fourstrings | (no subject)

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[ He's done his research. There are the gondolas that are simply a means of transportation, shuttling people around as they go about their daily lives, and then there are... the other ones. They're ornately decorated, often bedecked with flowers, and the gondoliers will sing traditional Altissian folk songs as they row cash-flush tourists and lovestruck couples around. Tourist traps, twee and ridiculous.

Ignis wants nothing more than to ride one.

He could probably explain it away as an interest in the music (he had, in fact, developed something of a taste for it), but the truth of the matter is simple, and not something he's ashamed of. For as long as they've been together he and Noctis have never had the opportunity to feel like a normal couple. He wouldn't trade their time for anything in the world, and he's not sure things would have been much different had they not wooed in relative secrecy – given the freedom to do as he liked, Noctis would still probably prefer to stay at home – but there's something thrilling about this opportunity. The chance to walk hand-in-hand, to do the things that couples do without concern for propriety or reputation. Noct's relative obscurity here combined with the almost infamously relaxed attitude of the general public make so many things a possibility -

but first, the gondolas.

He seeks one out based on reputation, rowed by a man reported to have a leisurely pace, a wonderful voice, and an almost negligent regard for who is in his gondola or what they do so long as he gets paid. It's a short walk to the dock, and he extends a hand to Noctis without further explanation. ]

Indulge me.

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Speaking of him...

[ and now the grin on his face turns impish, eyes sparkling with a laugh. ]

Didn't you promise to sing to me once we were back in the room?

[ Oh, bloody hell. He did say something like that, didn't he? ]

I'd had sudden rush of blood away from my head. I'm sure I can't be held accountable for the things i may have said in he heat of the moment.

[ But he's fairly sure that's not going to fly, and he pats Noct's bottom in urging. ]

You'll have to sit up. I can't sing with you squashing my lungs.

[ except sitting up is hard, so.

he compromises by rolling off ignis instead, sprawling on his back with his arms folded behind his head and looking up at him expectantly. ] C'mon, Specs, no excuses. Your king takes promises very seriously.

Alright. Just don't -

[ Don't look at him like that. It's not like Ignis to come over all shy, and not as if Noctis hasn't heard him sing before (he knows that he's occasionally burst into fragments of song while cleaning and not always been correct in his assumption that Noctis wasn't home), but there's something about doing it now, with such a large promise between them, that makes his cheeks flush at the thought of it. So he does what any rational adult would do - he sits up to better allow he air into his lungs, and flips the corner of a sheet over Noct's face.

The song isn't the one the gondolier sang. It's a little on the nose, probably, though he's reasonably confident Noctis doesn't speak enough Accordan - let along the particular Altissian dialect the song is in - to catch all the soppy lyrics about a man leaving for work early in the morning, jealous of the birds who sit outside a bedroom window anget to watch his love wake from sleep. Still. ]

[ he snorts a startled laugh as he's suddenly covered up, flailing a little until he's able to push the sheet away from his face. and then he tucks himself up closer against ignis' side, resting his cheek on the other man's thigh and enjoying the sound of his voice.

he studied a little accordan in school, but not this particular dialect, and not nearly enough to even get a gist of what the song is saying. so instead of struggling to translate, he just lets himself get wrapped up in the soothing warmth of ignis' voice, tracing idle little patterns on the bare skin of his knee. ]

[ His nerves leave him as he continues, helped immensely by the feeling of Noctis curling against him and the movement of fingertips over his knee. By the time he finishes the song he's relaxed into it, calm, one hand stroking through Noct's hair. It's a wonderful feeling - just to be together like this, to have this time to be close and warm, and the story the song tells reminds him of that. That's enough that when he sings the final note he's not worried about what Noct might think, and content just to trail his fingertips over the back of his neck. ]

There. Promise fulfilled.

[ by the time ignis draws the song to a close, noctis is half-dozing, curled up against him like a drowsy housecat. and the hand in his hair only helps to lull him that much further into a pleasantly warm haze. ]

Mm. [ and he butts his head against ignis' thigh, making a low noise of contentment. ] You gonna tell me what you were singing about?

[ Ah. Well. Ignis does blush slightly at that, but honestly Noctis sounds half-asleep. If there's a point at which he can get away with outrageous sappiness, it's now. ]

It's about a fisherman who has to leave for the day while it's still dark out, thinking of his lover at home in bed. How he misses her face and wishes he could be at her side, and thinking he's jealous of the birds that sit outside their window because they'll be with her when she wakes up and he won't.

[ And he clears his throat quietly. ]

It's a traditional, but I know the feeling.

He should just stay in bed with her.

[ squirming a little until he's able to look up at ignis, the corners of his mouth tipping up into a crooked little grin. ] Cuddling in bed is way better than getting up early.

[ Such a simple solution. He can't help smiling back down at Noctis, tracing the curve of his smile with a fingertip. ]

Alas, for a fisherman in those days it wasn't an option. He probably never had the chance to learn that the way I have.

[ It's disgraceful, really. His whole life he's been aware that his duty must come first, that his diligence is key to his ability to serve as an adequate advisor - and he'd still rather lay in bed with Noctis any day, soaking in the gentle warmth of his body and easing him into the day with kisses when he wakes. ]

I dunno... Noct Gar never seems to have any trouble reeling in the big catches, no matter what time it is.

[ and his own joke is silly enough to make him laugh -- so he catches ignis' wrist, turning to press a kiss into his palm. ] Maybe no one ever taught the poor guy how to relax.

Maybe so.

[ Ignis is feeling far too sappy to roll his eyes at the Noct Gar joke. He's aware that his own personality can ramp up towards excessive when he doesn't take time out to relax, and that he's very poor at taking said time out of his own accord. Another thing to thank Noctis for.

So he slips back down, laying alongside Noctis and pressing close. ]

I'm fortunate to have had such a talented teacher.

Hell yeah you are.

[ but it's too warm and full of affection to be really taken seriously as bragging; he's pleased by the way ignis curls up against him, lulled by the warmth of the other man's body tucked against his own. ] And I don't even charge for lessons. You've got it so good.

Better than I could have hoped.

[ He's aware he'll probably get a poke in the side for that at best, but he can't leave it alone. He's too buoyed up by the afterglow not to get sappy, too full of love. So he reaches to lace their fingers together, presses a kiss to Noct's temple. ]

I'm glad we have this time together. It's been... different, to be close in public.

[ he snorts at him for that, turning enough to be able to butt his head affectionately up against ignis. almost like a cat begging for pets. ]

I hope different means better. That wasn't much of a compliment, otherwise.

[ And pets he shall have! Ignis slips an arm under Noctis, takes a moment to tug him over until he's draped over him again. It might be silly, after making him move, but he enjoys the warmth and the weight of him - and it better allows him to start his fingers stroking through Noct's hair. ]

Of course better. I tried not to think about how it might have been when we were back home, if it weren't for your status. I wasn't very successful, but as it turns out I'd underestimated just how good it would be.

[ he makes a drowsy little noise as ignis shifts him on top of him, but he's quick to settle again, stretching out over him until he can get all the skin-to-skin contact that he can. it's warm like this, and being so close to someone who loves him so absolutely never fails to make him feel... safe. like everything's okay, like it'll all work out somehow. ]

Y'know... if we get married, I'm just gonna make you read all my reports. And do all my laundry. [ like those aren't things ignis does anyway. ]

[ Married. Oh. That's a surprise, but it's one that makes him smile and trail his fingers over the back of Noct's neck. ]

However will I adjust? Perhaps I should leverage all these responsibilities. Have you write vegetables into your vows.

[ that's enough to make him rear up a little, as if he's trying to see whether or not ignis is serious. ]

... we're about to get the fastest divorce in history.

[ He is definitely not serious

but he is laughing, and looking completely unrepentant. ]

Surely as your husband it would be my duty to keep you healthy and well. I'll put a juicer on the gift registry, wake you up each morning with a nice, healthy glass of kale and ginger.

[ THAT IS ENOUGH TO GET THE LOUDEST UGH.

and he's rolling off ignis!! so that he can drag the blankets over his head and disappear under them. ]

[ Alright, maybe the suggestion of vegetables combined with the phrase wake up was too much. He slips a hand down under the covers to find Noct's and tugs it up to his face, presses a little kiss against his knuckles. ]

I promise to honour and respect your stance on vegetables.

[ There is, conspicuously, no mention of his stance on waking up. Though he's sure he can think of better ways to do it. ]

[ ... well. he can compromise by throwing the blanket over ignis, and bundling them up together. ]

Thanks for reminding me to put a line about kale in my vows.

[ Well that's better. He takes the opportunity to twine in close, hooks a leg over Noct's. ]

Not the vows, darling. Put in the in the prenup. Make it legally binding.

Binding, huh?

[ snorting a laugh into ignis' shoulder. ] Kinky.