He'd spent hours trying not to seem like he was hovering close to Ignis after his sight returned.
WHAT: Their search for Ignis' glasses leads them to Galdin Quay, and almost a revelation. Sigh. WHERE: Around Vallo City. WHEN: Late April (backdated). WARNINGS: Some mentions of PTSD. STATUS:Complete!
Ignis had spent the last few hours being increasingly irritated at himself for misplacing his glasses. It wasn't something he'd done that frequently, but he had done it now and then in the past. But so brief a time after he'd actually regained his sight at all - it was ridiculous. And yes, the headache that came and went from getting used to processing visuals and bright light again might not be helping him stay reasonable about it - but still. He had a right to be annoyed with his own carelessness.
The others teasing and jumping in to help though had helped ease his temper. So by the time he made his way down to meet with Noctis, Ignis was in a better mood - if still frustrated.
He wasn't sure if it was a byproduct of the healing and Luna's gifts, or just that he'd gone so long seeing almost nothing, but even without his glasses, his sight seemed a bit sharper than it used to be. Enough that the world was slightly more than just blurry blobs when he didn't have his glasses on, but he still needed the damned things. And he couldn't see how he'd possibly managed to leave them outside and not have noticed losing them on his way in, but poking around inside and looking again was going to make him insane. He'd rather walk outside and at least make a cursory search and walk with Noctis.
He smiled as he drew up next to Noct. "Thank you for the company," he said. Ignis made an effort to not squint, if he had been at all.
"Always, Iggy," was Noctis' warm response. He reached up instinctively to rub that pinched spot along his friend's brow, teasing him a bit. And then he realized what he was doing and quickly dropped his hand. "Here, uh. I brought some aspirin." Smooth. Very smooth. He pushed the medicine into his friend's hands and offered a bottle of water, hoping it wasn't too obvious that he was blushing. He'd spent hours trying not to seem like he was hovering close to Ignis after his sight returned. The last thing he wanted was to get too handsy or overstep any boundaries. Noctis was a bit desperate for touch, but he could manage this and not get so flustered.
He waited for Ignis to be ready before setting out to retrace his steps. "They can't be far," he said, suddenly reminded of the last time his friend lost his glasses and he couldn't help a little chuckle. "Unless a bird took them," Noctis added, knowing Ignis would remember the black chocobo incident. It was a simpler time, for all they'd lost so much, and for a moment, his heart ached to be that young again, overwhelmed by a fit of giggles as his dearest friend laid out his plan to capture a giant rogue bird.
Glancing over at Ignis for a second, Noctis couldn't help but admire him. He'd always been devastatingly beautiful. That wasn't new. But seeing that sharpness in his eyes again, the way his gaze sparkled—it made his stomach swoop, and he had to bite his tongue to stop himself from saying too much. He'd still sneak looks, though. Or try to.
The difficulty with trying to maintain boundaries was that Ignis was rapidly throwing them aside, and had failed to mention that to anyone before doing it. So Noctis' fingers brushed his brow and he just leaned into it with a soft little hum of pleased agreement. He took the aspirin and water, popping the pills and slugging back a few swallows of the water to down them with. "Thank you." He gave Noct a wry smile. "I am fine though, I promise. Just irritated with myself for being careless."
He groaned as he remembered. "Let's hope not. I think it'd be simpler if it was the dog." Ignis knew Henruit's name perfectly well, but he had decided on a fiction of only tolerating the dog - as if all of them hadn't seen how often Ignis passed him treats while cooking, or petted him while he sat. "That bird was a disguised daemon, I'm convinced."
Ignis had been aware of being looked at, even when he couldn't see. That little prickling sensation of awareness. But he'd always second guessed it. Now he could feel it, and with a turn of his head, he could catch Noct at it. He smiled and reached over, long fingers threading around Noct's wrist, squeezing and holding there for a long moment, just shy of holding his hand before finally letting go. "I think I started out this way when I was wandering," he said, starting off slowly, head ducking to scan for the glint of glasses he knew probably weren't actually there. He'd have known if he went inside without them.
Just Ignis humming was enough to make Noctis blush. He really needed to focus here, and not on anything inappropriate involving his friend, which included noises he definitely wasn't thinking about. (This was bad. Very bad.) "It's an honest mistake, Igs," he insisted, voice a little weak. Noctis coughed. "You only just got here. A lot's been going on." Not to mention the fact that his sight had returned a few hours ago. But he wasn't about to state the obvious. Ignis was just like this, always adapting, always on the move, and Noctis loved him dearly for everything he did.
"So if the chocobo was disguised as a daemon, what's that make poor Henruit?" He wondered, amusement creeping back into his voice. It was really adorable how Ignis pretended like he didn't adore Gladio's dog, or treat him like his own. Now that Umbra returned to Luna's side along with Pryna, Noctis really missed having a constant companion underfoot. Maybe he could look into adopting a cat. They'd need a bigger place first.
Later, he thought, pushing that aside. Noctis glanced away quickly when he was caught looking, but it was too late. He felt Ignis' fingers wind around his wrist, and the touch made him jump a little, warmth shivering through him. "Right, yeah." Noctis curled his fingers, trying to trap the feeling even in the absence of that touch. He looked at possible places Ignis might have easily left the glasses—atop fences, mailboxes, the like. Still nothing, though. "Have you thought about getting multiple pairs here?" He asked eventually, not sure whether his friend looked into it or not.
For all that Ignis appreciated Noct's face now, with its added years, he was glad that he hadn't gotten too old and sophisticated to blush. It'd been adorable when he was younger, and it was still adorable. Except now Ignis could also admit how appealing it was. "Perhaps, but still a foolish one. And now one I've managed to drag all four of you into helping me correct," he said with a sigh. Ignis' perfectionism when it came to himself wasn't really forgiving.
"Maybe one of those grabby little goblins, disguised by fur and drool. They did like to snatch when we tried to fight them," Ignis said. He might have held a grudge against one because it pulled his hair. Ignis was, as Noctis had accused, a soft touch, especially for something that the people he loved so clearly adored.
His glasses made no appearance, unsurprisingly, and Ignis wasn't certain which way he'd gone, but he went toward the water, since he knew he'd made his way toward it at some point earlier. He didn't answer the question for a long moment, and then confessed quietly. "To be honest, I very nearly didn't get these at all. It felt like tempting fate to have them ready before the healing. But then, it would have been foolish to not be able to see even when I COULD see, so I did anyway. I suppose I should, after this."
Noctis wasn't exactly quick on the uptake. He knew that about himself, and frequently consulted his friends on a variety of things, particularly when it came to social interaction. That wasn't his strong suit, and it never would be, which was probably why he was unaware of Ignis' sexual interest. Sure, they'd covered the topic briefly, and he knew his oldest friend loved him, but he didn't think that extended to ... other things. Not to mention the fact that he was much younger than them. Noctis knew he'd have to talk to Gladio at some point about all this, but for the moment, Noctis was content with the deep friendship he still had with Ignis. It was more than he thought he deserved after everything.
"You're talking like you gave up government secrets or something, Igs," he said, amusement in his voice. He was all too familiar with his friend's perfectionism, and tried to gently remind Ignis that he was human whenever possible. The comment about Henruit being a goblin just made Noctis laugh, bright and genuine, and for a moment, he felt all the stress he'd been carrying melt away. "Too cute," he accused, smirking.
It didn't surprise Noctis to hear why his friend hadn't wanted to get a new pair of glasses initially, but Gods, did it sting. He had to push down a well of emotion bubbling up in him before he could respond, and even then, his voice was hoarse. "I'm sorry, Iggy," he murmured, reaching a hand out to gently squeeze Ignis' shoulder. "That makes a lot of sense. I'd feel the same way—it's scary, and you're dealing with it however you can." He paused for a minute, thoughtful. "I think you're probably in the clear. If my ancestors were going to punish you again—and I wouldn't let them, by the way—they would've done it already. My family isn't exactly known for their patience." Ardyn included, who was forced to wait by no choice of his own.
Ignis thought that he was hardly being subtle at this point, but he did know Noct, so he wouldn't rush him either.
He made a slight face. "I'm part of the government, technically. So I did," he said, teasing back. Ignis was aware of his own tendencies too. He worked to try to improve his flaws in general ... just not the one that was a rabid case of perfectionism that he applied only to himself. He didn't consider that as much of a flaw as others did, even if it did set him up for failure. "The cute is merely his mask. One day, he'll reveal his true nature," Ignis said, lofty and utterly full of shit.
He leaned into the hand on his shoulder, and then draped his own across Noctis' shoulders instead, squeezing gently. "You needn't be. And it wasn't a punishment. It was an offering - freely given and taken more sparingly than it could have been." He did worry about undoing it, that there might be some other hidden cost. But he hoped that if it were in this world, and only temporary - if he found a way back - it would simply be ... an anomaly. A moment in time he took for himself, and that was all. "I'd rather you not antagonize gods, ancestors, or anything else on my behalf, Noct."
He rolled his eyes fondly. "I meant you were cute, Iggy," he pointed out, but didn't push the matter. Noctis half-wondered how him and Gladio had even managed to get together with how bad he was at ... well. All of this. But then again, they'd circled each other for months until he made a poor attempt at flirting, and somehow, Gladio had gone for it. Gods bless him for that. Clearly, though, Noctis needed to approach this—whatever it was—with Ignis in a different way, he just wasn't sure how. He almost wished he'd actually listened when his father offered to give him "a few pointers."
Crossing his arms after reaching out to his friend, Noctis huffed when he was tugged into a half-hug of sorts, smiling. "Says the guy who did just that when I was in trouble," he muttered, loud enough for Ignis to hear but quiet enough that he could feasibly pretend he hadn't. "You know I will anyway if something happens," he continued, as easily as if they were discussing the weather. "I'd do it for you."
Of course, there were a hundred things he wasn't saying out loud, but Noctis didn't want to bring the mood down. Instead, he patted Ignis' back before looping an arm around him in return, pleased by the closeness, however long it lasted. "Alright. Where to next?"
Ignis' eyebrows lifted and then he smiled. "Ah. Well in that case, I prefer dashing and handsome to cute. But I'll take whatever you'll give me." In more ways than one.
Ignis did hear him, and turned his head to give Noctis a look. "Of course I did," he said. And it wasn't at all the same. Putting aside his own feelings - protecting Noctis was Ignis' DUTY, just as it was Gladio and Prom's. They'd all have done it without hesitation, Ignis had every faith in that. Add in those feelings again - and of course there was nothing he wouldn't have given to save Noctis. Ignis loved him. Giving his own life - or his sight - wasn't something he'd hesitate about. But it shouldn't go the other way. He and the others - when it came down to it, they were expendable. Gladio less so than he and Prompto, but still. Noctis had the heart to give himself in exchange for them - or for the world, as he would someday do if Ignis didn't find a way around it. But he shouldn't. He was more important than they were. "Noct ... that's not how it works," Ignis said quietly.
Still, he leaned into the companionable touch, letting Noctis half guide him, since the world was somewhat blurry. "Toward the shore. I remember heading that way," he said, head tipping to rest against Noct's before he straightened to start off again.
"You're dashing and handsome, too," Noctis said, "Not to mention talented, brave, compassionate, smart as hell, and badass." He could go on, but managed to bite his tongue in the moment so he wouldn't overdo it too much. It was best if he treaded lightly here, because it was uncharted territory. He also wasn't entirely sure how Ignis was going to react to the compliments. "And too modest," Noctis added, a sly look briefly crossing his face. Because he had a feeling Ignis was about to try and downplay how impressive he was.
It was a good thing he wasn't privy to Ignis' thoughts. He'd never felt like he was more important than anyone else, least of all his closest circle of friends, who he loved so dearly. Noctis would have argued that point fiercely, but instead, he let the topic of conversation pass, only offering a simple, "It is for me." Because that was true. It was how he felt, and he'd seen that through to the very end.
Brightening when Ignis leaned on him a little more, Noctis savored the contact with a soft smile. He wouldn't forget that feeling of warmth that flooded through him or the way his heart fluttered in his chest. Gods, he was really hopeless. How had it taken him this long to realize? He was almost embarrassed about that, but really, more sheepish than anything else. "Aye, aye, Captain," Noctis replied, amusement in his voice as he led the way forward. He hoped he could get away with a hand lingering on Ignis' lower back. Just for another moment.
Noctis knew Ignis in a different context. As his friend, as his advisor. He'd never known an Ignis who openly flirted with him. So the reaction he got was different too. Instead of the demural, Ignis just gave Noctis a sly smile. "Much better," he agreed, feigning a cocky pose for a moment that wasn't modest at all. "It's just best not to mention these things too often, lest people not as blessed as the four of us get jealous," he added playfully.
Ignis paused, but then he too let the discussion go. It was his truth, but he knew he'd never convince Noctis of it, that's WHY it was true and why Noctis was who he was. Ignis adored him.
Walking while they were like that took maybe more coordination than it would have otherwise, but Ignis didn't care, staying as close as he could and keeping contact with Noctis. He chuckled. "If I'm to be a Captain, we'll need a boat." It would really be very simple to kiss Noct like this, but Ignis refrained, no matter how much he didn't want to have any restraint at all.
Noctis rolled his eyes, but it was good-natured. He knew Ignis was just teasing him, and really, it was nice to see him not be quite so serious. So much had happened—even just over the past few weeks. They all deserved a break, Ignis most of all. He worked harder than anyone else Noctis had ever known, and that was saying something. If his dear friend found any kind of peace here, he'd consider it a victory. So long as they could convince him to take more breaks, at any rate.
It was nice, this closeness. He savored it as they continued on, so caught up in that feeling of bubbly lightness that Noctis almost missed the signpost ahead of them. GALDIN QUAY. He stared at it, completely dumbstruck, trying to grapple with the fact that something so large from their home had inexplicably made its way here. This wasn't like when Gladio's house showed up. This was an entire beach resort. "Uh," Noctis offered, then cleared his throat. "Any chance you might've left your glasses here?" Of course Ignis hadn't. It was a weak joke, but honestly, he wasn't sure how else to react.
He did, however, let his hand drop so he could continue walking, keeping Ignis slightly behind him. Just in case. "Might as well have a look," he continued, trying to play off the fact that he was a little wary. At the very least, there was no sign of Angelgard in the distance. That was nice.