aterat | If You Like It Then You Shoulda Put A Ring On It

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If You Like It Then You Shoulda Put A Ring On It

Who; Nida and Ignis
What; Engagement Ring Shopping
Where; The Markets
When; One Morning in April
Warnings; These two are sickening sweet?

An agreement had been made early in February, and Nida had taken his time to think about it, to be certain. He made it all the way into April before he awoke them early on their joint day off. Nida slipped from the bed early, made them a hearty breakfast, and then offered Ignis his hand.

Today we shop, he had said, which was basically a confirmation of 'yes, I'm sure about this'.

Dressed for the cool spring weather, and with the fog gone, Nida smiled and led his lover out to find a good jewelry shop or two. It was time to figure this out.

"So," he said as they walked arm in arm through the markets for the first target, "do you have any thoughts to start with on the rings?"

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They weren't engagement rings yet. They needed to select something, make decisions, have things made if they didn't have something in the right size.

"What do you think of how it looks against your skin?"

He can't imagine it all on his own. So he smiles at Ignis, tilting his head. Patience. This needs patience.

"I think it's quite a beautiful choice. We should most certainly go with this lovely metal." Of course he still hadn't quite managed to try the ring on. And to his surprise his voice had emotion creeping into it. If it was anyone else he would totally cut them some slack, but it wasn't so easy to do it for himself.

The shopkeeper looked pleased and nodded. "We would need to get them resized for you, or I can put some on hold if you need to do more shopping." No he didn't mean more ring shopping, but a lot of people came in during their lunch break or were enroute somewhere to purchase other goods.

"Do you mind if we have a moment?" Nida asked the merchant, reaching out to take the ring from Ignis's hand and putting it on the counter. Then he caught his lover's hands and pulled him a few steps away so he could speak softly to the man.

"Are you... Ig, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Ignis replied, looking almost startled at the sudden change. He didn't want to admit how much he was wanting all of this, and wanting it to be permanent. The reality was indeed starting to settle in, and the weight of the rings had somehow brought it all into a very sharp and crisp focus for him.

There was no doubt, and no hesitation in his mind or his heart that he wanted all of this with Nida. It was just the reality kicking in, but he couldn't really convey all of that in public. So he just shook his head apologetically.

"I'm terribly sorry to have made you concerned. But I assure you that all is quite well."

He can't help it. Nida reaches up, his hand cupping his lover's cheek, thumb brushing over a beautiful cheekbone.

"You seemed upset," Nida offered, voice low and concerned. He could even feel Siren crooning her concern.

Ignis feels himself immediately relaxing over Nida's tender gesture, even though he's very fully aware that they're in public. Green eyes searched the darker ones, wondering why this was coming up here and now but he'd wait.

"Darling I'm fine, I promise." This was said with a soft tender smile. "We still have rings to pick out as of yet so we should get back to it." It was really sweet of Nida to have pulled him aside like this, but it was just him not ever really thinking he'd ever get married and it was just sort hitting him all at once.

"Alright, but you need to try one of them on to see how the metal looks," Nida reminded him softly, lowering his hand. "And then we have to think of stones. I don't want something plain."

"I'd rather you put the ring on my hand." Ignis replied softly. Putting a ring on his own hand was somehow out of the scope of this day in his mind. Silly as it might be, it was still something he felt strongly enough about.

The last part had him move his head to the side. "You wish to have stones on the band?"

"Wouldn't it be better to put the final product onto your hand?"

Surely that would mean more than any other ring they were just looking at to confirm metal choices.

"Is it wrong to want a stone set into it?"

"Alright." Ignis replied, not wishing to cause a fuss. If this was the way Nida wanted it, he would acquiesce to it. But at Nida's question he shook his head. "No, it isn't wrong. I simply wasn't aware that was your wish though I don't believe there's anything the matter with it."

"I promise, when it's the real ones, nothing could keep me from doing it," Nida says. "I want to only do it twice. Once when I'm giving you it, and once for marriage. So the memories are there, untainted."

In a brief moment of light and clarity, he realized that he had been wrong to proceed the way he'd been going and it was a bit of a shock. And it didn't make sense as to why this was an issue but he thought he'd try again. "I will ask for more clarity at a later time."

He then looked briefly over at the shopkeeper and debated, taking a breath. His gaze then went back to Nida. "Maybe we'll come back another day and look at rings." Leaving the other's side, he politely thanked the shopkeeper for his time and rejoined Nida.

"Let's go have lunch."

"Lunch seems a good way to go now," Nida agreed, voice soft. Whatever it took to make his love happy. At least he knew his own size, and maybe a metal. He'd talk to the jeweler another time, figure out Ignis's size, and they could talk about it in a more general fashion.

"Do I get to buy the food?"

The whole exchange left Ignis with a lot of unanswered questions and it was a conversation which was far better without an audience. But he was delighted when the redirection worked as he'd hoped it would. So they headed out the door and it was only then that the advisor's shoulders finally lost their tension.

"Of course." He was agreeable to Nida buying them lunch if it would make him happy.

Nida smiled, reaching for the other's hand and holding it with a warm smile.

"What do you want? A sandwich? I think I know a place with that. They're nice to the guards."

With the tension fading, Nida was happy again, excited. Changing, adapting to new situations, was an important thing for him to do. He'd learned it a while ago.

"I don't have a preference at the moment it seems." Ignis replied. The warmth in his hand was nice but what was even better was that Nida was happy. Of course he planned on broaching the topic he wanted to discuss, but not right at the moment. He really didn't care what they ate, because being out here like this was important.

"Ah," Nida said, keeping them going on. Was something wrong? He had to wonder. But he also trusted that Ignis would tell him. Faith in the man he loved was important.

"Well, if you come up with a thought, let me know. I live to make you smile."

There was a small smile in reply but he really started thinking. "Then how do you feel about the art of compromise, Mister Scientia?"

True Nida didn't have that last name yet, but obviously it was something that they were heading towards. And by calling his fiance by that name, it was a reminder to what all of this was about.

Way to make his heart skip a beat.

"Absolutely, if you call me that again."

Mr. Scientia. Oh dear, he loved the sound of that. So much.

Ignis smiled softly, loving the effect he inadvertently had on Nida. "I most certainly can comply to your request."

He reached over and gave the man a brief kiss because they were in public. "And in that case Mister Scientia, please do explain why sliding a piece of metal onto my hand for the very first time in trying rings on, would somehow taint the future gesture when the real thing happens."

Oh. Nida came to a pause. Was that was the concern was? Oh no, he'd made a mistake, hadn't he? The concern and regret was written on his face. To add to that, his fingers come up to move through his hair, a common Nida non-verbal sign of being worried.

"For me, it's the symbolism of the moment, the uniqueness of the memory and the moment too. The ones that are unique, that have power and symbolism, that are singular and defining, the stick better. Some of it is also about how those moments are seen in my world. That act of putting a ring on your finger is, in a way, the promise itself, the oath given. But the uniqueness is... I've told you that I don't remember my parents much, right? Have I explained why? The cost of power in my world?"

He wasn't liking the look on Nida's face but he of course understood the why. And this was one of the very few times he'd seen the other make that gesture. He wanted to reach out and lift the other's chin but something stayed his hand, preventing him from doing that gesture.

But Ignis listened as his lover went onto explain things, trying to piece the puzzle together. And he didn't want to interfere with any explanation given so he remained quiet until he was on the receiving end of questions.

"Yes you've explained about not recalling them. But no I don't believe that we've ever discussed the why or about power in your world."

Other than the whole sorceress thing or about Siren.

"There's a reason I don't remember them," Nida said. And with that he reached for Ignis's hands, hoping to hold them for comfort. "And a reason I think I forgot so much of the previous worlds. There are costs to GF use. They need something to feed them, a place to stay in our minds and bodies. They... Go go into the long term memory. Over time memories fade, faster than they would just from growing. I think losing so much in coming here was a factor of the worlds I came through distorting her when she finally had access to me again, a warping of the memory if you will. But the rest? Slowly she's taken them."

If those hands were in his, he would squeeze them, and he hurt. Oh how he hurt.

"The more unique a memory, the more emotionally weighted and powerful, the more they seem to stick. Some days I remember in all the stunning detail and wonder as I should have. Others? Not so much. I remember the first time I held my first polearm, but I had a named one back home, Selene. I can't remember the day I got her. That was probably about four years ago, maybe five now. I remember the day I graduated, I remember when I reached A rank. I remember missions. They were unique, powerful things, they linger. But other things I lose, and I will just keep losing them so long as I lack something to carry Siren when I'm not actively using her, so long as I have to sustain her alone."

That's the cost of power for him. The cost of magic. Maybe in a world that had more magic in it, in the air and in the ground and everywhere, the bond would be less powerfully parasitic. He doesn't know. This is the first time he's had her while in a world that wasn't his own. And she isn't racing through his memories as much, save for that sudden burst at the start.

"I don't know the cost here. Maybe the memories I lost coming here will serve as her price for the whole time I stay here. Maybe this world will sustain her better. Or maybe not, and the moment I'll remember is the first time I put the ring on you, and not the moment that matters."

Maybe he should just keep a journal, writing and drawing the important moments, to make them more concrete. But that hasn't occurred to him before. Just like a slow, carefully managed introduction to a chocobo hasn't occurred to him. Sometimes he's just not creative in his thinking.

Ignis allowed the hand holding and looked at Nida very Concerned and couldn't help worrying the more the man went on and it seemed to just go from bad to worse.

The news was quite disturbing to say the least and his mind turned over the situation with Siren over and over in his mind. Losing his memories due to hosting her. What kind of deal was that? And even if Nida indulged Ignis he might not remember it. What if..in time he was forgotten? Even though thing were being explained and some memories remained, at what cost?

After his hands were squeezed pretty tightly, he listened more and had to ask. "I don't suppose there's any way I could assist with bearing Siren." It wasn't that he wanted the power or magic boost. He simply wanted to share the burden and not have her bear down on Nida so much. Ignis just very much wanted to help.

Technology such as he knew was so sorely lacking in this place. "And since you brought this up, I will ensure we have plenty of pictures of our wedding." Video wasn't a thing here unfortunately, but hopefully photos would be enough.

What an idea. Part of Nida wants to shoot it down immediately, because being without Siren makes him weaker. But there are times when he's not out, not in a position where he might need her force, and then... Then he thinks maybe it might be okay. Sleeping and time together and the like. Yes, maybe it could work.

"It takes time to learn how to carry one. And even teaching you that, it might be impossible to teach you proper junctioning or magic. There will be a LOT of theory work first, so I can teach you how to give her back to me. And I need her for work and being around the city. If you can agree to all of this, I would be willing to ask her. She's sentient. She should have a say."

But he thought maybe she'd allow it. Ignis's elements didn't match up with her, but they also didn't conflict. Siren might be a GF aligned to wind and sea, but she was not as picky about what she shared with as Pandemona and Quez were. She only couldn't stand Carbuncle.

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