ɢʟᴀᴅɪᴏʟᴜs ᴀᴍɪᴄɪᴛɪᴀ (ex_cupnoods206) wrote in valloic, @ 2021-06-15 17:18:00 |
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Entry tags: | !: action/thread/log, ₴ inactive: gladio amicitia, ₴ inactive: noctis lucis caelum (2) |
LOG: GLADIO & NOCTIS
I appreciate that you think we ever, even for a minute, had our shit together ↪
Sometimes, it chased around thoughts about dating two of the most interesting and attractive people he'd ever known and how he ranked in comparison. Would they find him lacking now that they were three? Was there inherently some kind of competition to this polyamory thing? He didn't want there to be but maybe it didn't matter what he wanted.
Despite how enjoyable the ride was - and how good it felt to cling to Gladio the whole way - he was relieved when they pulled into Galdin Quay's parking lot and he could stumble off the bike. His body language was a little withdrawn. Pensive. But he tried to shake it off by stretching out his legs a little.
"First impressions - I can still feel the vibration in my you know..." He gestured at his crotch and smirked. "...But that was still pretty damn great. And you...are...obnoxiously hot like this." He pulled out his phone as he said the words to snap a picture of Gladio still straddling the bike.
Noctis' sudden shift in replies weighed a little on Gladio's mind as he drove them through the city and out toward Galdin. Though getting lost in the drive and Noct's arms wrapped tight around his torso helped a little. Or at least kept him from replaying the conversation on a loop and wondering if he'd made a misstep with the joking he and Ignis had fallen into.
Despite Noct's attempt to shake it off, Gladio pegged the body language a mile away. But Noct seemed in decent enough spirits and for the moment Gladio decided against pushing the situation. Instead he just played into the picture Noctis went to snap, lifting his chin up a little and giving Noct a smug smirk for the photo.
The smug biker look dropped quickly though. He moved to lean against the bike seat and laughed as he tugged Noctis in close by a belt loop. "No, I don't know," he teased at making Noctis actually say it, though it was just joking, and stole an unhurried kiss.
"Definitely better than riding alone though," he added as he pulled back with a smile, reached a hand up and tried to fix a bit of Noct's hair that had gotten rather unruly during the die.
Noct rolled his eyes at Gladio’s tease, fond and immediately a little flustered by being tugged closer. There was probably something telling about a royal who liked being manhandled and bossed around. He sighed into the kiss and dropped his eyes away as it ended. Gladio being close already helped ease some of his tension but it didn’t erase it.
“I’m glad. I was a little worried I was holding on too tight. Or like digging my knees into your thighs.” He frowned off towards the restaurant at the end of the pier and reached up to scratch at his jaw. “I uh...I told Iggy you’d give him a ride home and I could take a waypoint. So he could get a turn.”
Gladio shook his head at the worry. "Nah, not at all," he assured Noctis. Noct's grip had been tight if course, but nothing even close to uncomfortable. Opposite really. "Besides, I like it when you hold on tight."
He followed Noct's gaze towards the restaurant. Coupled with the Noctis' words it clicked into place. "Ah," Gladio let out softly. He reached for the hand Noctis had used to scratch at his face and threaded their fingers together between them.
"I didn't realize we were keeping score," he said. Still a hint of teasing to the words but more serious than before. An opening more than anything.
Noctis probably should've known Gladio would call him out. He was good at that. Gentler now, at least. The handholding was definitely a step up that Noct hoped would be repeated. But it didn't stop him from feeling embarrassed and dumb. He sighed dramatically.
"I didn't--that wasn't why. I mean, it was a little why I guess. I didn't want him to feel left out and I was--I don't know." He shrugged weakly, not letting go of Gladio's hand. "I think I got into my own head. I barely know how this works with one person."
There was a fondly amused smile at the dramatic sigh. And Gladio gave Noct's hand a little squeeze, knowing that behind that dramatic sigh was a whole lot of questioning and uncertainty. Which he couldn't really blame Noctis for. This whole thing was outside "normal" dating parameters even without the added complication of it being three people.
And three was definitely a tricky number. Easy to view it as one left behind if two did something.
Gladio offered Noctis a small smile. "Iggy and I aren't exactly experts in it either, Noct, in any configuration," he said gently. He used the hand he had a hold of to pull Noctis in closer and wrapped his free arm around Noct's waist. "But I feel like getting hung up on 'taking turns' or whatever might be a real quick way to a disaster?" Or maybe he was way off base, either way it was maybe a good thing the topic had come up. Not bringing things up was also probably a real quick way to a disaster.
Noct sagged in against Gladio, both because of the pull and because he wanted to get closer. He curled his free hand into the fabric of Gladio’s shirt and took a few seconds to simply appreciate the muscles that bunched underneath his palm. Talking these things out was probably for the best but gods, he wished it wasn’t. Couldn’t they all just stumble along and get it right eventually? Okay, no, probably not.
“You don’t think someone will feel left out if we’re not careful?” He frowned, looking up at Gladio from under dark eyelashes and a furrowed brow. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if he was more insecure than them, he supposed. Embarrassing, but not surprising. Self-worth had been a tricky house of cards ever since he’d been told he needed to be good enough to save the whole world. “What does it say about me then that I got twitchy just because Ignis made a joke about being a better ride?”
Gladio let go of Noctis' hand in favour of carding his own through Noct's hair, fingers pressing lightly into his neck as he did.
"I don't think it says anything, Noct," he replied. "Everyone has moments of getting twitchy over something." He paused, shrugged. "I mean I used to get jealous all the time of you and Iggy when we were younger." Back when everything with Noctis felt like such a struggle and seeing how easy it seemed to be for Ignis and Noctis in comparison.
Gladio didn't want there to be any feelings of jealousy or feeling left out, especially after the weeks they had spent dancing around how to broach starting this whole thing. But maybe that was an impossibility. Which was itself a sobering thought.
"We'll figure it out," he settled on, shifting to bring his hands to cup Noct's face, his gaze warm. "We've just started in on this really - gods Noct, you and me barely got our shit together before we were trying to figure out how to date Ignis too," he pointed out. And that wasn't to say he regretted any of it, he didn't. Just that it was all so new.
Gladio's admission was a relief - and pleased Noct's lizard brain which probably wasn't helpful to the situation but whatever. It was just nice to be reminded Gladio could be unsure about things too. It was unfair to think he was always cool. Noct knew first hand that his emotions could get the better of him.
"I appreciate that you think we ever, even for a minute, had our shit together," Noct joked, a gentle smirk twisting his mouth. He turned his head in Gladio's hands and kissed his palm. "I'm not really worried, if that helps? I believe in us." He pressed forward to hug his arms around Gladio. "I just really want to get this right, you know?"
Gladio laughed at the joke and pressed a quick kiss to Noct's lips. "Hey now, there was at least two minutes there where we sort of had it together," he countered. Though that they managed to navigate their pretty complex feelings and sort it out on their own was a pretty big accomplishment in Gladio's mind.
There was a relief when Noctis said he wasn't worried. Or at least worried in a way that indicated a problem. He smiled warmly at Noct and slipped his arms around him. "I believe in us too," he said. "Getting to be honest with you and Ignis, really honest? That's all I've ever wanted, more than I ever thought I'd get. I want to get it right too."
He ducked his head to the top of Noct's. "Do you feel left out? When Ignis and I talk about something, or if we do something and you're not there?" he asked. He had his own thoughts on the matter but wanted to see where Noctis was at.
Noct met the kiss easily, instinctive and smirking the whole way. He felt like he was getting better at that part at least. They'd always moved in sync when he stopped his brain from getting in the way and just let his body move in Gladio's orbit. He pressed his ear to Gladio's chest and breathed him in as he spoke.
"I'm glad we can be honest too. Even if I also hate it a little," he admitted with a muffled laugh. "I don't--I wouldn't say I feel left out. Just greedy to get all the time with you guys I can?" There would probably always be a quiet part of Noct that was waiting for this all to be snatched away. They've talked about that so he doesn't say as much. "And I guess maybe a tiny, like a little teeny tiny bit..." He held up his hand in front of Gladio's face to pinch his fingers very close together. "...Worried you two will finally realize you're way out of my league."
"Nothing wrong with being greedy," he pointed out. Especially when one never knew if (he tried so hard to always frame it as if and not when) this might all up and disappear on them. And Gladio wouldn't dare claim he was anything other than just that himself. If he thought they could get away with it, he'd suggest locking themselves in the apartment and never leaving. But he knew that wasn't exactly viable. Besides, it was nice to see Noct get to make some friends, attend parties that weren't stupidly formal, and generally just enjoy some time to be a normal person for once in his life.
Noctis' admission wasn't entirely a surprise really. Even if Gladio thought the idea behind it was giving him far more credit than needed. But he knew Noct was prone to feeling awkward around people, even those he held close, struggled with the idea of self under the weight of all the expectations inherent with being a public figure.
Gladio reached for the hand Noctis had held between them and turned it so he could press his lips to the inside of Noct's wrist. "Not even in the slightest," he said easily. "Noct, you're amazing. You're strong, and brave, and I know I give you shit sometimes and maybe that's made you feel like I don't think you are, but most of the time it's just me being frustrated when you don't see yourself the way I see you." He paused, gave Noctis an amused smirk. "And sometimes because I like it when you give me shit back. You're also hot as hell… I could go on? But trust me when I say neither Ignis or I are thinking we're anywhere near out of your league."
It was a little difficult to find the right words in any situation for Noct, but it was especially difficult with Gladio kissing his wrist and complimenting him above and beyond.
"I promise I wasn't fishing for once," he huffed, eyes gone soft and pleased as he pulled back to stare up at Gladio. "You don't make me feel less than, Gladio. You're just...a serious catch." Instead of being ashamed of the fishing pun, Noct laughed, a bright and twinkling sound. "Really though. You're the strong one. Not just on the outside." He squeezed Gladio's bicep for emphasis. "But here too." He tapped over Gladio's heart and leaned up on his toes to kiss his jaw. "And talk about stupid hot. Just...don't worry about my little insecurities, ok? All it means is that I'm not taking any of this for granted."
He took a step backwards, pulling on Gladio's arm. "Come on. Let's go sit near the kitchen. We can talk about how amazing Ignis is too until he overhears us."
Gladio just watched Noctis with a warm look as he spoke, a little smile playing on his lips. And really, if Noct ever had a moment of doubt about Gladio's feelings they more than played out over his face at any given moment. "You're a serious catch too, Noct," he replied and tugged Noctis in for a kiss that lingered before he could get too far. And like Noctis, he wasn't taking even a moment of this for granted.
There was a grin at the suggestion and he let himself get tugged off the bike. "Sounds like a plan," he said lightly and used the hand Noctis had a hold of to pull Noct to his side as they walked. He slung his arm around Noct's shoulders and headed toward the restaurant.