★ // stay frosty royal milk tea

[scourgingstars]

Who: Ardyn + Ignis, featuring some assorted things later on
What: Replanting medicinal plants and chocobo snacks.
Where: Around the building and nearby
When: ~May 9th
Warnings: JRPG illness, again.

He's still a complete imbecile. Has he ever learned anything a day in his life?

[Ardyn complained as he was known to do in between emptying out the lockers of anything that looked like it would hold a plant; lunchboxes, mostly. He may or may not have acquired a couple of pots through questionable means, but it never hurt to be fully prepared. His own persistent cough had finally stopped over the new moon, but now that a few days had passed it was starting to return no matter how he hid it.]

When we inevitably run out of medical supplies because everyone's running about doing the most idiotic things possible, I don't want to hear a word of complaint from anyone. Unless we can come up with a case of bottled water or somesuch thing out of nowhere, I'll have absolutely no part of playing doctor.

Comments

[shatteredlenses]

He's learned I will give him the most withering of glares if he suggests having cup noodles more than one night in a row. Does that count?

[While Ardyn is adding to their makeshift plant container stock, Ignis is running his hands over each one trying to decide which plants should go where. The nicer pots he doesn't ask about. Honestly, it's easier that way. He might not approve of stealing, but he also knows that Ardyn needs outlets for his stress and there are a lot worse things he could be doing than walking off with a few pots here and there.]

I would not expect you to, especially with how your healing impacts you. If special abilities are going to be in flux like this constantly, it is best that we not depend on them except in extreme emergencies anyway. At least if these plants grow well, we will have a few less things to worry about.

[scourgingstars]

He's lucky I don't just knock him out for his own idiocy.

[Larger acts of villainy as stress relief were impractical. Petty thievery and the occasional threats were really all he had to keep his own frustrations in check. He muffled a brief cough against the back of his hand, closing the locker he'd been rifling through and turning back to Ignis.]

Is this going to be enough for now?

[shatteredlenses]

It would be a constant battle if you did that, beloved. If it helps any, I think he might have actually learned something this time.

[Ignis does a quick tally of the containers spread around him and then nods.]

It will be a good start. We can focus on the medicinal plants and the grasses for the chocobos first. If things go well enough, then we can expand to a few of the other seed types I have in my bag. Until we have a fairly steady source of water, I don't want to get too much going at once.

[This might not be quite the emergency Ignis was anticipating when he made that little bag of seeds up, but he is sure glad he has them now.]

[scourgingstars]

Pardon me if I find that highly unlikely. Shall we venture outside, then?

[shatteredlenses]

[Ignis laughs and then pulls himself to his feet.]

Unless you want the others to knock our heads together, I think that's a good idea.

[scourgingstars]

They're welcome to try, but they'll not be pleased by the results.

[well let's just gather our stolen and borrowed inventory and head out, then.]

[shatteredlenses]

It is something I would have to advise against, that is for certain.

[Pack slung over one shoulder, he fills up his arms and then starts heading for the door. Please don't let him walk into anything Ardyn. It would be embarrassing.]

We are trying to avoid foolish injuries and the medical supplies they would waste after all.

[scourgingstars]

[he would NEVER]

Heavens forbid anyone should ignore your expert advice, as well.

[shatteredlenses]

[Ignis has to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Right, and how many times has Ardyn ignored that advise over the last couple of years?]

Direct me toward where are are working? And please, no matter how tempting, lets not put giant holes where people may fall into them.

[scourgingstars]

Oh, you ruin all my plans. [Ardyn gathered up a fair few of the soon-to-be flowerpots in one arm, placing his free hand lightly on Ignis' back.]

Outside's this way, shall we?

[shatteredlenses]

Well, given my lack of vision, lets take into consideration the fact that I would be the one most likely to fall into them and plan to avoid it, hmm?

[Ignis falls quiet then, focusing on letting Ardyn guide him and making sure he doesn't unbalance the various pots-to-be in his arms. He's grateful, once they reach their destination, to set them down. It might just be he grabbed a few too many considering how unfamiliar he is with the terrain outside of the building.]

Thank you. It would be easier if we could just chuck all this into the Armiger, but why would anything be easy?

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn set his own down as well, sighing in annoyance.]

There's nothing to be done about it. Even though it's improving somewhat, I can't summon my sword reliably right now--I've left it out still.

[shatteredlenses]

That is probably a good idea. At least until we can find out if this is a regular thing or not.

[Ignis pauses for a moment, tilting his head curiously in Ardyn's direction as he is hit by a thought.]

Did you ever try to share your power with anyone like Noctis did with us? I realize considering everything, it's a silly question, but I just realized, that is something you should be able to do considering you possess your own version of the Armiger.

[scourgingstars]

[The sudden silence made it quite clear that no, this was in fact an entirely new thought that only now occurred to Ardyn.]

...No. I had no army like Somnus did, so there wasn't anyone for me to attempt such a thing with.

[shatteredlenses]

There is someone now.

[There is no doubt in that first sentence, but when Ignis continues, he sounds a little less sure, like he is worried Ardyn might take his suggestion the wrong way.]

If you ever want to try, that is. The power is yours to do with as you will. I don't want you to feel pressured to do anything if you aren't comfortable with it. That was not the point of my question.

[His first priority will always be Ardyn's comfort when it comes to things like this.]

[scourgingstars]

Wh-

[Ardyn fumbled nearly everything he was holding, scrambling to recover before he broke something.]

Y-you don't--...don't joke like that, little flame, it isn't funny. Even if I could do something like that, you surely don't actually want it.

[shatteredlenses]

And why wouldn't I?

[Ignis hears what sounds like a pot slip from the pile Ardyn is fumbling and snatches it out of the air before it can shatter on the ground.]

It is a bond of loyalty and trust, both of with I share with you already and both of which I would strengthen, should you feel comfortable doing so.

[scourgingstars]

I don’t even know that I can do it. I suppose it stands to reason I could, but you—you can’t possibly want such a connection to me. If this is a matter of practicality we can discuss it, but please do not pretend it anything else.

[shatteredlenses]

There may be an element of practicality to this, but that is not the reason for my request. I am not Bahamut, beloved. I will not use you as a tool just to make life a little easier.

[He sets the pot in his hands down, standing and making his way over to Ardyn.]

You may not be able to believe it, but yes, I want this primarily for the connection. Everything else is a distant second.

[scourgingstars]

...swear that you mean it. That you...that you won't turn away from me. No matter what might happen, what I might eventually tell you, or anything else.

Promise me that, and I'll give you anything you wish.

[shatteredlenses]

I promise. I would never say such things to taunt you. I'm not like that and I will prove it over and over as many times as necessary.

[Ignis carefully reaches up to brush his fingers over Ardyn's cheek.]

Only give what you are comfortable with. You have already given so much more than you should have ever had to.

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn carefully took Ignis' hands, as if he feared they would break should he make a wrong move. He truly wasn't sure how to do this, hoping it would be some innate thing rather than something else he couldn't understand.]

[Generally, Ardyn found he didn't understand much of connecting to people. But he knew he cared about Ignis, in whatever broken way he was capable. He knew he wanted this connection to last, however impermanent it would inevitably be.]

[The spark was faint at first, a stuttering ember flickering to life. Yet it caught after a moment, a static charge of vivid scarlet magic settling throughout Ignis' body.]

[shatteredlenses]

[It is a little easier on Ignis' end. While he doesn't have a lot of people he's close to on this level, he at least has some. As Ardyn takes his hands, Ignis draws in a deep breath, letting it out slowly and opening himself up to the redhead. When he feels that spark of magic, that small ember reaching out, he takes a hold of it and welcomes it into himself, leading it until it finds the path it needs.

Ever since the power of the Old King's left him in Altissia, Ignis has felt cold deep in his bones, a feeling he had come to think would never go away. This new connection doesn't chase it away completely, but he cannot deny he does feel warmer. A small smile crosses his face as he leans in to rest his forehead against Ardyn's.]

Now you really are stuck with me.

[scourgingstars]

...I don't want to leave you.

[He let go of Ignis' hands, bringing them both up to frame his face instead.]

There's little I know of what I want or where anything is going to lead from here. But I know that much with certainty.

[shatteredlenses]

{Ignis leans into the touch with a smile.]

Nor I you. I don't know what I would have done if I had been brought here and you had not been as well. The very idea terrifies even now with you right here in front of me.