Get in time traveller

[warmgaze]

[Altissia. The ring, burning into his finger, burning into his skull, and he knows the price without asking, knows before it's paid. The thing you value most, isn't that always how this works in fairytales?

Ravus. Noctis. Ardyn, and that little revelation barely enters his mind at the time, the familiar glowing signature of a warp in an unfamiliar color. The prophecy, the visions that hang in his mind, a last wish from a woman who spent her life to ensure it, Lunafreya's final message to ensure that Noctis would survive.

The last clear words he can remember clearly, You've a calling to fulfill, and then Prompto and Gladio's voices, concerned, in a blur...

And then nothing. Just the feeling of a ring's power, setting him alight from fingertips to crown -

It's still in him, that power. The ring of the Lucii binds to its wearers for life, knotting strands of light into their souls, be they kings or anyone else.

(He had expected to die. Living is harder.)

And in the depths of his unconsciousness, in the place where he knows the things that he hasn't had time to consider, Noctis and Ardyn and prophecy and all of that terrible weight -

From there, from the connection of the fire in his soul that will never go out, that can only be smothered and locked away in the dark, a voice says, what would you give to change fate?

And, of course, he answers, Anything.

----

In another world, Ignis Scientia wakes in Altissia, his face scarred, his vision burned away, and continues on.

In this one, Prompto Argentum enters the room just in time to see a flare of purple flame lick along his friend's body and leave nothing behind, not even a char mark on the wrinkled sheets.

And Ignis?

Ignis wakes, with a groan and a hand pressed to his face, in the back of a cart that trundles to a stop to pick up another passenger, a young healer with cheeks not yet sunken by pain and eyes not yet yellowed by plague. He wakes bereft, on some fundamental level, of the touch of magic that bound him to Noctis, the hum of energy that bound retainer to prince...

He wakes with the imprint of a ring on his finger, the memory of agreeing, and not the damnedest idea where he is.]

Comments

[burninglight]

I'm much the same way; I know no other way to live than to put all that I am into everything I do. I only thought...perhaps it might scare you off, were I to push a little too quickly.

[warmgaze]

I assure you that the other you is much more terrifying. If I can deal with that, then I doubt your pace would scare me off now. We just have to keep the lines of communication open.

[burninglight]

...I can do that. Or I can at least make the attempt.

[He wrapped his arms around Ignis' neck, snuggling right up int his lap and against his chest like a tall, scrawny cat.]

[warmgaze]

[He's definitely good with this, this staying close inn each other's arms and ignoring the world for a little while. The darkness can't reach them yet, whatever the future holds.]

Mmm... By the same token, I'm not especially experienced in any of this. So if something makes you uncomfortable, please do speak up.

[burninglight]

Oh, that's quite alright. I think we can find some reasonable middle ground, don't you agree?

[warmgaze]

I'm certain of it.

[Like maybe kissing the exposed side of Ardyn's neck, small and gentle.]

[burninglight]

Ah-

[Pleasantly surprised, he couldn't quite stop himself making a quiet noise in the back of his throat.]

...do that again?

[warmgaze]

Absolutely.

[Several of them in succession, in fact, working down a line from jaw to collar.]

[burninglight]

Mm... [Ardyn tilted his head back, slipping a hand into Ignis' hair as he did.] ...see, you're not so bad at that.

[warmgaze]

A willingness to explore and a commitment to excellence go hand in hand.

[But he'll pause to lean into that hand in his hair. It's nice.]

[burninglight]

You truly are entirely magnificent, aren't you?

[warmgaze]

I certainly put out my best effort.

[His turn to play with your hair now, Ardyn, running his fingers through the soft, messy locks like he's been wanting to do this for a while.]

[burninglight]

Mm... [He tilted his head into Ignis' hand, barely short of purring under the attention to his hair.]

[warmgaze]

It truly can't be kept in place short of pins, can it? I confess I've been wanting to do this for a while.

[Gentle but firm touches, almost massaging.]

[burninglight]

Hm...not in the slightest. I've learned to rather like it this way.

[warmgaze]

And yet so soft. I think I may have always wondered.

[Always including his past, Ardyn's possible future.]

[burninglight]

[Ardyn leaned his head on Ignis' shoulder, letting his hair be played with however it would.]

...like to think I take good care of it.

[warmgaze]

I would say you've done quite a fine job at that.

[Just going to keep gently fingering it if that's ok.]

...How far are you willing to go?

[burninglight]

...I've never been one to worry for boundaries of my own. I'm prepared to take this wherever you might wish to.

[warmgaze]

...I think this alright for now. Perhaps even ideal for a nap, if you need more rest.

[They can. Go slow and figure this shit out.]

[burninglight]

That doesn't sound like a bad idea. You're terribly comfortable as a pillow, I'll have you know.

[warmgaze]

Several months of practice from sharing a tent that only barely slept four. ...I find it rather reassuring at this point myself, if we're being honest.

[burninglight]

I wish you'd said so earlier. I tend to get a bit cold rather easily, so I like the contact.

...What are your friends like?

[warmgaze]

Well, I've already told you a bit about Noctis. He's... never been fully at ease with being a prince, and at times he can be something of a brat, but I've never seen him turn down the chance to help someone, even if it results in completely foolish escapades like running around catching frogs in the middle of the night.

[Can you blame him at all for making comparisons, Ardyn? Because that certainly sounds like you.]

His best friend is Prompto - they met over the course of Noctis' public schooling, and I fear it may be a case of opposites matching perfectly. Where Noctis is a bit withdrawn, Prompto is nothing but exuberant much of the time, all his emotions worn transparently. Since he's the only one of us who didn't grow up in the atmosphere of the Citadel and the nobility, he's often anxious about exactly how he fits into our group.

And last is Gladiolus, who - well, prior to meeting Gilgamesh in person instead of just as a legendary figure, I daresay I'd never met anyone larger. Most of the time, he's the personification of gentle giant; quietly friendly, a shoulder to lean on, that sort of thing. He does have a bit of a nasty temper, though, and he gets frustrated easily. Mostly with Noctis; Gladio takes his role as Shield very seriously, since it's been passed down his family for some generations, and I think that does him more harm than good at times, because his expectations are very high and difficult to reach.

[burninglight]

[Ardyn pressed against Ignis' side as he talked, listening with his complete attention.]

...It sounds as though you care for all three of them quite a great deal.