This part is a bit of a small interlude before we get down to the real fun. :)
----------
Ardyn woke to pain.
This was such an unusual experience in and of itself--Beyond Noct's ever so delightful attempts at healing, Ardyn hadn't felt so much as a chill since the age of thirty-five--that he took a minute simply to examine it, to pick apart each twinge and shiver of flesh. There was a tightening at his skin--warmth? Surely not. Then there was an ache in his hips and lower back, and a gnawing, twisting fire in his abdomen that moved through him as though alive, tearing at his insides with a pain just short of exquisite.
His stomach growled. Oh.
"Toast in the fridge," Noct mumbled. He had an arm slung over Ardyn's chest, and his fingers ran through the tips of his hair. Ardyn felt another pain, a tension just over his lungs, and rolled the young man off.
Then he tried the toast. It was cold, covered in syrup and no longer as crisp as it had been the day before, but Ardyn was used to forcing down elaborate dinners at Niflheim state affairs that felt of ash and paper against a tongue no longer suited for taste.
His senses were still dulled, but the sweetness was almost overwhelming. Ardyn had to take his time, and when he was done, Noct had risen in a tangle of sheets and disheveled hair to watch him.
"You look dreadful," Ardyn said, and Noct grinned.
"Yeah. I'll order more. It's gonna be a long day."
Ardyn felt a shiver run up his arms, and nodded. "Oh, I expect it will."
The tickling over his skin started to bother him by midday, when Noct was finally ready to start another round of healing. He shed his jacket and rolled back his sleeves, and when Noct touched him, he could feel the pressure of his fingers.
He wondered if, as he was now, he would be able to tell what Noct tasted like.
By evening, most of Ardyn's bloodstream had been cleansed, and Noct could barely stand. Again, Ardyn touched him, careful and light, and felt the well of power straining through the weakened sludge of the Scourge, bringing light to his hands.
"You're getting better at this," Noct said. He smirked. "For a dinosaur."
"Excuse me?" Ardyn's hand slid down to the side of the younger man's neck.
"Sorry. Old man? Great-great to the hundredth--" Noct cackled as he was shoved back, and hooked his fingers in the lapels of Ardyn's shirt, dragging him along for half a step. Ardyn felt warmth on his palm when he held Noct's hip, and that tension in his chest spiked again.
When Noct surged up to kiss him, Ardyn was disappointed to find he didn't taste much of anything. Well. Maybe next time. He opened his mouth to him, pressed Noct down on the bed, shifted his knee to push his legs open.
He knew how this went, but he'd never felt it so keenly before. Every touch was new, every shift of skin and pulse of blood a heady sensation that threatened to topple Ardyn over the edge of reason. Noct was smiling through it, teasing and too gentle, and when Ardyn pulled at the roots of his hair the cry of pleasure he made was enough. Ardyn gave himself over to it, to him, and forgot, just for a while, the inevitable pain of living.
Re: Fill: 8/? Re: Noctis is the Healer of Lucis (Ardyn/Noctis)
----------
Ardyn woke to pain.
This was such an unusual experience in and of itself--Beyond Noct's ever so delightful attempts at healing, Ardyn hadn't felt so much as a chill since the age of thirty-five--that he took a minute simply to examine it, to pick apart each twinge and shiver of flesh. There was a tightening at his skin--warmth? Surely not. Then there was an ache in his hips and lower back, and a gnawing, twisting fire in his abdomen that moved through him as though alive, tearing at his insides with a pain just short of exquisite.
His stomach growled. Oh.
"Toast in the fridge," Noct mumbled. He had an arm slung over Ardyn's chest, and his fingers ran through the tips of his hair. Ardyn felt another pain, a tension just over his lungs, and rolled the young man off.
Then he tried the toast. It was cold, covered in syrup and no longer as crisp as it had been the day before, but Ardyn was used to forcing down elaborate dinners at Niflheim state affairs that felt of ash and paper against a tongue no longer suited for taste.
His senses were still dulled, but the sweetness was almost overwhelming. Ardyn had to take his time, and when he was done, Noct had risen in a tangle of sheets and disheveled hair to watch him.
"You look dreadful," Ardyn said, and Noct grinned.
"Yeah. I'll order more. It's gonna be a long day."
Ardyn felt a shiver run up his arms, and nodded. "Oh, I expect it will."
The tickling over his skin started to bother him by midday, when Noct was finally ready to start another round of healing. He shed his jacket and rolled back his sleeves, and when Noct touched him, he could feel the pressure of his fingers.
He wondered if, as he was now, he would be able to tell what Noct tasted like.
By evening, most of Ardyn's bloodstream had been cleansed, and Noct could barely stand. Again, Ardyn touched him, careful and light, and felt the well of power straining through the weakened sludge of the Scourge, bringing light to his hands.
"You're getting better at this," Noct said. He smirked. "For a dinosaur."
"Excuse me?" Ardyn's hand slid down to the side of the younger man's neck.
"Sorry. Old man? Great-great to the hundredth--" Noct cackled as he was shoved back, and hooked his fingers in the lapels of Ardyn's shirt, dragging him along for half a step. Ardyn felt warmth on his palm when he held Noct's hip, and that tension in his chest spiked again.
When Noct surged up to kiss him, Ardyn was disappointed to find he didn't taste much of anything. Well. Maybe next time. He opened his mouth to him, pressed Noct down on the bed, shifted his knee to push his legs open.
He knew how this went, but he'd never felt it so keenly before. Every touch was new, every shift of skin and pulse of blood a heady sensation that threatened to topple Ardyn over the edge of reason. Noct was smiling through it, teasing and too gentle, and when Ardyn pulled at the roots of his hair the cry of pleasure he made was enough. Ardyn gave himself over to it, to him, and forgot, just for a while, the inevitable pain of living.