nascere | LET'S PLAY {open post}

[ It lingers in the back of his mind just as much; there's a chance that it honestly might not matter if everything comes to pass, but Ignis fully intends to fight with ever fiber of his being to make certain that it does not. He still has a job to do and he'll do it in any capacity that he's able to. He'll be a good king, Ignis tells himself as he follows the steady guide of Noct's arm, following with his steps matches as closely as possible.

There's no hesitation in his movements now that Noct's leading; in this and everything, he'll follow Noct. That won't ever change, sight or not. ]

Uneventful to a point of dullness. Which is why I have the list.

[ Gladio still gives the both of them looks when they're up and about for too long of a period like he had when Ingis told him that he was going to dog grocery shopping. Thankfully, he knew better than to fight over it when Ignis insisted he was going and that he was fine.

Now, Ignis thinks he understands a little better why Noct was so drowsy all the time. It might just be a natural disposition, but if he was expending that much energy channeling any portion of power when he fought, it was no small wonder that he was so tired. They near the spice vendor, he thinks - it always smells so strongly and he'd never really noticed until he couldn't see it coming. ]

If they have cinnamon, let's add that to the list.

[ Dullness, is it? What with everything that's happened, perhaps it's a good thing that they were afforded some measure of dullness. Who knows what will happen next, what tragedy will befall them in the long road ahead?

Right now, Noctis chooses not to dwell on it -- there will be plenty of time for that when he's not in Ignis' company, enjoying the time that they have together. Right now, he chooses to focus on this: what the hell does cinnamon look like?

Noctis is not a fan of spices usually, and he has a vague impression of brown stick-like things he used to steadfastly ignore, but makes note of the request. It's easy enough to ask the vendor for these items and watch him pack it up, and when Noctis catches sight of the cinnamon, he picks up a stick, holding it in Ignis' direction so that he can get a good, but not overpowering sniff. ]

You mean this one? Where does it go?

[ When they reach the table, he carefully tilts his body to be as unobtrusive as possible, just so he doesn't accidentally shoulder check someone walking past that he can't quite move in time for. In some ways this is harder than fighting; he can't just get out of the way to avoid the crush like he can when in battle.

Still, Noct's alive and warm by his side and he hears the sound of dry leaves rubbing against each other, thinks he sees the briefest impression of shadows that are most likely Noct. A moment later, cinnamon. He nods just once, mentally shifting a few things around to account for the addition, rather pleased. ]

Just five sticks should be enough. If I'm not able to cook, I can at least make sure we're well-equipped with simple meals while traveling. Oatmeal with cinnamon is marginally more exciting. There's sugar at the next stall over, I believe.

[ The cinnamon's for all of them technically, since the oatmeal option alone is plain, but the sugar is for Noctis, if he wants. They wouldn't be able to carry enough to even begin being remotely unhealthy and it could liven up an otherwise boring meal if they don't find fruit on the way. ]

[ It feels good, he thinks, to see that flicker of pleasure on his face -- Noctis isn't sure Ignis notices it, but his gaze lingers more than it should. It's been a lifetime, it seems, since Ignis took pleasure in the little things, and maybe that's what should matter. They've had so much shit happen to them, and if Noctis could help alleviate that in any way, well.

Noctis is paying for the spices and the cinnamon, taking the bag and guiding Ignis to the next stall, warmed that the older man is still thinking so far ahead. ] You don't have to cook. It's gonna be a pain to clean up, anyway. And I'm sure Gladio could use the downtime.

[ Noctis responds, ever at his elbow as he leans forward to pick up the sugar, crossing a few more items off the list. Nearby, however, fresh fruit are on display, especially cherries, and he pauses before plucking one from the bunch. It's been awhile since they've seen fruit, haven't they? And Noctis is not as morally opposed to vegetables as he is to fruit. ] Hey, check this out. They've got one hell of a lot of fruit here, and the cherries look good. Wanna try one before we bring some back to the others?

[ He follows once the bags were redistributed, listening to snippets of conversation here and there to try and mentally map where everything is for later. If something were to happen, he wants to be aware of as much as he can; the Empire's proven it's not exactly shy of going after them in public. ]

This doesn't require me to do more than give a few instructions, there's no need for concern. Gladio may well still recall how to make it, he just needs to take care not to let the water boil off too quickly.

[ At the mention of fruit, he turns (three down, four left, he thinks, because he can smell the kabob vendor close. His mental map may not be perfect but it's passable, which means he focuss back in on Noct and the mention of cherries. It has been a while since they've had fresh fruit, and some of them could be preserved while preparing for the road. ]

If they're offering samples.

[ He agrees mostly out of habit; Noct receiving samples wasn't uncommon. They ought to be cautious, but so long as no one makes a big deal out of the prince being here and they keep to themselves, it won't matter if they are recognized. If they're not, well, they're two normal people and that sort of normalcy is something that Ignis desperately want to hold onto with both hands. ]

Do they have strawberries? They may be out of season but with how warm it is, perhaps not.

Yeah, they have strawberries too. [ Noctis tells him, describing the fruits on display quietly, pointing out the different array of it -- the strawberries are placed in the chillers, imported from another part of the world, and Noctis keeps close, requesting for a small pack of strawberries, and another of cherries from the vendor.

Not one to freeload, he pays for them with the coins he'd picked up earlier, before opening the strawberries and plucking one out. It's fat, juicy, and while it'll be perfectly fine for Noctis to simply place it on Ignis' hand, he forgoes that option and goes right to what he's always instinctively wanted to do. ]

Here, I've got one. Open up.

I- thank you.

[ He's not quite sure if there's a dignified way for him to do this but by that point it doesn't really matter. He can smell the strawberry and doesn't bother to spare a moment to think about strange it is to be so aware of it. Instead, he delicately takes a bite of it and is relieved when it's neat enough and he doesn't have an unsightly mess down his chin. He's fastidious to a fault, though, and licks over his bottom lip, nodding.

Strawberries don't keep as long or as well, but he doesn't expect that they'll last that long. If there are extras,they can be preserved and stored in the Regalia. Good food that they don't have to prepare and don't get often -- that's enough to make the trip worthwhile. ]

A carton should work, if they're the rectangle ones. If they're square, we should get two. Have you tried one yet?

[ Ignis leans forward to take a delicate bite out of the plump strawberry, and in that moment everything else falls away: the hustle and bustle of the marketplace, the people moving past them, the others haggling with the vendor -- everything grinds to a muted halt when Ignis is all he sees.

It's sudden, inexplicable, how he's focused on the way those soft, full lips close around the fruit, and there is everything sensuous about the way the juice stains his lips red for the moment, and the pink flash of tongue as he licks them clean renders Noctis breathless.

Shit.

But then he's talking, and Noctis is barely cognizant of it, watching the way those words form but not registering the meaning of them, not when he's spellbound by that one impossibly alluring moment. ]

What? [ He asks distantly after a beat, staring at his lips, then at the half-eaten strawberry. ]

[ It is good. It's not often they get to treat themselves with fresh fruit unless they happen to find it foraging or manage to go somewhere warm enough, or that's on a trade route. Gently, Ignis shifts the bags until he can hold them on his shoulder and hates, hates that he has to grope blindly about to get any sort of semblance of where things are.

Noct is in front of him; he's always aware of the prince, habit as well as duty, so it's easy enough to reach out and place his hand on Noct's arm when he hesitates like that.

There's nothing off that he can tell. No threats in the marketplace, no increased footsteps or talking that would seem to indicate an issue which means that Noct was distracted by something not immediately obvious. Gently, Ignis squeezes his arm, worried. ]

I asked if you had sampled the fruit yet and what sort of containers they were in. Are you well?

No, I uh--

[ He fumbles, and winces. Smooth, so smooth; gaping like an idiot at his oldest and closest friend, who's sacrificed so much for his sake, and Noctis can't even get himself in order; sentiment he had thought he'd outgrown simmering under his skin, monopolizing his thoughts. He hasn't outgrown this. ] I haven't yet. They came in those square boxes, means I should get more?

[ At least, that's what Noctis thinks he said. He takes the last bite of the strawberry, and forces himself not to think of how that had touched his lips before. Unsuccessful. ] You have something on your lip -- [ A fingertip, gently brushing away the smudge of reddish-pink. ]

[ Nothing immediately wrong, then, which is a relief. Ignis raises an eyebrow but doesn't push for the time being. He sounds fine, just...flustered, if anything, which in itself raises questions but flustered isn't directly concerning so Ignis won't push right now. ]

Yes. Two should suffice. Any more than that and we may end up with too many to take with us.

[ At the mention of something on his lip, there's pressure, light and fleeting. He recognizes it as Noctis' finger and doesn't quite flinch back but the intimacy of the gesture is tied firmly with the faint burst of embarrassment. He's fastidious to a fault at times and hates the idea of being unkempt around Noct, but recognizes that he's at a disadvantage here. One more squeeze of Noct's arm and he forces himself back on track. ]

If we've paid, we can move onto the next items on the list. There shouldn't be much, but I did mean to ask about the state of your clothing. I realize in my -- condition, there's no easy way for me to check for parts that need mending. If we need to acquire additional clothing now would be the best time to do it.

[ That Ignis is somehow so worried about him is warming and embarrassing all at once-- Noctis likes to think that he's at least become older, no longer the young charge that needs looking after, no matter how overwhelmed he is. Also, nobody ever told you what to do when you wipe a smudge off the lip of someone you've only just realised you've never grown out of, and he surreptitiously licks it off his own finger, for once incredibly grateful that Ignis won't notice. ]

It's all right, Iggy. We'll just grab some clothes along the way.

[ Frankly, Noctis hasn't actually noticed the state of his clothes, and he pauses to do a quick inventory. ] You got anything you wanna pick up?

[ They'll need to start moving again so they don't hold up space in front of the stall they're no longer shopping at so Ignis carefully curls his hand back around Noct's arm and decidedly doesn't think about the muscle that's there. Gently, he leads them down - there's another series of stalls here that should, if he recalls correctly, have the items they need to finish out the list. ]

Unless clothing has suddenly started growing on trees, I think it's best we do our shopping in the city if you do need any.

[ His voice is terribly dry and just the faintest bit amused as they approach another stall; when he inhales, he smells flowers, which should mean they're near the meat vendor, over a stall or so. ]

Just the list. The impulse purchases won't set us back any significant amount so we do have some room.

Hey, you never know.

[ Noctis murmurs. He keeps closer than he should and pretends not to notice, but allows himself to be steered even though he's the one who's supposed to be doing the steering. Looking down at the list, he picks out the meats, and gently puts his hand over Ignis' and leads him to the meats.

Deciding to just hand the butcher the list instead of rattling what they need, Noctis eyes the wares absently, resisting the urge to look closer at all the offal on display. ]

How about this, we drop off the stuff after this, then head out to the city after?

[ They'll make a day of it, him and Ignis, and somehow he's looking forward to that. ] And just order in pizza for dinner later.

True enough.

[ The way things are going, it wouldn't be the strangest thing to see happen, especially after the insanity of the last few weeks.

He can't check the meat for proper cuts or pick and choose as he used to, so he simply trusts that whatever they get so long as it's the same thing, will work. Gladio can prepare meat easily enough and with some herbs and spices, putting it over rice or another item easy to make on the road means that this isn't something he needs to focus on too hard.

The offer isn't objectionable - if Noctis wants to spend the day out, then Ignis will accompany him. They both need to get out anyway and having a distraction is a welcome change, for once. The latter suggestion, though, gets Noct a look. It's not quite the same as when he could see, but the dubious look still performs well enough, he thinks, especially when it isn't as if he's going to say no. There will be spinach on it, though, as that's the least obtrusive vegetable that can go on there and Ignis will feel marginally less terrible about poor eating habits. ]

Contact Prompto and Gladio to confirm their usual order and we can place it while we're out in the city. Have you eaten today? Outside the fruit you sampled?

[ It's all cool, Iggy, the meat looks good. The butcher even shows it to Noctis, who nods -- although granted, the prince has never actually done much grocery shopping in his life, if you didn't count junk food runs at the nearby convenience store.

With a hum, he sends a text to them both before contemplating just what is best to tell Ignis. His appetite hasn't been the greatest of late, but that particular development is going to do nothing but make Ignis worry. ]

Yeah. [ He lies, and instead of elaborating (he's always terrible at it), he turns to the butcher to pay, hoping that the distraction will let this pass. Meat wrapped and packed, transaction concludes, he quickly changes the subject. ] So, last stops -- canned stuff and camping supplies? I think that's on the other side of the market.

Canned items and camping supplies.

[ Ignis repeats with a nod, touching fingertips to the edge of the stall to reorient himself as to where everything is. When he locates the corner, he faces the correct direction, not quite sure if Noctis meant for him to hang off of his arm the entire day. It was sweet, initially, but the market isn't so crowded that he needs help and reminding Noctis of what he's lacking isn't something he's particularly thrilled about.

Accepting help intermittently is better than becoming dependent, especially when they still need to keep moving forward; Ignis has a job to do, much as the idea of it makes his heart ache, he'll see it through. ]

It's close enough to the hotel; we can drop our items off and while there, we can check if you need any additional pieces of clothing or any items mended.

LET'S PLAY {open post}

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