nightcure | airlocked cmo post

[ Noctis, at least, has the decency to not stare while he does his thing. When Ardyn talks again, Noctis looks over with a light grin. ]

Yeah, I can tell. She's really protective of her. I kind of thought she might fly over and start pecking the hell out of me.

How'd you get her, anyway?

Our...second week, I think it was? For some insane reason Kip decided to surprise us with essentially a flock of them, and I ended up with Luscinia. The others are around somewhere as well, usually outside.

Oh, yeah.

I saw Nari's last night. Riding that little robot. They're all really cute, I'm kind of jealous.

Stand outside with something edible for more than two minutes, you'll likely have four or five scrambling to sit on your head.

[is that a suggestion or a warning about how not to be attacked by space pigeons? yes.]

[Ardyn laughed awkwardly, idly rubbing the back of his neck. ..Then, following two seconds of silent panic upon realizing Noctis had probably seen something he'dbeen trying to cover, he surreptitiously reached for the orange scarf to pull it back into place.]

Good to know. I'll just gather up a bunch of greens and let them descend.

[ Noctis's eyes drifted to the sigil, and he gave a little nod. ]

It's pretty cool. Are you worried I'll see it? 'Cause I already did, when I came in. At least a little bit of it.

[Why is this his luck. Ardyn was never going to be equipped for awkward conversations with his former mortal enemy, but this one least of all.]

...Junpei asked me if the Kingsglaive had any identifiable mark or sigil, before we left that mansion. I gave it to him, and not that long ago they insisted upon the four of us matching. Admittedly I thought it was in somewhat poor taste on my own part after-... [you know what's worse breakfast conversation? Insomnia.] ...well, the point is they're very hard to dissuade once they get going.

[ This conversation's just full of yikes, ain't it. ]

Yeah, I got that. They're about as stubborn as the guys. [ He pauses to make himself a cup of tea and sit across from Ardyn. ] You picked a good Glaive.

Or they picked you, more like.

[honestly it's a minefield of fuckery.]

It's a shocking lesson in 'don't say anything as a joke unless you're prepared to commit to it'.

Or in the fact that everyone I've surrounded myself is mildly insane and refuses to take 'you're being idiots' for an answer.

[ ... he lets out a laugh at that. ]

Would you have it any other way?

...Not a chance.

[ He watches him for a while. ]

They're really important to you, huh.

...I wasn't like you, Noctis. I didn't truly have close companions even when I was still human. [The admission was quiet and came with a strangely serene look on Ardyn's face, Luscinia all but inhaling the last few pieces of space fruit before perching back on his shoulder.] This fractured and broken little family are the first friends that I have ever had.

Were it not for them, I have no doubt I would not be alive right now. Which, surprisingly, is a concept I've grown quite attached to over the past months. There is next to nothing in the universe that I would not do for their sake.

[ He listens--not just to what Ardyn's saying, but how he says it. There's a softness and warmth to his voice that Noctis hasn't heard himself, and he nods. ]

You deserve it. And you're lucky to have each other. [ He sips at his tea. ] I guess that's one thing we can thank these network assholes for, huh?

['Must be a fine feeling, having friends.']

[One of these days, maybe his own voice would stop coming back to mock him at the least opportune times. But it certainly wouldn't be anytime soon, and it would definitely not be today. Ardyn gave a tired laugh and shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was trying to ward off a headache.]

...In a sense, perhaps.

We're still gonna beat them down, though.

[ He frowns a little as he flexes his hand. He's been trying in vain to get his powers to work, even though he knows it won't happen. You'd think he'd have gotten used to it, but... ]

Would be easier if I could use my... everything.

It's all still restricted? That's...troublesome, but I can help compensate for some of it should the situation arise. [A pen appeared with a brief flash of familiar white crystals, twirled lightly in Ardyn's hand.] My own abilities remain painfully limited and I can't give anyone else access to the Armiger, but it's enough to get by.

Yeah. I didn't think to ask Blaze to do something before--

[ He cuts himself off with a sip of tea, expression guarded. ]

I've still got my cutlass. And everyone else can handle themselves well. Just would be nice to use the other stuff.

Tell me about it. Luckily we have Nari for an equivalent to black magic, but that's a bit more complicated.

[Ardyn frowned slightly; something about that struck him as odd, and he briefly debated whether or not to question it. But...well, why start making good decisions now, right?]

...What happened to him?

Edited (enter key) 2017-09-26 02:50 (UTC)

She packs one hell of a punch from what I've seen.

[ He hesitates for a second, running a finger along the rim of his cup. ]

I killed him. He was dying. CT screwed up the machine that was helping him live, so... When we found him, he was a wreck. He didn't even put up a fight.

He let me kill him. He wanted me to.

. . .

[And that is the face of regretting he asked.]

...You should be careful. It sounds almost like you're developing a habit of doing that.

[h-ha...ha...]

[ That's the same thing he told Noctis. Funny how that works out. ]

Yeah. Hopefully I won't have to keep on doing it.

Kind of tires a guy out after a while.

I've no doubt it would. [Ardyn hesitated again, well aware he was considering another question he was bound to regret.]

...Could I ask you something?

[ He nods. He's pretty sure he knows where this is going. ]

Sure. Go for it.

...Why.

[It was barely even a question and yet both of them surely knew what it meant, Ardyn already twisting the replica Ring of the Lucii on his hand restlessly.]

After all of that--'Ardyn Izunia' didn't deserve sympathy, least of all from you. Both of us no doubt know that. You who had every right to hate me, who I actively tried to make despise me so you would be able to finish things--I can't understand why you didn't just tell me to go straight to hell along with Ifrit.

I don't...comprehend why not a single person here is willing to condemn me for all I've done, when it was so easy for everyone else-

[Ardyn quickly cut off a sudden bitter note to his voice, pushing that back and locking it away with the rest of the things he kept tightly controlled out of fear of the shadow of an accursed monster still lingering over him. When his voice picked up again, it was calm again, serious but focused.]

...I doubt I ever will. But I have to ask regardless.

[ Even without the elaboration, he knows. Noctis lets out a quiet breath as he thinks about how to answer. ]

Because they saw the person you'd been before betrayal and hatred drove you to madness. Because you lost your memories and regained your humanity. You showed them kindness, and still show them kindness. Kings don't earn Glaives who'd fight for them and die for them just because they're kings.

[ He pauses. ]

... As for me, I spent a lot of time thinking during those ten years. You didn't tell me everything, but it was enough. And Bahamut told me a lot of things, too. Betrayal... it's a hell of a thing. I can't agree with the things you did. I never will. We both know that. But I understand.

And... you were suffering, too, more than anyone has a right to. I wanted to help end it, but also show you a bit of kindness you hadn't seen in thousands of years. Besides, I couldn't rub it in your face that I'd beaten you.

It felt wrong.

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