[ Something is going to happen to him -- he's going to die, isn't he? Noctis sobers, exhaling a soft sigh. He can't hide it, and he closes his eyes, tucking his head under his chin.
Gods, he doesn't want to die, but he must. He has to. But what would Ignis do without him? ]
[He's quiet a minute, contemplating the impulse that's just struck him, and after a minute to gauge it and weigh it out in his mind, he makes the decision to try it, albeit tentatively.
So he slips his hand underneath Noct's chin, lightly catching hold, and tries to coax him back up again, seeking to make him look up instead of glancing away and drifting off onto his own sobering thoughts.]
Come back to me. Stay here.
[Stay here in the moment, he means, instead of getting lost in despairing thoughts. Stay here, instead of letting himself get pulled away on the undertow of his heartbreaking destiny.]
[ Stay with him. Stay here. Noctis wishes with all his heart he can do this forever -- but he knows they can't. Even so, maybe for now, he can be selfish. He's barely an adult with the whole world on his shoulders and the thought that he's going to die, and then here Ignis is, asking him to come back to him. He looks up now, vulnerable and open and soft, biting his lip.
What does he say? What can he say, when his heart feels like lead? ]
I wish we could stay like this.
[ In the pocket outside of time, to be like this forever. Won't it be nice? This way, nobody dies and no one gets hurt. ]
Stay with me, right now. We'll work out the rest later.
[His fingertips stroke lightly along the underside of Noct's chin, affording him some tactile sensation, seeking to anchor him in the present moment with the feeling of it.]
[ His voice sends a shiver of pleasure down his spine. It's the feeling in it, the honeyed bass of his voice that thrills him to no end. Despite himself and the threatening encroaching thoughts, he lets himself forget his woes, if only for a few moments, within Ignis.
Ignis anchors him, his touch warm and very real, and he nuzzles into it, a hand coming up to rest on the line of his jaw. ]
[ Noctis is humming, he's aware of the song, and he's sliding a hand up under his shirt, resting over Ignis' stomach. He loves this, he thinks, the softness in his eyes, the tenderness in his voice. He's leaning down to give him a soft kiss for his trouble, then, hooked, goes for another, and another, unable to help himself. ]
Give me a minute, then; I'm not certain how well this will scan...
[He closes his eyes, basking in the attention, as slowly he calls up the words of the song and fits new ones to it, turning the sounds over and over in his mind until he's sufficiently changed the meaning from a less palatable one to something softer.]
♪ As a gesture may go, this isn't grand, But I need you close 'cause I'm just a man, Though our lives never seem to go to plan, I don't want you to leave, will you hold my hand?
Oh, won't you stay with me? Cause you're all I need, Is this love? We'll...wait and see, But darling, stay with me... ♫
[ And it's perfect. The choice of song, the way he carries a tune, lovely and rich and so full of meaning and emotion that Noctis cannot help but be charmed, delighted by the sweetness of his voice.
He makes a soft noise and nuzzles against him, warmed by such a simple, powerful gesture. It might be love, Ignis croons, and Noctis hopes with all of his heart that it is. ]
I suppose I will, now that you've made such improvements to the song. That takes effort.
[ And skill, skill that Ignis possesses in wonderful abundance. His hand comes back down to look for his, then, threading his fingers with his now -- holding it the way he's always wanted but never found the right opportunity to. And it feels really, really good. ]
[But they're settling now, and he can feel it; Noct is basking in the warmth of his attention, and their fingers are intertwined, and later they might not be able to stay this way but for now, there's nothing to stop them from enjoying it.]
[ Noctis is most definitely basking, settling into the warmth of Ignis and savoring the wonder of the person that he is and what they've discovered together.
He's lifting their joined hands for closer inspection, settling atop Ignis and studying just how they fit together. ]
Yeah, you are. Fighting, planning, cooking, and now singing. What can't you do?
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Gods, he doesn't want to die, but he must. He has to. But what would Ignis do without him? ]
...Yeah.
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[He's quiet a minute, contemplating the impulse that's just struck him, and after a minute to gauge it and weigh it out in his mind, he makes the decision to try it, albeit tentatively.
So he slips his hand underneath Noct's chin, lightly catching hold, and tries to coax him back up again, seeking to make him look up instead of glancing away and drifting off onto his own sobering thoughts.]
Come back to me. Stay here.
[Stay here in the moment, he means, instead of getting lost in despairing thoughts. Stay here, instead of letting himself get pulled away on the undertow of his heartbreaking destiny.]
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What does he say? What can he say, when his heart feels like lead? ]
I wish we could stay like this.
[ In the pocket outside of time, to be like this forever. Won't it be nice? This way, nobody dies and no one gets hurt. ]
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[His fingertips stroke lightly along the underside of Noct's chin, affording him some tactile sensation, seeking to anchor him in the present moment with the feeling of it.]
♪ Stay with me,
'Cause you're all I need... ♫
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Ignis anchors him, his touch warm and very real, and he nuzzles into it, a hand coming up to rest on the line of his jaw. ]
Sing that again. I want to hear more of it.
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[Still, he's leaning into the hand on his face, watching Noctis through soft green eyes.]
But if it's what you want, then of course I will.
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[ Noctis is humming, he's aware of the song, and he's sliding a hand up under his shirt, resting over Ignis' stomach. He loves this, he thinks, the softness in his eyes, the tenderness in his voice. He's leaning down to give him a soft kiss for his trouble, then, hooked, goes for another, and another, unable to help himself. ]
Who knew you are such a romantic at heart?
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[He closes his eyes, basking in the attention, as slowly he calls up the words of the song and fits new ones to it, turning the sounds over and over in his mind until he's sufficiently changed the meaning from a less palatable one to something softer.]
♪ As a gesture may go, this isn't grand,
But I need you close 'cause I'm just a man,
Though our lives never seem to go to plan,
I don't want you to leave, will you hold my hand?
Oh, won't you stay with me?
Cause you're all I need,
Is this love? We'll...wait and see,
But darling, stay with me... ♫
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He makes a soft noise and nuzzles against him, warmed by such a simple, powerful gesture. It might be love, Ignis croons, and Noctis hopes with all of his heart that it is. ]
I suppose I will, now that you've made such improvements to the song. That takes effort.
[ And skill, skill that Ignis possesses in wonderful abundance. His hand comes back down to look for his, then, threading his fingers with his now -- holding it the way he's always wanted but never found the right opportunity to. And it feels really, really good. ]
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[But they're settling now, and he can feel it; Noct is basking in the warmth of his attention, and their fingers are intertwined, and later they might not be able to stay this way but for now, there's nothing to stop them from enjoying it.]
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He's lifting their joined hands for closer inspection, settling atop Ignis and studying just how they fit together. ]
Yeah, you are. Fighting, planning, cooking, and now singing. What can't you do?