fourstrings | With an artful flutter, as if on cue

With an artful flutter, as if on cue

[ Ignis is, to put it bluntly, buggered.

He has managed his condition since it first developed, when he was studying in Altissia. This was a convenient place for the onset; he was able to go through all the creeping horror of realizing what had happened to him and discover what he needed to do without it impacting on his performance in any way. By the time he’d returned home it was all under control, and while the honourable thing to do would have been to resign his position and never have contact with the royal family again, he can’t bring himself to do it. He’ll never harm Noctis or anyone associated with him, of course, and by this stage he’s so deeply in love with Noct and so devoted that he simply can’t bring himself to do it.

So he manages. It’s actually relatively easy to find a ready source of human blood, and he needs only a very small amount of it to continue performing at a level equal to that he’d always displayed. Easy enough, too, to tidily conceal a number of vials for their road trip, and his tendency to rise before the others means it’s simple enough to mix a little into his morning coffee and have nobody any wiser.

And then, because nothing can go smoothly on this trip, apparently, they get the Regalia back from the Empire and his supply is gone. He should have had Noct stow it in the armiger, really, but the thought that he’d discover it and ask difficult questions was too much. He reasons with himself that all he needs to do is wait until they land somewhere more densely populated and he can find a was to solve the issue discreetly, but that’s proving harder than he imagined. Between attacks and hunts and delays along the way, he feels worse and worse until it’s nearly unbearable. He starts making stupid mistakes in fights, has to leave Noct in charge of driving (it becomes bad enough that eventually he agrees to letting Prompto take the wheel) and every car ride, every night in the tent, every evening clustered around a table together is like torture. He can smell all of them, alive and vital and delicious. They don’t smell like food, not exactly, but with Ignis as prone to compiling recipes based on tasting similarities as he is, he can’t help but make the association. If they were wine Gladio would be a deep, rich Accordan red, Prompto something fresh and crisp like a sauvignon blanc – and Noctis. Oh, Noctis. Ignis had been present for King Regis’ 50th birthday and all the celebrations associated. There had been champagne, a famous vintage that was so prized as to be completely unavailable for purchase; it was only ever given as a gift, and only to the most important figures. It had been the most splendid thing Ignis had ever tasted, and it’s Jetty’s compared to the scent that billows from Noctis.

He cracks when they’re camping one night. Noctis rolls over in his sleep, bringing him painfully close to Ignis and in such a way that his head is tipped back, all the pale glory of his throat revealed, so close Ignis swears he can hear Noct’s pulse. So he flees. Leaves the tent taking only his daggers, leaves the haven. It seems inadvisable to try and drink from a demon, but it takes him a terribly long time to find an animal given the demonic presence in the area. He settles eventually on a rat; disgusting, yes, but al least not cute enough for him to have to look Noctis in the eye and know that his soft, animal-lover’s heart would be wounded by the knowledge of Ignis killing something sweet and trusting. It’s bugger of a thing to catch with his reflexes dulled as they are -

and then he vomits up all the blood in any case, rendering the whole endeavor useless.

His only option is to disappear. It will ache to do, and perhaps when the matter is resolved he can return and apologize, but the thought of it still hurts enough that he returns to the very border of the haven to look at the tent and regret his folly before he goes.

Which is another mistake, because that gives him the opportunity to see Noctis poking his head out of the tent, calling his name, and for Noct to see him in return.

Damn it all. ]

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[ It helps, really, to see Noctis laugh. Makes it feel less like a sinister deed done in the dark and more like a part of their friendship, complicated and convoluted as it is. And then Noct takes his hand again, and Ignis' chest tightens in the most wonderful way that makes him feel warm like he hasn't for weeks. So he squeezes, trying to take a moment just to enjoy the feeling of that closeness even through the clamour of his instincts to bite. ]

Somehow, the answer is both absolutely and not at all.

[ He smiles as he says it though, and angles himself toward Noct in preparation. But it feels... awkward. Wrong, almost. He wants Noctis closer to him, in his arms, and he can't tell how much of that is hunger and how much of it it the feelings he's carried for Noct for years. Still, he's already imposing, so he shuffles a little closer, lays a hand against Noct's neck and his mouth near his throat, close enough to kiss. And oh, he wants to. ]

May I?

[ is he ready? yes and no all at once, and it's impossible to tell whether the tangled knot in his stomach is nerves or excitement. especially when ignis shifts closer, mouth close enough to his skin that he can feel the tickle of the other man's breath. his breath hitches, pulse so loud in his ears that he scarcely hears when ignis asks him if he's ready.

but the clasp of their hands is reassuring, and he reminds himself that it's ignis -- ]

Yeah. [ it's soft, breathless. ]

Alright.

[ It's all he can manage, really, because this close that tremble has started up again and he can feel his resolve crumbling. So much so, in fact, that he allows himself the faintest brush of lips against the curve of Noct's neck before he proceeds.

Then, it's fairly simple. The bite is swift, just the sink of fangs into flesh incredible, and then-

oh. Bliss. He was so, so wrong - Noct's blood isn't like champagne, it's like nothing he ever could have imagined. Rich and wonderful and intoxicating, and he can feel it flowing into him and enlivening him. And almost without any control in the matter, he scoops Noct up and pulls him into his lap, never breaking the seal of his mouth against Noct's throat. ]

[ that brush of lips against his throat is so different than the bite he was expecting that it makes his breath hitch, heart leaping up into his throat --

and then ignis bites down, and the feeling of it sends a flare through his system. something like pain and pleasure all at once, enough to send bright sparkling flares dancing across his field of vision. ignis draws him into his arms, into his lap, and noctis is dizzy with it all. swept away, and he grabs a fistful of ignis' blazer just to steady himself. the moan that spills out of him is something helpless, something he's even scarcely aware of, but gods.

if this is what it's like, no wonder all those damsels are swooning over dracula. ]

[ Even before he hears the moan, Ignis can taste that reaction in Noct's blood - taste the spike of pleasure through him that's such a wonderful surprise in addition to the pain Ignis had expected. A mouthful is already more than he's accustomed to but he can feel all the sharpness he'd lost coming back to him and more. Ironically, he feels more alive than he ever has. He slips a hand up into Noct's hair, cradling the back of his head as he drinks. He's hard, now, but there hardly seems room to be ashamed of it amongst everything he's feeling.

It's enough. More than enough. And he'd been so worried that actually biting someone would turn him into little more than a beast, but it feels as though the opposite is true. This gives him crystal clarity, an awareness beyond what he's ever experienced. He can hear the rustle of the grass as insects move slowly through it, smell the difference in the foliage of the types of trees that surround them - so the feeling of Noctis this close, warm and sweet, is better than anything. He should stop, but he can't bear the thought of it ending so soon - slows, instead, until the blood he's taking isn't in great needy swallows but the slow movement of his tongue against the pinprick points in Noct's throat, and keeps his prince clutched close. ]

[ it's almost like being asleep. well, no -- it's more like dreaming while he's still awake, caught up in some wonderful spell while still being aware of everything that's happening. even the smallest touch feels electric; ignis' hand sliding through his hair is enough to draw a little gasp out of him, and the slow licks of ignis' touch against his throat have his blood running hot.

it's only then that he notices he's hard, but he's lulled into too much of a dreamy state to even feel embarrassed by it. he's forgotten entirely about his plan to summon a weapon from the armiger and escape -- right now, he'd be more than happy to keep his neck bared and let this go on forever. ]

Ignis...

[ It's wonderful. He can feel the pleasure in Noct in something that's more expansive than taste, now, as if it's flowing into him instead of the blood that he's now taking by mere drops. It floods him, taking over; with his thirst slaked nothing is more important than the feeling of Noct's body against his, the sweet sounds he makes, the knowledge that he's enjoying it. Unthinkingly, Ignis presses up against the weight of Noct in his lap, rocks Noct gently against him, and the friction makes him gasp -

which is enough to break the hold of his mouth against Noct's throat. It isn't quite enough to break the spell - the bliss of it is still pulsing through him, and he's not quite himself enough to regret pulling Noct into his lap or indeed remove him. But he does pull back a little, enough to look at Noct's face, searching. ]

[ it makes him groan when ignis rocks up against him, the heat of his cock able to be felt even through their clothing. proof that how good this feels is a mutual thing, and... hell, maybe that means they can do it more often. a lot more often.

but just as the thought crosses his mind, ignis pulls away from his throat. it doesn't lift the fog that's hanging heavy over noctis' thoughts, but he does make a little sound of protest --

and maybe that's why, when their eyes meet, it feels as natural as anything to lean up and press their mouths hungrily together. he can taste his own blood on ignis' mouth, and that really should be gross, but gods. he's wanted to kiss ignis for so long, and everything pumping through his system just makes it feel so right. ]

[ Yes. Noct kisses him, hungrily, crushingly, and Ignis returns it with all the urgency he feels. It's something he's craved, dreamed of for years, and while none of those fantasies had included painting Noct's own blood into his mouth with the press of his tongue it's no less magical for it.

He presses up again, rocking his hips up against the weight of Noctis over him, and his hands are at the fastenings of Noct's pants before he realizes what he's doing. And - maybe it's overconfidence from all the power the blood seems to have given him, maybe it's the connection he'd felt as he drank, but he doesn't stop himself. Works at the button and zipper until he can slip his hand in and curl his fingers around Noct's dick. ]

[ he'd be embarrassed if he had to admit just how long he's wanted to kiss ignis -- and even if this is nothing like he way he imagined it might go, it's still ridiculously good. ignis deepens the kiss almost immediately, and the hot swipe of his tongue is enough to make noctis whine a greedy noise in return. every bit of that hunger ignis had shown while feeding off him is still present in this kiss, and somehow that just makes it hotter.

more, he wants more --

but then, almost as if he'd spoken the desire out loud, ignis' hand is dipping below the waistband of noctis' shorts and those long fingers are wrapping around his dick. it makes noctis gasp, breaking the kiss with a wet sound as he clutches at ignis like a drowning man. this is all happening so fast -- too fast? -- and there's a part of him that thinks maybe they should pump the brakes here so they can talk the whole thing over, but... gods, it feels good when ignis touches him. it makes it nearly impossible to think, and the way his head is still swimming from having ignis feed off him makes it that much harder. it's so much easier just to fall into it, to rut his hips up greedily into the other man's hand, to let himself have what he's wanted for years. ]

[ Noct breaks that kiss and Ignis aches with the loss of it, even with the hard heat of Noct's dick in his hand, where he's wanted it for years. Still, it's worth it for the way Noct bucks up into his grip, and Ignis is drunk enough off the feeling Noct's blood gave him and the magic of long-held fantasies realized that he just moves his hand to mimic the hitch of Noct's hips, stroking over him until he finds a slow rhythm. ]

You're so beautiful. You're everything I thought you'd be. More. I've wanted you for years, and I never dreamed you'd be like this.

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With an artful flutter, as if on cue

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