calcitrants | IC INBOX [ERKU]

I meant the cat.

[ nyx's tone is flat, just enough emotion levied into it to make it clear he's joking. he's glad to lay eyes on ignis, though. it's been a bit since they've seen each other, even before the prince's disappearance.

he leans down to pet rascal, letting the cat smell his hand. meanwhile, raben climbs up onto his shoulders, leaning against the side of his head as he looks down at the other cat. nyx stands, and both stay easily balanced as he trails after ignis. ]

You managed to get a hold of coffee so I don't have to walk into that godawful maid cafe? My hero.

[ he offers ignis a small smile. he doesn't know how to bring up that he looked for noctis for days. that he knows ignis must have as well. ]

[ the sentiment is the same -- he's missed nyx; the man tends to roam wherever and however he wants, but eventually he's always turned up like clockwork. after all, ignis doesn't have to worry about nyx, the glaive has always known to take care of himself.

even so, it's a relief to know that he's still here.

he stills at the mention of coffee, mouth dry, but he manages to smile back, strained and fleeting. ]

Noct requested for a crate of it for me. I've been rationing it.

[ he hasn't touched it in a few days (call it sentimentality; ignis sure as hell isn't going to look too deeply into that), but since nyx is here, he can spare a couple.

so he pours it into a cup and offers it to him. ]

You've searched everywhere too, I assume.

[ the knowledge of who bought the coffee for ignis has nyx giving him a smaller smile, much more sad. he takes the cup of coffee gently as raben tries to stick his nose into it, attempting to get his own taste. ]

I went as far as I could; the city, the forest, the mountains. I checked the fog as well until I came out the other side of the city.

[ he looks down at the coffee and heaves a small breath. ]

When I reach out to my magic I can't feel him. Just the ancient King.

[ ignis deftly works to distract raben from a nose full of coffee by swiftly holding out a small dish of carefully pureed fish, working to lure the cat from being an adorable menace with the promise of food.

he sets it on the floor -- one for rascal, one for raben, before he goes back over to nyx and settles in with him, his hands coming around his own coffee. ]

I thought as much.

[ he says quietly. ignis had done the same, hunting tirelessly for him, chafing at the untenable anxiety and emptiness of noctis' presence. ignis hasn't slept well in days, if at all. ]

Thank you for looking. Did you bring it?

[ raben abandons nyx's shoulders when he smells the fish, giving ignis a plaintive meow when he doesn't feel the man sets it down fast enough. nyx shakes his head at raben's behavior; when ignis asks if he brought it, he reaches into the pockets of his pants and pulls out a slightly battered cigarette pack, the brand one that nyx hadn't been familiar with back home. it's been opened, and a couple are missing, but it's still mostly full. ]

He'd kill me if he caught us with this.

[ he means noctis, of course. or hell, even gladio would probably have something to say about it. still, he bumps his shoulder gently against ignis'. ]

Surely you're not gonna let me smoke in the house?

[ oh, no, raben is adorable. but at least rascal plays nice with the other guest cat, and ignis can simply focus his attention on nyx, and what he's set on the table before him. ]

If.

[ the response is sardonic, because noctis isn't here, and while ignis considers it an absolutely foul, unproductive habit and would never, in normal circumstances, indulge in such a vice, these were exceptional, extenuating circumstances.

he reaches for one of the flat mini dishes to serve as an ashtray, looking him dead in the eye. ]

I'll air out the house later.

[ ignis, who has never once allowed nyx a smoke in the room even after they've had sex, taps a single stick out, places it between his lips, and waits.

...yeah, things are really, really bad. ]

[ nyx mentally winces at the mistake. it's not that he isn't aware this is a loaded situation; he hoped he'd be able to get ignis to find some humor in doing something he and the prince disprove of. but the situation isn't something that easily fixed, though.

he gives a small snort in response to airing out the house, though, tapping out his own cigarette. when ignis simply waits, nyx raises his hand; flame dances over his fingers and knuckles. he brushes the flame over the end of ignis' stick, and then brings his hand close to light his own, letting the flame fade away after a moment.

he sits in silence for a moment, considering. the only movement is shifting his leg to press his knee against ignis', quietly supportive. ]

I'm sorry.

[ he says quietly, finally, feeling nyx's knee press up against his. he knows that the glaive must not have an easier time either, and really, he shouldn't be taking anything out on the man, not when he's been kind enough to provide company.

he closes his eyes for a moment as he takes a deep, deep inhale, feeling the rush of the nicotine. he exhales smoke, then turns to him, the edge rubbed off his nerves.

his hand comes to briefly rest on his knee, acknowledging the silent gesture of comfort. ]

Will you stay the night?

You got nothin' to apologize for, Ignis.

[ it may take ignis a moment to speak, but nyx is quick to tell him he doesn't need or want the apology. not out of rudeness, but because he understands what ignis is going through. he's hardly going to judge him.

nyx had felt a similar pain watching regis get cut down in front of him. he takes a breath and holds it, just long enough to let it burn before he exhales through his nose, watching the smoke drift up to the nice ceiling of ignis' cabin. ]

Yeah. I don't have anywhere else to be.

[ an olive branch of commiseration. gladio and ignis had both asked him to watch over noctis, and now that role has been taken from him. he shifts his hand to rest it next to ignis', offering his own comfort. they were too different to date, but it doesn't mean that he doesn't care, since ignis is his friend. ]

That makes both of us.

[ nowhere else. nothing to do. he takes a few more puffs, smoking the entire thing before stubbing it out on the tray and exhaling a quiet, tired sigh.

he reaches for his hand to gently squeeze, finally speaking. ]

Do you want to make something to eat?

[ nyx doesn't smoke his as quickly, letting it hang off his lips as ignis reaches over. he squeezes his friend's hand. what a shitty hand the both of them have been dealt. ignis losing his charge, and nyx having to watch his king die in front of him.

he clears his throat. ]

You're good at dumplings, right? I never got around to showing you Galahdian ones.

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