Grand Chamberlain

He managed to be silent for a while.  Trembling, but just a little.  Just… breathing, counting out breaths, listening to Ignis’ voice.

It hurt.  It hurt, and he knew Ignis was above lying just to make him feel better–

He knew that Ignis was hurting too.  Gladiolus.  Everyone who’d really and truly known Noct were still trying to figure out how to bandage up the gaping wound his death had left.

Prompto knew there’d be anger.  More of it, and brighter; bright enough to burn to light his way to Hell.  But until then… there was sorrow.  And weariness.  All the things said too late or not at all, all the things maybe they should have done or tried to do one more time, or…

Placing a hand on Ignis’ own, he was sure his crying was obvious.  Silent as he tried to make it, the shaking wracked his body until they were merely silent sobs.  He wanted to apologize for being the exact opposite of what Ignis thought he was, but–

“S-sorry…”  He’d try.  He’d try again.  He’d try tomorrow.  When the sunlight hit him like a physical blow.  Over and over again.  For the rest of his life.

Ignis found Prompto’s face, stroking tears away. 

“Listen...” Still trying not to crowd him, he settled down, “You’ve nothing to apologise for... Some might say to grieve is the strongest thing of all...” 

Confessing to Prompto would be a first. He took a steady breath, thumbs tracing his cheekbones. He hadn’t said a thing to Gladio, though no doubt he knew enough on his own. To voice it would just be giving him permission to push the issue beyond his limits.

“This grief, it’s far larger than myself... I can’t- I can’t. I owe it to him, but I can’t.” 

He swallowed the rising anger, shaking his head to disperse thought after guilty thought, Prompto’s face cradled in his hands. 

@libraxelementia​

Okay.  Okay, good.  That was fine.  Ignore, forget, nothing to see there.  Anymore.  Openly.

…But…  “We’re, uh.  Good.  Right?  Not that we wouldn’t be good, I just–  I wanted to–  Make sure.  It’s cool.  We’re cool.  And not just… super awkwardly avoiding each other forever.”  Although maybe that’d be for the best considering maybe inviting conversation was a bad idea except that it was too late to stop himself…

Even whilst burning up, wishing he’d crumble to dust and dissipate, Ignis’ concern was for Noctis. The last thing he wanted was for him to feel he’d caught him doing something wrong. 

“It’s all perfectly fine... Oh, come now, as if I’d ever ignore you.” 

Despite flashing him a wry smile, he glanced away. It was all too easy to picture what Noct had been wearing in the mirror. He refused to let his mind wander down that road. 

“Is that- Is that a smile, Mr. Scientia?” Noctis smirked.

“A trick of the light, I assure you.” 

Now he’s both smiling and flushed, easily dismantled before His Royal Highness. 

“What? I can’t say straight?”

He’s definitely not almost laughing. Nope. Not at all.

INTIMACY TURNED ANGSTY MEMES

@xamicitia

The yelp as Gladio manhandled him, albeit with concern, was indignant. 

before the fall:     battle prompts.

He didn’t have the strength to bite back at that remark, having used it instead to wipe a smear of blood from Noct’s jaw. Unable to keep eye contact with him so desolate, Ignis shot a desperate look towards Gladio. 

Please. I’m trapped, you know it. 

Comfort Starters

“I know... I know.” 

As they sat, weary to the bone, exhausted on every level, Ignis let his head rest against Noct’s. He didn’t apologise, hesitate, or question it. He leant there, eyes closed, emotion welling in his throat, instead apologetic for the things he couldn’t change. 

“If I could somehow give you another life... If I could take this all on, take it away for you, I would, in a heartbeat. I swear it. It would be the easiest decision of my life. It would already be yours.” 

Comfort Starters

Still trying to coax Prompto out of a heap, Ignis reached for him, and failing that, rested a warm hand at the back of his neck. 

“Prompto...” He whispered. “It is going to get better. It doesn’t feel that way, I know, but I promise you, it will get better.” 

Somehow, someday, they’d move on. They had to. 

Comfort Starters

"If you let me in, Novus, we can speak about this. Although I talk to the wall more often than I’d like around here, talking to a door is where I draw the line.”