[Noctis rolls the strawberries into his suit jacket pocket, not really caring if they squish a bit while they walk. If he's not allowed to take them with him to the next spot, at least he tried. And if he can take them, perhaps they'll find somewhere with a kitchen.]
We finally found the missing ingredient, after all these years.
[ He kneels back down himself to pluck a couple of strawberries and pockets them as well. The final ingredient huh. This is what he had in mind, was giving the pastry a well, final go. ]
If we find the rest of the ingredients in Lestallum, perhaps I can make it for you.
[ He stands back up and looks over to Noctis again. ]
[Noctis snags Ignis' hand again to lead him to the next destination, his eyes roving along the treeline to an exit that looks like something Carbuncle would have set up for them. He spots it after a moment: a huge tree with a vast dark hole in the center, knotted and encircled with vines. He walks towards it, pulling Ignis with him, and guides them right into the dark, his hand reaching out towards the next realm of their shared dream. The shadows swallow them up just as before.
Within moments the world re-materializes into an alley of Lestallum, half a block away from the market. The city is hot, dusty, and unnaturally quiet, humming with energy from the powerplant like always, same as ever in almost every other way. It's weird to not see the streets crowded with people, but that just means it's easy to navigate.]
[ Like before, he allows himself to be dragged along and thankfully, no jumping off a cliff this time. He's patient with the darkness surrounding them and waits on his vision to clear up. They're in an alley somewhere in Lestallum.
It's kind of nice to have it to themselves. But that's not why they're here. ]
Yes, [ he confirms, starting to move in that direction. ] I'll admit that it's strange not being shoulder to shoulder with people. Did Talcott fill you in?
[ He spies out the market shortly after and blinks in surprise. Looks like there's a lot more food overall and it's filled with Ignis' and Noctis' favorite foods. The powers of a dreamland, he supposes.
Which means, he should be able to find what he's looking for the pastries. ]
I got some details, yeah. Lestallum being the only place where people can live these days... it's hard to imagine.
[Lucis had always been sparsely populated beyond the big cities, but there was always people out and about, moving from place to place. He'd never seen the world look so empty as that road trip from Galdin to Hammerhead with Talcott.]
You guys are amazing, living like that for so long.
[There's an edge of helpless regret to his voice. It was out of his hands the whole time, but he's still sorry that it took him so long to come back.]
It wouldn't have been possible without the power plant. [ though, he's blind in the real world, he got a pretty good idea of just how crowded this place got.
He gestures towards the food next. ] I think we're free to pick whatever we want.
... Did the strawberries come with you? [ his did, thankfully. ]
Ah... [Noctis gives his pocket a light pat, feeling the soft weight of them.] Looks like it. Think we can dig up the other ingredients for one more try?
[ He smiles back before he disappears, heading into the market, opposite of Noctis. He does find what he needs pretty quickly. Satisfied, he makes his way to the hotel and gets the biggest room.
He sets to work on getting things ready to go in the small kitchen. He plucks his own strawberries out of his pocket and sets them down on the counter. He continues working on them, until they're more or less ready to go in the oven, but he pauses. Noctis had strawberries on him too so he'll wait.
He leans back against the counter, arms folding across his chest. Noctis should be here any minute now... ]
[Noctis takes the longer path through town, not hurrying at all. He finds a couple of vending machines beneath some overhang that only require a little shake to deliver a couple cans of Ebony out the bottom. Coffee's never been his preference, but considering the times he'd asked about its quality, perhaps his aged-up self will finally acquire a taste for it. If not, well. At least he'll have tried it before he died.
After that he just... walks. Thinks, in the peaceful atmosphere of a quiet town, gathers his twisting thoughts. Loses track of time, honestly, as he ventures out of the city proper and finds himself standing at the overlook, casting his gaze out across the rift, taking in the incredible landscape beyond, a testament to the power of the gods. This place has always been beautiful- the Disc was a tourist location, back in the day, and for good reason. Lovely in daytime, breathtaking at night when the whole meteor lights up. It's mid-afternoon now, so the view isn't as good, but that's fine. They were there at night, not that long ago. The view itself is another reminder of what he's here for, of what he's going to save.
Before too much time passes he drags himself away and reaches the Leville, only barely in time to meet Ignis' suggested time limit.]
[ Noctis sure is taking a while, he's starting to worry a little bit, but he knows all too well that Noctis just has a lot on his mind. Ignis looks up when he hears footsteps down below, he moves to lean against the kitchen door and looks over the man stepping in.
Is that...? Ignis' gaze falls onto the cans and he gives a light laugh. ]
You found Ebony. [ He knows the look of those cans anywhere. ]
They're almost ready to go in the oven, but I need the strawberries that you have.
Sure did. [Noctis smiles victoriously and sets the cans together on the table, heading over to join him.] You work fast.
[He digs carefully through his pocket to pull out the collection of strawberries- a bit dusty and squished, but otherwise intact and good enough for dessert. He gives them a wash and lays them out on the counter for Ignis.]
[ He raises an eyebrow as if to say, come on. It's Ignis and cooking. ] You were gone a while.
[ Ignis moves to cut the back ends off first, then he thinks over Noctis' question. He smiles to himself as he walks behind Noctis, not answering and wraps an arm around his - taking his hand into his own. He does the same thing with Noctis' other arm and guides him over to both the strawberries and the pastries that need them. He mutters careful instructions to Noctis as he guides their joined hands together. The process itself doesn't take long, and once it's done, he gently release Noctis' hands but wraps his arms around his chest instead, tilts his head to plant a kiss on his cheek before he release Noctis from his grasp.
Ignis acts like nothing happened and puts the pastries in the oven, while watching out of the corner his eye for Noctis' reaction to the whole thing. He can't help but smile to himself. Revenge had. ]
[O-oh... that's bold. Noctis' breath catches a bit, surprised by it, but he doesn't push back, instead allowing Ignis to guide his hands through the steps of chopping, mixing, and distributing the strawberry mix into the rest of the pastry arrangement. His cheeks are pink when Ignis kisses him, his gaze low, looking a little embarrassed.]
Now that you know you're allowed to do that, you're gonna be a monster about it, aren't you, [he mumbles, more like a shy teenager than any sort of chosen hero or king.] I gave you too much power.
[ He sets a timer and laughs at the reaction. He was hoping for that. ]
That's for tossing us off a cliff. Or pushing a strawberry to my mouth. [ He gives Noctis an amused grin as he sidesteps around him, moving out of the kitchen to make a mad grab for a can of Ebony. Noctis... really can't talk here. ]
[Noctis frowns at that, free hand lifting to fix the ruffled hair. Ten years later and he's still vain about his hairstyle, though in the world of ruin it wasn't like he had immediate access to all the usual styling material.]
I'd be fine with conceding... we've done enough fighting in a war. What was so bad about feeding you a strawberry, anyway? They're good.
[ He moves past Noctis and sits on the edge of the bed, his own cheeks going a little pink. ]
It was very uh, [ he struggles to find the right words here. ] intimate.
[ Green eyes to lift to meet Noctis'. ] I'm new to this, but I have read that can be seen as a sexual gesture. [ He sucks in a breath then ducks his head a bit. Now it's his turn to feel embarrassed. ]
[As if he wasn't blushing enough already... Noctis shifts from foot to foot, feeling sheepish at having done so unintentionally. Who knew that something so seemingly innocent could be interpreted that way.]
Sorry... if I made it weird.
[He didn't know what else to say. This was the last day and all, but he was still new to kissing, nevermind everything else. And it probably wasn't a good idea to get any more... well, attached.]
[ Ignis just shakes his head. ] Hardly your fault. [ he mumbles, Ignis had taken it that way, just cause from the books that he'd read as a early teenager. He loved to learn so reading up on stuff like that didn't bother him, it was all a part of learning, but he'd never thought it come to practice for him. Kissing being the new thing.
He looks up to watch Noctis, seeing his blush and shifting. ] Noct, it's quite okay. [ he pats free spot on the bed next to him. ]
[Noctis offers up a tiny, sheepish smile and heads over to sit beside Ignis, leaning over so their shoulders brush. He ducks his head, holding the unopened Ebony between his knees.]
I'm new to this too. Never got this close before.
[There'd never really been anyone. From the announcement of the treaty terms right up until they were going to leave Galdin, one of his biggest concerns were what Luna's expectations of him might be as her husband right off the bat. All of that had been thrown to the wayside after Insomnia fell, and he'd never given it another thought since. And prior to their adventures, he had barely met anyone in Insomnia who didn't treat him like a prince more than a person. He couldn't imagine finding romance with someone who put him on a pedestal like that.
Ignis... he still had his duty, his loyalty to the crown and to Noctis himself. But at least he was able to juggle the two in a mostly healthy manner. He was a retainer to Noctis all his life, but they were primarily friends at the start, and that feeling had never gone away. Ignis is safe and comfortable for Noctis, in ways few people could boast.]
[ His own can of Ebony is opened and he shifts it to his other side, keeping it out the closeness that they're sharing. He hesitates, then places an arm around Noctis' shoulders. He knows that both of their lives weren't easy, but being with Noctis is just comfortable and safe. His trust for Noctis is at an all time high. ]
A certain special king told me to be selfish and I'm glad I did. [ he takes in a little breath ] I never thought this would happen to me. [ especially after he became blind, and during that ten years, he'd given up on it. ]
[Noctis hums faintly, resting more comfortably against Ignis.]
Me too. I'm... glad neither of us have to go through this alone.
[He'd been terrified of dying, before, and had said as much. Some of that fear still lingers, but Ignis is undeniably helping. This is what he'd meant, about asking how to be brave.]
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[Noctis rolls the strawberries into his suit jacket pocket, not really caring if they squish a bit while they walk. If he's not allowed to take them with him to the next spot, at least he tried. And if he can take them, perhaps they'll find somewhere with a kitchen.]
We finally found the missing ingredient, after all these years.
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If we find the rest of the ingredients in Lestallum, perhaps I can make it for you.
[ He stands back up and looks over to Noctis again. ]
Are you ready to go?
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[Noctis snags Ignis' hand again to lead him to the next destination, his eyes roving along the treeline to an exit that looks like something Carbuncle would have set up for them. He spots it after a moment: a huge tree with a vast dark hole in the center, knotted and encircled with vines. He walks towards it, pulling Ignis with him, and guides them right into the dark, his hand reaching out towards the next realm of their shared dream. The shadows swallow them up just as before.
Within moments the world re-materializes into an alley of Lestallum, half a block away from the market. The city is hot, dusty, and unnaturally quiet, humming with energy from the powerplant like always, same as ever in almost every other way. It's weird to not see the streets crowded with people, but that just means it's easy to navigate.]
The market next, right?
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It's kind of nice to have it to themselves. But that's not why they're here. ]
Yes, [ he confirms, starting to move in that direction. ] I'll admit that it's strange not being shoulder to shoulder with people. Did Talcott fill you in?
[ He spies out the market shortly after and blinks in surprise. Looks like there's a lot more food overall and it's filled with Ignis' and Noctis' favorite foods. The powers of a dreamland, he supposes.
Which means, he should be able to find what he's looking for the pastries. ]
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[Lucis had always been sparsely populated beyond the big cities, but there was always people out and about, moving from place to place. He'd never seen the world look so empty as that road trip from Galdin to Hammerhead with Talcott.]
You guys are amazing, living like that for so long.
[There's an edge of helpless regret to his voice. It was out of his hands the whole time, but he's still sorry that it took him so long to come back.]
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He gestures towards the food next. ] I think we're free to pick whatever we want.
... Did the strawberries come with you? [ his did, thankfully. ]
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Meet at the Leville in fifteen minutes?
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I'm sure that I'll figure it out. See you there.
[Now, to see if this version of Lestallum has any Ebony in stock somewhere...]
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He sets to work on getting things ready to go in the small kitchen. He plucks his own strawberries out of his pocket and sets them down on the counter. He continues working on them, until they're more or less ready to go in the oven, but he pauses. Noctis had strawberries on him too so he'll wait.
He leans back against the counter, arms folding across his chest. Noctis should be here any minute now... ]
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After that he just... walks. Thinks, in the peaceful atmosphere of a quiet town, gathers his twisting thoughts. Loses track of time, honestly, as he ventures out of the city proper and finds himself standing at the overlook, casting his gaze out across the rift, taking in the incredible landscape beyond, a testament to the power of the gods. This place has always been beautiful- the Disc was a tourist location, back in the day, and for good reason. Lovely in daytime, breathtaking at night when the whole meteor lights up. It's mid-afternoon now, so the view isn't as good, but that's fine. They were there at night, not that long ago. The view itself is another reminder of what he's here for, of what he's going to save.
Before too much time passes he drags himself away and reaches the Leville, only barely in time to meet Ignis' suggested time limit.]
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Is that...? Ignis' gaze falls onto the cans and he gives a light laugh. ]
You found Ebony. [ He knows the look of those cans anywhere. ]
They're almost ready to go in the oven, but I need the strawberries that you have.
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[He digs carefully through his pocket to pull out the collection of strawberries- a bit dusty and squished, but otherwise intact and good enough for dessert. He gives them a wash and lays them out on the counter for Ignis.]
Need a hand?
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[ Ignis moves to cut the back ends off first, then he thinks over Noctis' question. He smiles to himself as he walks behind Noctis, not answering and wraps an arm around his - taking his hand into his own. He does the same thing with Noctis' other arm and guides him over to both the strawberries and the pastries that need them. He mutters careful instructions to Noctis as he guides their joined hands together. The process itself doesn't take long, and once it's done, he gently release Noctis' hands but wraps his arms around his chest instead, tilts his head to plant a kiss on his cheek before he release Noctis from his grasp.
Ignis acts like nothing happened and puts the pastries in the oven, while watching out of the corner his eye for Noctis' reaction to the whole thing. He can't help but smile to himself. Revenge had. ]
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Now that you know you're allowed to do that, you're gonna be a monster about it, aren't you, [he mumbles, more like a shy teenager than any sort of chosen hero or king.] I gave you too much power.
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That's for tossing us off a cliff. Or pushing a strawberry to my mouth. [ He gives Noctis an amused grin as he sidesteps around him, moving out of the kitchen to make a mad grab for a can of Ebony. Noctis... really can't talk here. ]
Maybe you woke up the monster in me.
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[Doesn't stop him from following Ignis, after washing his hands- and flicking the droplets at Ignis' face as he passes to fetch his own can.]
That's more fun when you have glasses on... can you see okay like this?
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Yes, I'm fine. I can see just fine without my glasses.
[ He pops the can of Ebony open. He always preferred his world to be crystal clear, but he's honestly not minding not having his glasses here.
He follows after Noctis and ruffles his hair with his free hand. ] Careful, [ he warns ] we might have a war on our hands.
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I'd be fine with conceding... we've done enough fighting in a war. What was so bad about feeding you a strawberry, anyway? They're good.
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It was very uh, [ he struggles to find the right words here. ] intimate.
[ Green eyes to lift to meet Noctis'. ] I'm new to this, but I have read that can be seen as a sexual gesture. [ He sucks in a breath then ducks his head a bit. Now it's his turn to feel embarrassed. ]
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[As if he wasn't blushing enough already... Noctis shifts from foot to foot, feeling sheepish at having done so unintentionally. Who knew that something so seemingly innocent could be interpreted that way.]
Sorry... if I made it weird.
[He didn't know what else to say. This was the last day and all, but he was still new to kissing, nevermind everything else. And it probably wasn't a good idea to get any more... well, attached.]
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He looks up to watch Noctis, seeing his blush and shifting. ] Noct, it's quite okay. [ he pats free spot on the bed next to him. ]
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I'm new to this too. Never got this close before.
[There'd never really been anyone. From the announcement of the treaty terms right up until they were going to leave Galdin, one of his biggest concerns were what Luna's expectations of him might be as her husband right off the bat. All of that had been thrown to the wayside after Insomnia fell, and he'd never given it another thought since. And prior to their adventures, he had barely met anyone in Insomnia who didn't treat him like a prince more than a person. He couldn't imagine finding romance with someone who put him on a pedestal like that.
Ignis... he still had his duty, his loyalty to the crown and to Noctis himself. But at least he was able to juggle the two in a mostly healthy manner. He was a retainer to Noctis all his life, but they were primarily friends at the start, and that feeling had never gone away. Ignis is safe and comfortable for Noctis, in ways few people could boast.]
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A certain special king told me to be selfish and I'm glad I did. [ he takes in a little breath ] I never thought this would happen to me. [ especially after he became blind, and during that ten years, he'd given up on it. ]
Out of all people, I'm glad it's you, Noct.
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Me too. I'm... glad neither of us have to go through this alone.
[He'd been terrified of dying, before, and had said as much. Some of that fear still lingers, but Ignis is undeniably helping. This is what he'd meant, about asking how to be brave.]
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