fourstrings | (no subject)

[ It's possible, of course, that Ignis could be imagining it. That all his pining after Noctis has manifested in some kind of derangement of wishful thinking, Ignis interpreting signals where there are none to be read. But recently it's felt as if they're dancing around something neither of them quite dare to name, and today has felt more that way than ever. Appropriate, since it's ostensibly a dance they're preparing for - though Noct, and eligible royalty, won't be required to dance, lest people read into it.

Ignis had helped him dress, given that such occasions require full formal gear and there are accessories that hearken back to the days when it would have been unthought of for royalty to dress themselves. Not quite as bad as it once was, but enough that Ignis wants to be there to fasten chains and settle fabric for Noctis so that the prince won't already be at the limits of his frustration before the evening starts. Noct looks very handsome in his formalwear indeed, and he'd thought he was doing a very good job of hiding it right up until Noct broke a stream of grousing about the evening ahead to look up at Ignis from under the thick fringe of his dark lashes and said, soft and low, but you'll be there, right? and let his knuckles brush against the back of Ignis' hand, and Ignis had felt his heart hammering its way up from his chest into his throat with such speed that he worried it would spill out of his mouth the second he opened it.

Of course, Noct, he'd said, after what felt like far too long taken to gather his wits. I'll be there with you. And there had been something delicious about that thought, about phrasing it that way - that rather than being there at the same time they would be there together, though of course they were never far apart at the best of times and a ball would certainly not be the place to venture a first date.

And then of course it all has to be put aside in the last-minute preparations, but Ignis resolves firmly to make delicate enquiries about whether his feelings might, in fact, be returned, after the ball. Not right after, obviously - these things always have a draining effect on Noctis, and he'll want little more than to get out of his formalwear and into bed. Still it's all he can think about for much of the evening. Through the speeches, through refreshments, even while he makes a token effort of dancing himself with a fellow crownsguard who shares a similar "might as well get it out of the way" attitude. Right up until the moment when Noctis is bravely attempting small talk with an ambassador of somewhere-or-other and Ravus Nox Fleuret - here in his sister's stead - locks eyes with Ignis over a drinks tray, stalks over with his face set in as unpleasant a frown as ever, puts his hand on Ignis' shoulder and murmurs, directly into his ear, what it takes Ignis a few moments to recognize as a room number. So many moments, in fact, that Ravus has slunk off again before Ignis can think to respond. Really. He'd thought they were past all that.

He stands there a moment, blinking, and when Noctis moves back to his side, clearly relieved to have been released from his conversational duties, Ignis speaks without thinking. ]

I think Ravus just made a pass at me again.

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[ having a crush is officially the worst thing in the world. one second, his heart is wallowing in the pit of his stomach, nursing nightmares of being invited to ignis' and ravus' wedding -- and then ignis makes a crack that confirms he still finds ravus absolutely unpalatable, and noctis is back on the moon.

still! be cool.

which is why he doesn't breathe out the sigh of relief that threatens to escape, and instead turns his energy towards safer waters: making fun of ravus. ]

He sucked up all the bad genes, obviously. I heard they thank him every year on his birthday for the public service.

[ hiding the grin behind that first drink of champagne. ]

[ Ignis closes his eyes briefly, and takes an indelicately large sip of champagne. He is not ready to hear the word suck in reference to Ravus just yet, but though he's had enough champagne to be just a little indiscreet, he hasn't had nearly enough to voice that thought aloud to Noct. He settles on a far safer: ]

Why, there ought to be a parade.

[ and gives Noct a gentle nudge with his arm. ]

I thought you were doing very well with Lady Fortentia, by the way. Up until my eavesdropping was so rudely interrupted, at least.

[ the way he snorts a laugh into his champagne is probably the farthest thing from dignified, but he can't help it. it's always fun when ignis ditches his best behavior, and the relief that he and ravus haven't become an item while noctis wasn't looking --

well. it might as well be his birthday.

but the reminder of his recent conversation is enough to make him wrinkle his nose, though he keeps just enough grip on the social graces ignis has tried to hammer into him to hold back the ugh. ]

Yeah. She's great. [ the sarcasm practically drips. ] Pretty sure you can put her down as a donor for that refugee project you've been working on.

[ Oh? Clearly something about the interaction was unpleasant. Knowing Noct it may well only be that he doesn't enjoy the schmoozing aspect of these affairs, and Ignis wouldn't like to put him on the spot about it, so he simply smiles and gives Noct's shoulder a brief squeeze, trying to hide the burst of warmth it gives him to do so. ]

Good work. I know you'd prefer to be doing just about anything else. Try to keep that in mind. The time you spend here is making life better for those who need it the most. Thank you, Noct.

[ oh.

it's a simple thing, but just the combination of those words and the little squeeze to his shoulder is enough to make noctis feel warmer than the champagne ever could. he has to bite down on the inside of his cheek to stifle the goofy little grin that wants to break out across his face, and ugh. ]

... is that your way of saying I've done my time? [ with a little nudge back to ignis' side. ] Because I'm really over this suit.

[ Ignis really ought to say no. The even isn't even half-done, really. But after that incident with Ravus (and the wondering it has Ignis doing about what precisely it is that makes him seem as if he'd be receptive to such an approach) Ignis would quite like to get away, himself - and then there's that smile, kept off Noct's mouth but dancing in his eyes, and Ignis can't bear to deny him. ]

I daresay you've earned your freedom. Shall we?

[ a relief!!!

so much so that noctis ditches the usual decorum of breaking away to say good night to his dad, or making the stately exit expected of a prince -- instead, he just hooks his arm in ignis and nearly drags him out of the room, not stopping until they're free of the hall and out into the night air.

and then he lets out the breath it feels like he's been holding all night, summing up his feelings on the entire event with a mighty: ] Ugh.

Remind me why I can't just ban stuff like this once I'm king?

[ Having Noctis link an arm through his own gives Ignis such a burst of delight that he can only press his lips together to stifle a most inappropriate grin. It's not as if it's the first time - when they were small Noctis used to seize him by the hand and lead him to whatever had his princely attention at the time on a regular basis - but it does all feel a little different, recently. Charged. It's a relief to be out in the cool of the night, relatively alone, and he hears all his own feelings in Noct's sigh.

And then, of course, the ugh, and Ignis turns the smile he'd been suppressing on Noct. ]

Because then people like me would have to rely on our charm alone to get funding, and everyone outside the palace walls would starve.

[ ignis smiles at him, and it feels like there isn't a force in the universe strong enough to keep noctis from smiling back. not charming, whatever. ]

We could hire someone to do it. Prompto'd probably be great at it.

[ the people who like to go to these things are way too stuffy; noctis is pretty sure they'd have no immunity against sunshine and weaponized enthusiasm. ] Kinda like a body double. Plenty of famous people have those.

That's something I've considered, you know. Few people moving in your circles are prepared for Prompto's level of... earnestness.

[ He's not just talking up Noct's idea for the sake of flirting, either. Prompto can be incredibly disarming. Ultimately the thing that had made Ignis dismiss the idea out of hand was the kind of appeal that attractive, naive commoners have traditionally held for the wealthy and powerful. The boy would be bait, and should something happen to him, Noctis would never forgive Ignis or himself. ]

Of course, if we took that route, we'd lose one more excuse to attend these functions together.

[ Too much? Possibly. But the night air seems terribly romantic. ]