aterat | One Fall And One Less Bear

And Nida had just been teasing. Again and again they fail at this communication game. For now Nida rose and went to wash his hands.

“Well when you’re ready.”

Ignis put his head down thoughtfully after Nida had gotten up to wash his hands. And the invitation had been extended though he remembered with fondness about the last time he was asked.

Then wasn't now but he could turn the tables.

So he stood and went to go clean up and picked up the jade pendant that he wore around his neck as soon as he was done. Then he wordlessly and slowly walked over to Nida.

Slightly bowing his head, Ignis held out a hand. "Might I have a dance with you?"

Nida smiled and moved the table to give them a bit more room. Only then did he lay his hand in Ignis’s.

“It would be a privilege. Will you lead this time?”

There was a smile. "Yes I will lead." Ignis replied with a smile. He loved being able to lead since he was used to it, but of course he was more than happy to follow if Nida had wanted to lead.

“Well then, I beg your patience with me. I haven’t been led in a good long time.”

And with that he put a hand on Ignis’s shoulder. A clear invitation to start.

"I can most certainly be patient." Ignis smiled and clasped Nida's hand. So once the hand came up on his shoulder, the advisor began moving. And as they danced, he couldn't help but feel proud that he was wearing the jade pendant for some odd reason.

The pendant was a claim. One Nida’s eyes moved to whenever they weren’t held by Ignis’s gaze. No matter which he looked at he smiled, until he leaned forward enough to rest his head against Ignis’s shoulder.

“You ever hear of kintsugi?”

Chances were the word meant nothing to Ignis. But Nida couldn’t be certain.

Ignis moved carefully as he led them around the living room, with a far slower pace than had been set by Nida the first time. And he thought it was so very sweet when the other man put his head against his shoulder.

Green eyes blinked as he tried to figure out the word spoken but nothing came to mind and he wondered after it. Finally after a moment's thought he shook his head lightly.

"No darling, I can't recall ever hearing that word." Ignis smiled and refrained from kissing the top of the dark head. "Care to enlighten me?"

Darling. Nida’s heart always skips a beat at that affection. This time was no different. And it made his reply slow in coming as he caught his breath.

“It is this old Esthari art form. Even to this day, with all their technology, there are still artisans who perform it, and their works are highly prized. It is a process by which one takes broken pottery and repairs it. The pieces are put back together and all the cracks and joins filled with gold. Where once there was broken pieces, the original art destroyed, there is new beauty. The piece is reborn, and what was the weakest points become the strongest.”

Ignis listened to what Nida was saying and smiled. "That sounds like a lovely tradition." And it seemed pretty symbolic because of the last parts that were said.

So he smiled.

"That is an art form where you're from I take it?" And of course the advisor couldn't help but wonder why they were talking about this particular thing. Not that he minded because he would talk to Nida about anything and everything.

Test him on the anything’s and everything, Ignis. Would he still be loved if Ignis heard how much Nida would rant about chocobos and their hate of him?

“Not where I am from. Another nation. But yes. And the masters of it are lauded. I never expected to find someone so skilled at it here.”

"Really.." Ignis voice trailed off in wonder. "Then I suppose if you manage to set anything on fire or break anything, we might be able to get it repaired in this same way."

It had him thinking.

"Is that one of the reasons you didn't wish for me to accompany you when you went back to the Curio shop?" He still would love to find out more about the jewel he wore around his neck.

The man didn’t understand at all. Nida chuckles, his hand brushing Ignis’s cheek briefly.

“I’m the pottery, my flame. Your kindness and affection is the gold. If the metaphor sucks, don’t blame me. I didn’t get highest marks in literature. The class was an elective.”

Ignis blushed and stopped moving once Nida touched his cheek. His own hand lifted to keep the other where it was and he smiled. "The metaphor is quite alright.

Slowly he placed his other hand on Nida's cheek and leaned forward to kiss the man, unwilling to say the words in his heart.

Oh to have his touch held in place by Ignis. The allowance of the touch and the compliment was wonderful. And the lips pressing forward against his own, soft and in a strange way more fortifying than the dinner they had shared, they let warmth spread through Nida.

Sometimes words weren’t what mattered so much as actions.

For the advisor time seemed to stand still. This was everything that he wanted, right here in his arms and with him right now. His body moved against Nida's and his fingers curled around the hand on his cheek, still keeping it in place.

Originally Ignis had thought to make love to the man, but he couldn't do that because he had promised to lead. And there was still that other matter though he didn't want to ruin the peace that had seemed to descend upon them both.

So he slowly pulled back from their kiss and just tried to smile.

One event didn't preclude the other, Ignis. Not at all. Especially with how Nida was looking at him now, adoringly. The kiss might have ended, but Nida wasn't content to leave it at that. He moves up to meet Ignis's lips again, offering a few lingering, slow kisses on those lips as his free hand moves to stroke over Ignis's chest, and thus the necklace.

That look he was getting was setting fire to him and here he was trying to douse the flames as it was. But then he received more of the slow kisses that absolutely drove him wild and he whimpered as that warm hand moved to touch his necklace.

Just something about that simple gesture was absolute magic.

Ignis gently moved Nida's hand on his face to place over his heart as they kissed, trying to show with actions what it was he was trying to convey. And he held it there now though obviously the hold was light enough that it could easily be removed if desired.

The gentle hand he had on Nida's face remained, as the advisor was rather unwilling to move it.

A hand on Ignis's heart. He can feel it beating. And there is a comfort in that. Comfort and a message that he was more than skilled enough to understand.

When the latest kiss broke he closed his eyes and leaned into that hand, his own pressing more firmly against Ignis's chest, but not in an effort to move the man away. He wanted to speak, wanted to say it, but he was scared that the words would be too soon. That everything they had and every step they took was coming too fast.

"There's nowhere I would rather be than with you, here and now."

The advisor clenched his jaw when Nida rested his head on the hand over his heart. The words spoken made him want to cry, but he had to clear this up and spoke softly though the emotion was very plain in his soft tone. "I just want you to be sure that I am who you want."

Ignis would wear the pendant into the worst danger and back. But he needed to know where he stood because those earlier words rattled. He didn't let go of Nida's hand and he wasn't going to unless the other pulled away.

This was important but he still he tried to lighten his tone a little.

"You did..mention my ruining you for others a bit earlier." And of course Ignis didn't want any others. But he couldn't be selfish because Nida had been through just so very much.

The words give Nida quite a bit of pause. Had he done something to suggest that he didn't want Ignis with all his heart? Oh, but of course he had, and he gets it when Ignis explains.

Part of him wanted to laugh at the silliness of the situation. The other part thought he understood. This was Ignis, and the two of them saw the world in very different ways, experienced it differently. Hadn't Nida been confused before by Ignis's use of the word 'courting', a term Nida would only use for a long term romantic couple where a proposal was nearly imminent? Did they not frequently find themselves in metaphors the other didn't understand? How was it that this had been that much easier with the last man? Then again, his lost love had been more of a romantic at heart, given to grand gestures and teasing metaphors.

Laughter, he knows, isn't best here. So he lifts his gaze to Ignis's, his expression soft and open.

"I want you, Ignis. I wouldn't invite you into my space if I didn't, I'm too private and too paranoid for that, even here. But I've clearly caused some confusion here. I didn't mean that in a bad way at all. It's... It's sorta an expression. That you'd be so good and so intense that I'd never want to consider another person again in my life. That I'd be destroyed without you. Which I know you wouldn't want, you're too kind for that. But I meant it only as light teasing about how much I enjoy having sex with you, and how eager I am for it. And you know what? I'd want you even if we weren't intimate. Trust me on that."

The look Nida gives him just steals his breath and takes it right away. The vulnerable look in those dark eyes just slays him as he stands there and tries not to get lost in those depths.

Courting was appropriate the way Ignis used it because that's how he saw things, dating just to date which wasn't his thing because he did long term plans and all that. But because the word had seemed to upset Nida he didn't bring it back up at all in any way, nor would he.

Fortunately or unfortunately this was Ignis' first real relationship and simply tended to take everything serious. He really didn't see the need for head games or any other type of things like that. And since he could overthink things he tended to need to be brought back to earth at times so to speak and grounded.

This was where Nida came in.

But right now those eyes were beckoning and the advisor listened to the words. He felt better of course now that he understood what had been meant. So instead of saying some things that he really wanted to say, he nodded once but then tilted his head to the side.

"And might I ask why you would still want me otherwise? Simply consider it curiosity." Ignis really was curious but moreover he really just wanted to make Nida his right then and there, to cover the things he wanted to say.

There's no helping the relief that washes through him at the acceptance he gets for his words. Good. He cleared that up. Really, one of these days they'd know how to communicate easily. Or perhaps they never would. But for now he was happy with what they'd achieved. Even if it came with another question. Though this one had his free hand coming up to touch the place where the rings hung around his neck, the pieces of jewelry on their chain hidden under his shirt.

No matter how much he cared for Ignis, or how much more he'd come to, there was no denying that he was only in this place and able to accept any of it because of the love that had come before. Because of the young man who had taught him things about being willing to trust and desire and be open with himself.

The one that had taught Nida that there was more to love than lust.

"Because I've learned that matters of the heart aren't so simple as the heat between bodies. Even without that I'd still have the warmth of your hand in mine, the safety of your arms around me, the blessing of the sweetness of your lips. Sex is nice, it's a great bonus, and sure we sort of started there, but we're people. Thinking, feeling people, and while one can live without sex, I don't think they can without the feelings of their heart. Not and be happy."

"Yes you would." Ignis agreed softly, squeezing the hand over his heart before bringing it to his lips for a brief kiss. He then lowered it and leaned in for a brief kiss as he let Nida's words be felt as much as they were heard. And even though they raised a question, and one that could be downright dangerous to ask at the moment, the man remained silent. That would come with its own procession of things that needed to be said.

The rings had been a reminder he wasn't this man's first relationship but Ignis didn't fault him for that at all. He too wore something of Noct around his neck as well every day even though they didn't have a relationship like Nida had.

"You do seem happy, since your fascinating eyes always manage to give you away." And sometimes it was the only way he could know what was going on. If he kept his focus on that, it would be fine. He could keep everything else locked up just like he was used to doing because it caused a lot less trouble that way. And Nida's feelings and comfort levels were far more important than his own.

"And you give away next to nothing," Nida returned, though there was no judgement in his tone. Perhaps a bit of wistfulness, but no judgement.

So much of him was about knowing how to read people and what they didn't say. But just as clearly so much of Ignis was about being unreadable. He didn't begrudge that the other man was just better at what he did.

"Are you happy?"

The question had to be asked. Because if he wasn't, Nida didn't want to be a barrier to Ignis and happiness.

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talk about invitation for a specific icon

Ugh that icon..

is this one better?

that one is sweet

it has a lovely partner in this one

yes it does

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