Ignis is the first to break the silence. "I watched you watching me," he says. "In the rearview mirror."
"Watching you?" Noctis asks, more because he doesn't know what else to say than because he has any real thought of managing to deny it. Ignis just looks at him, and he sighs. "Fine, yeah, I was watching you. So?"
For a moment, they just sit, the sound of Gladio's off-key humming in the shower making it slightly less uncomfortable, somehow. Then Ignis gets up and walks over to Noctis, meeting his eyes steadily. "I know that you still intend to marry Lady Lunafreya, despite these setbacks, but -- it strikes me that we'll be on the road a little longer. And that there are... burdens on you. And that while we are your companions, you're still very much alone with what you have to do."
Noctis swallows hard, tries to find some words even though his throat is suddenly strangling-tight. He looks away, but Ignis isn't finished.
"I know it's been some time since you and I... decided to end our liaison. But I don't think that we did so for any lack of desire, or feeling. And it -- frankly, it hurts, to see you bearing this alone. Can I offer you any... closer companionship? Will you allow me to do so?"
"Luna -- "
"Would understand, I think," Ignis says, quietly. "I'm sure she knows what she means to you... and what I mean to you, also. There's room for both in your life."
He reaches out, then, puts his gloved fingers lightly under Noctis' chin and nudges his head up. For a moment he just looks at him, and then his fingers drift up and he gentle presses his fingertips to Noctis' lips. It's a kind of kiss without being a kiss, a reminder of past kisses shared and words said and all the things they've done together.
"Think about it," he says, and Noctis is not sure whether he's going to be able to do anything else.
"I will," he says, because Ignis deserves an answer, and then because Ignis deserves the truth: "No. I can't."
He can't bear to look at him, but then Ignis touches his shoulder and he can't help glancing up, almost in reflex. He's surprised to find Ignis smiling.
"I expected that," he says. "But I had to offer. Noct, Lady Lunafreya is very lucky. But so have I been. Please don't forget that I think so."
There's a bang in the bathroom and the shower stops. At almost the same moment, they can hear Prompto's voice in the hallway, sing-songing about many fries he's going to eat. Noctis can't help but smile, and Ignis smiles a little more too, and steps away, and despite everything...
Despite everything, Noctis finds himself comforted.
FFXV, Noctis/Ignis, "A Kind of Kiss", G
"Watching you?" Noctis asks, more because he doesn't know what else to say than because he has any real thought of managing to deny it. Ignis just looks at him, and he sighs. "Fine, yeah, I was watching you. So?"
For a moment, they just sit, the sound of Gladio's off-key humming in the shower making it slightly less uncomfortable, somehow. Then Ignis gets up and walks over to Noctis, meeting his eyes steadily. "I know that you still intend to marry Lady Lunafreya, despite these setbacks, but -- it strikes me that we'll be on the road a little longer. And that there are... burdens on you. And that while we are your companions, you're still very much alone with what you have to do."
Noctis swallows hard, tries to find some words even though his throat is suddenly strangling-tight. He looks away, but Ignis isn't finished.
"I know it's been some time since you and I... decided to end our liaison. But I don't think that we did so for any lack of desire, or feeling. And it -- frankly, it hurts, to see you bearing this alone. Can I offer you any... closer companionship? Will you allow me to do so?"
"Luna -- "
"Would understand, I think," Ignis says, quietly. "I'm sure she knows what she means to you... and what I mean to you, also. There's room for both in your life."
He reaches out, then, puts his gloved fingers lightly under Noctis' chin and nudges his head up. For a moment he just looks at him, and then his fingers drift up and he gentle presses his fingertips to Noctis' lips. It's a kind of kiss without being a kiss, a reminder of past kisses shared and words said and all the things they've done together.
"Think about it," he says, and Noctis is not sure whether he's going to be able to do anything else.
"I will," he says, because Ignis deserves an answer, and then because Ignis deserves the truth: "No. I can't."
He can't bear to look at him, but then Ignis touches his shoulder and he can't help glancing up, almost in reflex. He's surprised to find Ignis smiling.
"I expected that," he says. "But I had to offer. Noct, Lady Lunafreya is very lucky. But so have I been. Please don't forget that I think so."
There's a bang in the bathroom and the shower stops. At almost the same moment, they can hear Prompto's voice in the hallway, sing-songing about many fries he's going to eat. Noctis can't help but smile, and Ignis smiles a little more too, and steps away, and despite everything...
Despite everything, Noctis finds himself comforted.