FFXV: Growing Pains (Ignis X Reader)

Chapter 7 - Heated Exchanges

YOU woke early the next morning and started getting ready for the gym. You needed to work off some of your nervousness before you headed to the house today. Besides, it's not like you really got much sleep, even after the happy thoughts of having Ignis' company again. Which did let you get a couple more hours of sleep. But it still wasn't enough to keep your mind from starting to race again. Which is why you gave up and decided to head down to the gym instead.

You were a bit surprised when you opened up the gym door and heard the sounds of someone working on their strikes against the full body bag. But then you could hear a familiar voice calling out each strike just before you heard the hard strike of skin on canvas. You quietly walked in and looked over towards the bag and saw the person that you had expected. You smiled at him since your weren't surprised. For standing in front of the bag was your dad as he paused for a short break.

He was standing in his kick stance with his hands up as they were wrapped up in his hand clothes. He was only wearing his sweatpants. He had discharged his shirt on a count that he was covered in sweat from his workout. You stood there for a few minutes as you watched him in awe as he went right into his next set. You watched each strike as he flawlessly executed each one in quick succession.

Then you happen to notice something on his back that you hadn't noticed before. But then again, you wouldn't have seen it, since he hadn't had his shirt off in front of you in a long time. In fact the last time was when the two of you had gone to the pool to go swimming with your mom. But now you looked at him in shock as you noticed the huge scar that was right by his right shoulder blade. The scar made it looked like he had been run through with a spear or sword.

Your breath caught for a moment when you realized that he must have been the one who was injured when they were attacked at the house. That would explain the blood on Snowball when she showed up at the citadel later that night. He must have somehow tossed her outside after they were attacked. You dropped your head at the thought as you heart started racing again as you recalled the events back on that day.

Then you glanced back up and looked at your dad when you heard him stop. Then he turned towards you as he went to grab his water bottle. When he saw you he paused and stared at you for a moment. That was when you noticed the scar on his right peck that was right on the other side from the other scar. Your jaw dropped as you realized that you were right. Your dad had been the one hurt at the house.

"I see your up as well. Good." He said as he grabbed his water bottle and took a long drink. 

"This means I won't have to fight to wake you up." He said with a smile.

But he stopped when you didn't respond back to him. Instead you stood there and stared at him. He paused and gave you a curious look. He hadn't seen you stare at him like that before. And it was starting to make him nervous.

"You alright kiddo?" He asked as he took another drink before he closed the lid back up.

"Hooow......how....how long have you had those scars on your shoulder and chest?" You nervously asked.

You hated to be direct like that. But you couldn't think of how else to ask him. It's not like it would ever come up in a normal conversation between the two of you. Besides, your dad wasn't very good at reading in between the lines in any conversation. So beating around the bush with him would get you nowhere.

Paul froze in his tracks as he stared at his daughter. For that had been the first time that he had actually forgotten about those. He had been so into his workout that he hadn't even thought about you walking in and seeing them. For up until then, he had been very conscious to not show you.