ARCHIVED

There’s some modicum of respect given to the one he’s supposed to be guarding when the outer layers of his garments fall from broad shoulders. He looks away the moment they’re shed, instead decides to stand near the balcony door, and finds some amount of quiet interest in the liveliness Insomnia still bears despite the current time of night, remaining utterly true to it’s namesake. Still, he gives the other brief glances if only to ascertain his position. As reliable as his ears are, he certainly won’t begrudge the use of sight, and perhaps it’s slightly indulgent in satisfying a quiet curiosity on Ravus’ body type underneath such lacklustre robes.

“Reprimand?” 

Incredulity is a faint thing lilting his otherwise impassive tone as he turns his gaze once more to the city lights. There’s no trust here twixt himself and Ravus, no feeling of camaraderie, but after so long standing guard for this man there’s certainly no point in being shy with frivolous conversation. He does tend to get bored, after all, and though he does have Noct to communicate with via phone, he prefers to remain professional in the presence of his charge.

“Not quite the case.” 

A pause. To engage further or not? Ignis stays silent a moment later before deciding to do so. There’s no victory in the both of them being bored out of their minds, after all. 

It’s in Noctis’s best interest that all threats be monitored, after all.

“The point remains that spending time with me is generally considered an unpleasant task.” Ravus crosses the room to sit on the bed, carefully resting his fingertips upon his mask to ensure it’s still securely placed. Ignis has likely seen him without it - as has Noctis - but the comfort it provides is twofold. There’s a certain security in so few people knowing what he looks like... and the spells woven within the metal dampen his Sight enough that spirits are far harder to see.

Best that it remains that way, as far as he’s concerned.

Soulstober Day 11! 

“ My brother, unyielding sword of Lothric’s Prince. Rise if you would…for that is our curse “

THE TOUCH WAS A WELCOMED guide as always, at least from Noctis. Nobody else could be so familiar with him. He didn’t trust anyone else as he did Noctis. That did little to ease his worry at Noctis’s strange behaviour though - altered breathing was one thing, but an insistence that he sit as well? What could Noctis ask that might be so shocking?

“I am sitting now.” Ravus propped his cane up beside him, lacing his fingers with Noctis’s in what he hoped would be a reassuring way. “And you have my undivided attention.” He had angled his head towards Noctis, not that it did any good when he couldn’t see his lover.

Noctis wasn’t going to back out now. When Ravus’ hand laced with his own, the other covered it like a blanket to keep them secure, together. His eyes closed, head bowing. “You know, lots of stuff’s happened. Stuff that…makes me think about the future. How I hope it’d pan out,” he began, gathering momentum as it came spilling out.

“Part of that’s who I’d want to spend it with. My life, and all,” Noctis continued, smiling softly as their foreheads touched together and his eyes seemed to warm like honeyed amber. “But, y’know, I think I’ve got that part figured out.” He felt a surreal calm, then.

But then... Noctis was serious. Had just asked to marry him. Had Noctis conquered everything about their situations? Himself a king, and Ravus a throneless king until such time as Tenebrae's reconstruction was properly underway. And then the matter of combining their kingdoms, or at the very least the bestowing of titles to one another... Could two kings of foreign lands marry in the first place? Tenebraean rulers had, at times, been of the same gender - but that was different, those rulers had always both been from Tenebrae to begin with.

Gods but he could feel his heart race in his ears, and he was gripping Noctis's hand far too tightly. If only he could see him - was Noctis afraid? Hopeful? Happy? All he could do was guess. He had, of course, wondered at their future at least in terms of their relationship, but never had he expected a marriage proposal.

Clearing his throat, Ravus finally gathered his thoughts enough to speak. Even then, he couldn't quite shake the unsteady edge from his voice. "Have you -..." He bit his lower lip. "Noct, have you... fully considered what that would mean? For us, and for our kingdoms?" He hoped Noctis wouldn't be dismayed by the question. All Ravus's life though, he had been raised with the belief that any marriage he had would be political in nature, rather than anything based on love.

AS FAR AS RAVUS WAS concerned, today would be no different to any other day. Celebrations of his birthday had been nonexistent for years, that of his sixteenth being the last birthday to be acknowledged. He hadn’t seen any point in mentioning it during the years in Niflheim - after all, why would a weapon have such a celebration?

Even now, he had said nothing of the day to anyone. The things he wanted were in nobody’s power to give, for who could give him back his mother and sister? As such, it had come as a surprise for Umbra to visit him with the request to meet with Noctis in the gardens. Gods… Noctis hadn’t planned anything, had he? His stomach churned at the mere thought. It would be bad enough to have the day acknowledged at all, let alone if that was done by multiple people.

Still, Ravus made his way to the gardens. He could sense Noctis there, the void of his lover’s magic familiar to him now. “You wished to see me?” he asked once he was close enough, reaching to brush his fingers to Noctis’s, cane resting at his side in his other hand. “Is something wrong? Your breathing is different.”

Noctis felt himself almost clam up, wondering if this was a bad idea, being consumed with self-doubt. There was still time to back out, to make it about something else, and yet… In a future laden with the unknown, the more he was confronted with his mortality, the more he felt he didn’t want it to be spent alone. That to do so meant inviting something he didn’t want to name, with someone he didn’t want to lose.

When he sensed Ravus’ presence nearby, Noctis perked up and made his way to the man’s front, stopping short before he might become trippy in the radius of his cane. He craned to slip a small kiss to his cheek, taking his free hand and squeezing it reassuringly. “Heya, doll,” he murmured fondly, thumb stroking over his hand as he led Ravus towards a stone bench with enough room for them both.

“Just…don’t make it sound desperate, okay, Umbra? He’ll know where I am.”

Even now, he had said nothing of the day to anyone. The things he wanted were in nobody's power to give, for who could give him back his mother and sister? As such, it had come as a surprise for Umbra to visit him with the request to meet with Noctis in the gardens. Gods... Noctis hadn't planned anything, had he? His stomach churned at the mere thought. It would be bad enough to have the day acknowledged at all, let alone if that was done by multiple people.