Ended up being kind of meh. ._. I really have trouble with headcanons I think. Anyhow, set during the boy’s highschool days.
Noctis:
Perhaps he should have studied he’d think when seeing his grades. Ignis would not be pleased, and when his father heard about this, Ignis would make sure that he would, he just knew he was in for a lecture. He took comfort in the fact that his S/O didn’t study for any of this as well, and probably had the same…Wait, those were DEFINITELY NOT the same grades.
He’d grab the paper in their hand and scan it again, just to be sure that he wasn’t seeing things. Holy SIX how did they manage their grade point average when they didn’t do anything just like him? He’d ask them what was with their grades and they’d just shrug, a blank expression on their face.
He’d keep pestering them about it, because he’s a little on the panicky side about his own grades. They’d eventually admit that they’d assumed that he was in the same boat as them. He’d ask what that was and they’d just say pressure. Eventually, they’d finally give in to his questions.
“Honestly, that ‘B’ would have gotten me grounded as a child.” They’d start, and he’d fall silent as they described how they had been forced into a mold by their parents. They’d describe how they grew up needing to succeed, and were still terrified of failing. He’d comfort them as best as he could, but they’d act distant about it.
“It’s fine Noct, it’s in the past.”
He’d let it go then, and wouldn’t push. And suddenly he’d see the coming lecture in a different light and take his own grade more seriously.
Prompto:
Discipline is his middle name. Once he sets his mind to something, he’d achieve his goals through hard work and determination! But it was seriously starting to get to him to have his S/O literally NAPPING while he studied, and still get better grades than him.
So he asks their secret one day, and they, oddly enough, just smile and say, “A gift from my parents really.”
He wouldn’t get what they meant until one day he’d be passing by a classroom with them and their parents meeting with the teachers about a low B they had gotten. There were no raised voices, or even anger really. But just…resounding disappointment from their parent’s voices, and he could almost hear how defeated his S/O was when his parents asked the teacher to assign them extra work to offset the B.
From then on, he endeavors to get better grades, and then better grades than his S/O so he could help them with their homework. He understands that while they don’t really care about their grades, they don’t want to disappoint their parents. And that their motivation to do anything to do with school had shut down as a result of the stress.
Gladio;
He’d wonder why they were stressing so much about the test tomorrow. Like to the point where they, one of the most active people he knows, was sitting motionless on his couch. They always got EXCEPTIONAL grades. Like, Ignis would be jealous(And was sometimes). He was bumbling about the rest of the house, trying to figure out just how to get them back to normal somewhat, but nothing would work. He’d finally just flat out ask them what was wrong.
They’d say something about being scared of failing the test. And he’d be so confused, and just remind them as best he could that they had the BEST grades in their class, academically speaking. (He wasn’t always so good with people.) They’d agree with him, but you could tell they wouldn’t mean it.
It wouldn’t be until after their test, when they met their parents after school and handed them their 98% grade, an upper A by all means, and their parents asked why they hadn’t gotten a 100%, that he’d understand their stress. He’d be so freaking lost and basically make it a habit to kidnap them the day after tests to help them destress, comfort them, and remind them just HOW SMART they were.
Ignis:
Ignis would be the same way actually. He’d be one of those weird people, who’d just look at a paper, or equations, or reading passages, and just remember them. Due to his upbringing, he’d had to learn just how to be one of these people. So honestly, he’d be the most understanding of his S/O’s position.
Like, they both would be really low key about it too. He’d just one day notice that, hey, neither of us study. And we have to fight for the top spot in the class anyways. So, somehow, he decides to turn this into a game, to take the edge off of the stress and anxiety they both feel about their grades.
Whoever’s top of the class this month get’s a prize. And the prizes would range from silly to sweet things, or small to large things. A kiss from the loser to the winner. Maybe a date night planned by the loser. Maybe they’d have to cook dinner for a week for the winner as another prize. And it would work. They’d both still not study, but it’d be nice to have some fun when the test would come around, giving them both that extra push they’d need to recall more and improve their grade to their best they’ve ever been.
Now imagine their surprise when they’re both names top student one because they both got top marks.
Imagine Final Fantasy 