rookshire | ★ // stay frosty royal milk tea

★ // stay frosty royal milk tea

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.

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[Gladio lets him press that hand over his eyes for a long moment before he grits his teeth and scoots a little closer. Not close enough to lean or cuddle like he wants to but just close enough to be sharing his space a little. He waits until Ardyn naturally goes to let his hand drop before reaching for him, carefully, gently trying to take Ardyn's hand in his. Even if only for a moment.]

I can't just accept that. I don't care how stupid or stubborn it is. I can't just shrug it off, "oh well Ardyn's miserable, no big deal", and go about my life. I want to make things better for you, I want to help you. Maybe there's no quick and easy fix but there's still some improvements we can make, there has to be.

[This is where he's pushing too far, asking too much. Because he squeezes Ardyn's hand and for a moment he does consider pressing a kiss to his knuckles.]

I just... constantly feel like you hate me for trying.

I hate everything.

[No accusation, but a plain statement of fact. Ardyn lightly tugged his hand away after a second or two, glancing almost nervously to the scars before making another attempt to hide them both and pass it off as something casual.]

It...isn't your fault that you can't understand it. I suppose it isn't really anyone's fault, truth be told. You see earnest attempts to show compassion; I see only an attempt to draw close enough to get what one desires and plant a knife in my back. There's no capacity to understand the alternative any longer. For what reason does anyone have to bother with me if not for their own purposes? Verstael didn't release me from that island because of the injustice of it all. Aldercapt didn't hire me because I had nowhere else to go. The people of a fledgling kingdom didn't protect their savior because they chose the side that was of greater benefit and safety to them.

...It's easier to assume the worst rather than be disappointed.

[It makes sense, it really does. At least, in theory. In practice Gladio is just such a genuine person that it's hard to conceptualize people seeing him as manipulative or scheming.]

Think of it this way... I'm not smart enough to pull one over on you, at least.

[There's a small self-deprecating laugh at that, a subtle roll of his eyes. Iggy would be mad but he knows Ardyn will accept it as truth if no one else would. Slowly Gladio surrenders to gravity, listing to the side turning into just flopping over onto his side. A slight shimmy, a hiss when that pulls on his hip, and well... He doesn't quite end up in Ardyn's lap but his head is pressed lightly against his thigh.]

Sorry I keep fucking things up for you. I... hell, usually Iggy's the idealist and I'm the practical one. For big picture things, anyway. Not with you, though. Just... wanna make you happy. [And it's stupid and repetitive and he knows that but he can't help saying it one more time, one hand reaching up to rest lightly on Ardyn's leg. Touching him without trapping him, seeking comfort without pushing for more than he's willing to give.]

I don’t have the capacity for happiness any longer. Such a thing died with-...

[Ardyn cut himself off, not pushing Gladio off of him or acknowledging the close proximity at all.]

...It doesn’t matter any longer. Blame my brother, blame the scourge, blame the Draconian, the end result is all the same regardless. Nothing and no one can save me anymore.

[Then he's going to stay flopped here an inch or two shy of resting his head on Ardyn's thigh.]

The whole thing is fucked... there's plenty of blame to go around. [His fingers curl a little tighter around Ardyn's calf, a quiet sigh. All the frustration and helplessness of his injury compounded with how useless he feels around Ardyn is definitely not making him any less depressed. But at least Ardyn's letting him touch him for now. That will have to be enough.]

Still doesn't mean I'm giving up on you.

It's pointless. [Without thinking, he rested a scarred hand light on Gladio's head.] I can't be saved or salvaged. All I want is to die and make sure I take the blessed Draconian along with me.

Nothing else matters. Just revenge.

[There's a span of heartbeats where Gladio holds his breath, eyes going wide, afraid that any motion will scare Ardyn away like some sort of illusive animal. Slowly, carefully, he lets his breath out and for a moment he honestly worries he's going to tear up, so immensely grateful to even be allowed even this small touch.]

Then I guess... [He still has a moment where he can't believe what he's saying, as though Ramuh might strike him down for what's about to come out of his mouth. Then again... Ramuh seems like the more reasonable of the six.]

We have a god to help you slay.

...What a futile endeavor.

['The fate bestowed upon a man can not be changed.']

You'll die trying, you know.

I'll die anyway. Sorta what I was built for... Dying for the cause.

[A shrug, something that could almost be called a nuzzle but he tries to keep it from being that, just savoring the weight of Ardyn's hand on his head.]

Besides, he's got a lot to answer for.

Likewise.

[A soft, bitter laugh.]

Ironic, really. I always expected I wouldn’t live a year or two past my coronation. Seems I overshot that by a bit.

Rather die alongside you guys than-

[Ah survivor's guilt. Really though, it hard enough knowing that he's supposed to get his shit together enough to rule after failing Noctis. He's not sure he could take it if he failed Ardyn (and by extension Ignis) too.]

...Fool. My apologies, but in an ideal outcome I'm the only one dying here. You'll have some work to do after the fact.

[Fuck it. He scoots himself along a little, pushes a touch closer, rests his head on Ardyn's thigh instead of beside it.]

When does anything ever turn out ideal? Especially when Bahamut's involved.

If you run off and die, I’ll personally drag you out of hell just to kill you again for upsetting him.

[He's going to ruin it now. He knows he's going to ruin it. But he turns his head, reaching up with his free hand to gently keep Ardyn from pulling back, just long enough to press a kiss to his palm.]

Yeah, thanks. love you too, jerk.

[And then he's going to drag himself back up into a sitting position before Ardyn can slap him or move and dump him off his lap.]

[Ardyn sharply pulled his hand away, bringing it close to his chest. Instead of being furious, he just looked...shaken.]

Don’t—don’t do that again.

[Not the reaction he was expecting. Gladio tilts his head a little, starts to reach out and then stops himself. What would be a comforting touch for most is just more pushing with Ardyn so he checks that instinctive need to comfort but he makes no effort to hide that it was there.]

Not trying to push too much. I promise, I'm not. But uh... you mean the kiss? or the L-word thing?

[It might seem obvious that it was the touch more than the words that was too much but he wants to make sure if he can get a straight answer out of him. Honesty, communication, etc etc etc.]

Either one.

[Although from the way he was gripping his own hand, it was clear one bothered him more than the other.]

[He wants to call him on it. But he doesn't quite let himself. It's obvious he's biting his lip for a moment there then he just nods, giving Ardyn's hand a pointed look but he holds his tongue. Instead he just leans back against the wall again, closes his eyes for a moment.]

You... want me to leave you alone?

[Too much? He should probably get back to what he was doing but also, his hip hurts and he's not sure he can get up on his own, not from all the way down here.]

...No.

[Hesitant, but to the point enough.]

...Do you know anything about sewing?

[Excuse him while he explodes from happiness because what had he done to earn so much tolerance from Ardyn today?]

Sewing? Yeah, it's the one hobby my sister stuck with.[Because of course he had to learn everything she did so he could help her.] I mean... I'm no master tailor or anything but I made the mattresses and pillows and a couple pairs of shorts.

[Ardyn reached into his pocket and pulled out his gloves, cut in places from having worked on breaking the window. He held them out to Gladio, not quite looking him in the eye and trying to sound dismissive.]

Fix these for me--you started all the blasted trouble with a simple damn window, you could at least do that much.

[A pause, Ardyn reflecting on that 'request' and evaluating whether or not it sounded like a normal human thing to say.]

. . . Please.

[Gladio took the gloves as they were held out to him, nodding as he looks over the little tears. It's not a request it's an order but Gladio gets that Ardyn doesn't want to seem like he needs anything so it makes sense. That part is pretty normal.

Adding the please though makes him look up from examining the gloves, a hopeful smile on his lips.]

Yeah... Might not be the neatest cause I think the only needle anyone has is a suture needle but I should be able to make it work.

I don’t need perfection, just functionality. I wear all this for a reason and can’t afford to be without both coat and gloves.

Okay, sure thing. I can tear down one of the spare bandages for thread.

You know there's sweats in the laundry, he could just put on a hoodie. [A gentle tease, they both know Ignis likes wearing Ardyn's coat and he suspects Ardyn likes having that visible claim on Ignis as well.]

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