Bonds and Talks and Chocobros, Oh My! [closed]

[clickclickbang]

Who: Prompto Argentum, Noctis Lucis Caelum, and Ignis Scientia
When: July 6th onwards
Where: Prompto's place and Noct/Iggy's place
What: Bonding needs to happen stat, but so do some important conversations.
Warnings: TBD

Starters below because there's a lot of threads about to happen here.

Comments

[quickrecipeh]

[He showed an emotion other than "I hate carrots" in Ignis' direction. Pardon the poor man for being pleasantly caught off guard. He's used to their usual back and forth, just it being what it is, with no frills and hardly anything of substance shared unless it needed to be. Being able to feel making someone happy is... really kind of nice, okay? So let him be happy, too.

He crosses over to take a seat beside Noct, face neutral again.]

Perhaps you'll have to go out earlier in the day, then. Though if catch and release is satisfying enough, that's what matters.

[eluci]

Me? Go out earlier?

[He probably should go out before noon on his days off from work, it's true.]

I suppose I could give it a shot. You might have to help, but you'll get fish out of it, so it would work itself out just fine.

[By choosing a spot next to Noctis, Ignis has entered into an unsaid agreement that Noctis gets to use his shoulder as a pillow. He's not falling asleep--not yet, anyway--but he's closing his eyes and Ignis might either hear or feel what seems to be soft snoring coming from his direction. Since the fire's going, he's shed the blanket, but kept the hat, even if it threatens to fall off if he moves his head the wrong way.]

[quickrecipeh]

[Everyone else is probably out at like 6 AM, Noct. But he doesn't say that. He nods; he'll help with the fishing.]

I'll gladly try cooking whatever's worth keeping.

[Though... He feels that head heavy against his shoulder and there's a little shake of insecurity that echoes through him. Momentary, faint, but there. Then he looks over to Noct. He might be asleep. He's close enough that he's not paying attention to the hat, which Ignis gently positions back where it belongs.]

[eluci]

[He seems asleep, but when he responds a few seconds later, he doesn't sound drowsy.]

Figured. But m'not going out until everything stops being loud and giving me a headache.

[Which is after the moon starts waning, probably. That's what he gets for assuming the full moon wouldn't affect him as much while Bonded.]

It's like I can hear everything and it sucks.

[quickrecipeh]

[He hadn't realized it was quite that bad. Frowning, he glances at Noct, and when he speaks again his voice is softer. He can't do anything huge beyond the Bond to help Noctis, but he can do small, useful, meaningful things.]

Have you tried something like... earplugs or earmuffs even? I'll be quieter around the house, as well.

[eluci]

Like earplugs would work.

[He huffs, sitting back upright and pulling off the hat, freeing the large cat ears that have replaced his normal ones.]

Haven't tried earmuffs, but I don't know if they would even stay on.

[quickrecipeh]

I imagine we could come up with something. You're not the only person having such problems, I'd assume, so there's bound to be a solution.

[Though. He's trying really hard not to stare at the cat ears.]

You don't have to hide those from me, you know.

[eluci]

[No, but he feels like the only one having an issue with the problems at the moment. It's another thing that's been dumped on him that he can't ignore no matter how much he wants to, especially this month.

One ear is turned toward Ignis, but the other twitches slightly towards the fire just before one of the logs crackles.]

I'm hiding them from everyone. You, Prompto, Aera, Ardyn--especially Ardyn--anyone else in this city...

[He doesn't distrust any of them at all, he's just being stubborn.]

[quickrecipeh]

[Ignis lets out the softest, quietest of sighs.]

You aren't the only one experiencing these changes, you know. Many people are. It's part of being here. Though the Witches among us can only stand by and watch... It's not as though anyone will mock you. And if they do, well...

[He nudges Noct with his elbow a bit.]

Do you remember that one time? When you were still in high school. That thug I dealt with? I assure you I haven't lost my touch.

[It's half joking.]

there's a lie in that last tag's metatext; he distrusts Ardyn

[eluci]

Of course I'm not the only one. I'd be a little more upset if I were the only one going through weird monster puberty.

[He lets himself get nudged but shoves Ignis lightly back.]

I'm only worried about one person mocking me, and if he does, he's having a talk with Dad's sword.

[Unless Ardyn is also changing into something, and then he'll (try to) mock him in return.

He's not actually considering stabbing the man over taunts, though. Just threatening.]

I remember that. I think that's about when I decided it's probably better never to get you truly angry.

[quickrecipeh]

Noct, I could never be that angry with you, you realize.

[Honestly, the worst thing Ignis can think of Noct doing to him is dismissing him, and even then he'd just deal with it. Somehow.]

Just keep in mind that you're not unusual for something like this. We'll all grow accustomed to it in time. And... besides that, the ears suit you.

[eluci]

[Were he able to, he'd pin his ears back to indicate that he disagrees with that opinion. As it is, he can't do that yet, so he settles for huffing and pulling a face instead.]

...No they don't.

[Maybe they'll go away when the moon starts waning again. They're soft, though, and while petting them himself just feels a little weird, he's almost curious what it would feel like for someone else to touch them. Almost.]

I don't act that much like a cat.

[quickrecipeh]

[Snerk.]

I've always been fond of cats.

[He says that with a distinct tone that implies how fond he is of Noctis as well. Ignis slides an arm around Noct's shoulders gently, smoothly, and rests a hand atop his hair, between the ears. Maybe his thumb is touching one...]

[eluci]

[He knows how fond you are of him, Ignis. He's heard two love confessions in less than a month, so he's got a really good idea how you feel.]

Have you now.

[There's a digit on one of his ears and out of reflex, that ear twitches. It's more annoying than anything, and he tips his head a little to see if he can get movement across the fur instead of just touch.]

[quickrecipeh]

[Love confessions? Hardly. Messages of devotion aren't the same thing, and love takes many forms. It's not like he sat down and enumerated how he thinks of Noct constantly, how he's pretty sure he'd die without him. Yes, he loves Noct in a hundred different ways, but he's not gone so far as to declare it romantic.

However. This is cute.]

Do I seem more like a dog person, to you?

[He slides his hand slightly sideways and strokes the ear his thumb was touching. It's hesitant, like he's not sure if it's the right thing to do, but he can read that Noct wants it, so he obliges.]