatred for the daemon standing before him.
“So yeah… I am sorry, Kid.” Cid finished, bowing his head.
“As I said before Cid, maybe you should be apologising to Ardyn not me.” Cor repeated.
Cid nodded the kid wasn’t wrong. It amused him sometimes, how Cor had grown up into a sensible human being. Cid never thought he would see the day.
Ardyn laughed and shook his head at the sight of his beautiful baby boy sitting in the cupboard yet again. He thought they had this teleport thing under control now. But it would seem that little Prom had other things in mind. Why was his baby so precious? It was not fair. Ardyn reached up and grabbed the boy, who immediately started to giggle.
“Prompto, come on now, you know uncle Cid won’t want to see you in a cupboard. He might think you are food.”
“I’m not food.” Prompto continued to laugh, trying to reach his intended goal.
“What could possibly be in that cupboard that peaks your interest so, my dear?” Ardyn questioned, unable to stop himself from laughing at his son.
“Cake! Cake dada!” Prom sang with glee.
“Oh really? Would my little sunbeam like a cake?”
“Yes please!”
“Here you go then, my darling.” Ardyn smiled, getting a cake out of the cupboard for Prompto to eat.
Ardyn’s smile remained plastered on his face as Prom’s eyes began to sparkle as he took the cake out of his dad’s hand and shoved it into his mouth. With a mouth full of food he looked up at his dada and said loudly.
“Thank you dada! I love you!”
“You are welcome.” Ardyn smiled softly, kissing Prom on the forehead, deciding it was not worth scolding him from talking with his mouth full. Prom said he loved after all, Ardyn could never punish his son after those words were spoken. It would just be rude to do so.
“Daemon.”
Ardyn lifted his head up, looking towards the doorway of the kitchen to see Cid standing there. Before Ardyn could greet Cid again, Prompto let out a massive squeal and tried to hide himself into his dad’s coat.
“DAEMON!!! Where?!”
“Don’t worry darling, there is no daemon here.” Ardyn said softly, rubbing his son’s back. Ardyn found it ever so cute that his son did not see him as a monster. Well, he didn’t yet anyway. No, there was no time to start thinking about that. “Hello Cid, is Cor okay?”
“Yeah kid’s fine.” Cid nodded.
Ardyn could sense that Cid was being hesitated. That meant he wanted to have a chat with him. Gods, what had Cor said to Cid to make him want to speak to him? Ardyn carefully put Prompto down on the floor and ruffled his hair.
“Sunbeam, why don’t you go and see daddy, okay? I bet he wants a hug from you.”
“Okay!” Prom cheered.
The little boy quickly gave Cid’s leg a hug before teleporting upstairs, leaving the men in the kitchen to stare at each other. Because this was for Cor, Cid held his tongue and decided that it was time, for Cor, Prom and Cindy, to grow up.
“I just wanted to say sorry. But I still don’t like ya.” Cid said quickly.
Ardyn nodded. “As I said before I don’t expect you to like me, or forgive me. But your apology is more than accepted.”
“I am only doing this for Cor. We nearly lost him and I don’t want to hurt him.”
“That is one thing, Mr Sophiar, we will always be able to agree on.”