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

[warmgaze]

[On sheer impulse, he leans forward and kisses Ardyn's temple.]

You are wanted and cared about and valued. Not as a saviour, but simply as a person. You don't have to be anything else.

[burninglight]

But I-...

[He broke off, either unwilling or unable to find the energy to argue.]

...is it alright if I just...sleep here for a while?

[warmgaze]

Of course. That's typically what a bed is for.

[It's a little joking, but soft, and he shifts so that they can both lay down more comfortably. Going anywhere else is out of the question, for the moment.]

[burninglight]

...mm. Very well. Just don't...let me sleep too long.

[He settled in beside Ignis, cuddled close with his head on the adviser's chest, and finally managed to relax enough to fall asleep after a few more occasional hitching breaths.]

[warmgaze]

[Sorry, Ardyn, you'll sleep as long as you need... Because when you wake up, it's to Ignis still sleeping and curled around you, finally looking something like relaxed himself.]

[burninglight]

[Eventually, he did wake up...and to a sight like that which made it terribly difficult to want to go anywhere. Instead Ardyn just pulled Ignis closer, running a gentle hand through his hair.]

[warmgaze]

[There's a small humming noise in response, the motion slowly pulling Ignis awake, even if he doesn't especially want to go.]

Mmmmm... Morning.

[burninglight]

...good morning.

[warmgaze]

...Probably afternoon.

[He has managed to care more about this in the past. Not today.]

[burninglight]

Hm...probably.

[He pressed a gentle kiss to Ignis' forehead, giving him a small and hesitant smile.]

[warmgaze]

[He's... a little surprised by the kiss, his eyes finally opening fully, but it's a good surprised.]

We should get out of bed eventually.

[Where did he put his glasses... ah, there on the table.]

[burninglight]

I know. We'll need to head back to the city sooner or later.

[warmgaze]

Back to the grind, as they say.

...At least eat something, first.

[burninglight]

...okay. I...yeah, we have time for that.

[Because ha ha let's just postpone seeing his twin brother again as long as possible.]

[warmgaze]

[Worry about Gil first, buddy.]

And perhaps discuss getting me up to my full fighting capacity before we hit the road, but food first.

[burninglight]

[lbr izunia's scarier]

What do you...oh. Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't even realize...

[warmgaze]

[Yeah but he's probably the final boss of this timeline.]

I did do my best to hide it from you. Though I was a bit worried when you caught me having trouble with the sheaths; I just had to count on the explanation being too unbelievable for you to guess.

[burninglight]

[point.]

No--I understand. Let's get something to eat and we can handle that with no problem at all.

[warmgaze]

[And then they got up and finally ate something, fucking nerds.

With the secret out, at least Ignis seems a little more relaxed than he had been. Or perhaps it's just that a certain tension is no longer tense, from the way he no longer hesitates before touching Ardyn's shoulders.]

I always wind up laughing to myself thinking of what a historian would do in my position.

[burninglight]

Faint, probably. [He leaned into the touch on his shoulder without hesitation, as catlike as ever if not more so.]

[warmgaze]

Authentic Solheim takeout, the dream of every history professor for over a thousand years.

[And with a side of banter, to boot. What could be better?]

[burninglight]

Goodness, that's quite the expectations to live up to. I hope we've not disappointed.

[warmgaze]

On the contrary, it's been magnificent. Makes me wish I hadn't left my recipe notes back in Altissia so I could return the favor.

[burninglight]

A terrible shame. But I must admit you do spectacular work even without them.

[warmgaze]

Lucky for us, the same general principles apply regardless of time period.

[Where's our chocobirds?]