.
「 ❝ I know you will. And I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to you I won’t let you down. If we want this, we have to work together. ❞ 」
He would fight whatever powers he had to in order to help make this work with Vincent. Because he wanted this and Vincent seemed to want it as well. They would make it together. He knew they would. He had faith in this. In them.
「 ❝ I’m not ready to give you up. ❞ 」
Vincent had fought for her too, his dark secret-- the loss of which had left him certain he could not love again. And he hadn't meant to-- no, but he would gladly go with his father's wishes and do what was best for his kingdom. He hadn't expected Noctis to treat him with such kindness or to be able to make him laugh. Vincent felt terribly unworthy, and sometimes guilty. Did loving Noctis betray Lucrecia's memory? His mind returned often to that waterfall cave in the courtyard where the results of that awful experiment lay in eternal rest, a crystal whose power must not be touched--
"And I should hope you'd never have to." Vincent said softly.
He pressed a kiss to his fiance's forehead, trying to allow that certainty to wash away what doubts remained. Meeting King Regis was a prospect that terrified him but-- he would do it with as much grace as he could muster.
A hand reached out and sought out one of Vincent’s cheeks, thumb brushing over the cheekbone. Stepping closer, he closed the distance between them and leaned up to brush a soft kiss across the other cheek, falling back on the balls of his feet.
「 ❝ Trust me, Vincent. It’ll be fine. ❞ 」
He did manage to chuckle lightly at the comment about conspiring against the crown, lips lifting in a small smile. He cupped both of the other’s cheeks and slowly guided his hands to weave through long, dark locks.
「 ❝ We’ll be fine. ❞ 」
Was he really just overthinking? A heat rose into his cheeks at the soft touches-- he adored the feeling of Noctis’ hands on his skin in any capacity really, and couldn’t help but lean into the touch and the kisses. He took a deep breath and nodded, resting both hands on his shoulders as he came closer and threaded his fingers through his hair.
“You’re right. I... can be my own worst enemy sometimes.” He admitted.
Was he ready? He doubted he’d ever be ready-- but he was earnest and honest. And he was sure now more than ever that he wanted this union to happen.
“Besides-- I’ll do whatever it takes to prove I’m worthy of your hand.” It was a promise, spoken with a small smirk that had a sense of playfulness to it.
Send the word scar and choose an area of the body where you think my character might have one, and they will explain how they got it.
a six word story (via lindseymorganarchive)
「 ❝ Changes his mind? C’mon, Vince… You really think he’d change his mind? ❞ 」
Noctis frowned softly at his betrothed, expression a mix of concern and confusion. Did Vincent really think his father would change his mind about letting Noctis marry him? Not a chance. And even if he did disagree, he wouldn’t let him. He’d grown quite fond of Vincent, maybe even loved him. He wouldn’t let his father break them up.
「 ❝ He won’t do that, Vincent. And I wouldn’t let him anyways. I won’t let him break us up. ❞ 」
He gave a small apologetic smile, expression laced with concern. He hadn’t meant to shake Noctis up so much but--
“I worry that if tensions with the Empire continue to flair then we-- Nibelheim I mean-- Could be seen as a liability for our close ties with Niflheim.”
But he took a deep breath and shook his head before pushing some of his mess of ebony hair over his shoulder and out of the way.
“You won’t let him-- When you say it like that, you make me feel as though I’m conspiring against the crown-- such espionage,” A soft chuckle and another attempt at a slightly less anxious smile. “You’re right. He arranged for this match. I’m sure King Regis knows what he’s doing. I trust you both.”
Silently, he prayed to every god he knew that the King would see how happy he made Noctis. Or at least tried to--
He leaned his head into the fingers, perfectly content exactly where he was because Vincent was there.
Well, not completely content. Smothering himself in Vincent’s hair was a poor substitute for being smothered in kisses. He let go of him, sidling around to face him, and wrapped his arms around his waist to hug him. Tight.
“Okay. Now you can smother me in kisses.”
“This is indeed, optimal kiss-smothering position.” Vincent nodded slowly, that grin on his features that looked oddly out of place-- but was solely his--
He gently cradled the back of Harry’s head with the palm of his mechanical hand, claws extended to be sure they were far from being able to do any real harm-- and leaned in to gently trail tepid kisses along his jaw, up to the corner of his mouth and then his lips, trying not to think of how undeserving he was of this bliss.
To hear that Vincent was well was assurance enough; the youth always found himself worrying over the smallest of things at inopportune times - it was simply in his nature. So rarely, if ever, did he let anyone close enough to him that when he did, the adoration and love were ever so intense. It was what made past heartbreak that much more unbearable - but Vincent… He was… He was perfect.
A smile was offered, the sweet nuzzle to his cheek further reassurance that the elder was fine, if only tired from the escapades taken part in outdoors. Perfectly justified.
“Probably…” He murmured, reaching forward with slim fingers to brush inky locks behind his loves ear, out of his face. With that, another kiss was pressed into skin; Vincent’s forehead this time, a further show of affection without wishing to push it too far and frighten the elder away. Nero was still so very gentle. “…you need anything?”
It had taken coaxing at first-- for Vincent to really settle into comfort with their closeness. Nero’s admission of love had initially pushed him away; made him panic-- that terror of the inevitable mortality of all those he had loved in the past staring him in the face. Too much to bear, to think of Nero...
Vincent shivered slightly under the soft warmth of Nero’s lips on his skin. He slid his hand from his hair and down over his arm, shifting the weight of his denim jacket which had been draped over his own shoulders as he paid the limb that Nero so often hid a bit of gentle affection-- monsters loving monsters.
“No, my precious one. Only you.” It had been so long since he’d allowed himself to want company-- when the desire struck him, it did so with the speed and violence of a snake.
“Love,” He breathed softly, a low chuckle rumbling from deep in his chest. Harry managed to make him laugh– every now and then at least, and his warmth was more than appreciated against Vincent’s clothes.
“You’re aware– I can’t smother you in kisses if you come at me from behind.”
“I’m smothering myself in your hair anyway,” he stated from within the messy strands of pure darkness. The little laugh he’d gotten from Vincent made his heart flutter; it always did.
“Love you, by the way.”
“And I, you.” The word itself still came heavy to Vincent’s lips, though the sentiment finally found itself flowing freely.
He shifted slowly, raised his human hand and reached up behind him to pass fingers through Harry’s golden strands-- a bit messy, he knew without looking. There were plans to be made, things that Vincent wasn’t terribly good at nor ready for all of the socialization that’d come with it-- but for now, All he wanted was to melt into his beloved’s arms.
Harry latched himself onto Vincent’s back, burying his face in his hair.
“Hey, Vinny.”
“Love,” He breathed softly, a low chuckle rumbling from deep in his chest. Harry managed to make him laugh-- every now and then at least, and his warmth was more than appreciated against Vincent’s clothes.
“You’re aware-- I can’t smother you in kisses if you come at me from behind.”
-{✚}- The youth had been outside, occupying himself with small tasks and simple walking to stretch his legs - gradually he was growing stronger, one tiny step at a time and already, he felt so very much better for it. As always, he kicked his boots off upon returning and went to drape his jacket over a chair when his pastel blue eyes settled on the figure seemingly comfortable in bed. A smile covered his features, a sense of home buried within his chest; nothing, nobody made him happier than the elder male. So softly he pressed a kiss to Vincent’s cheek, draping his jacket over his form so he could remain warm. “You feeling okay…?”
“Not feeling bad, exactly.” Vincent peered up at Nero when he approached, expression softening significantly. How weak, he was to him--
Many people had come into his life and passed out of it, still; he had decided not to take for granted whatever time the world allowed him to have with Nero. He chose not to dwell on the finite nature of things though he was a master at dwelling on the worst possible scenario.
Slowly, he pushed himself up so that he could nuzzled against the softness of Nero’s cheek, a soft puff of breath leaving him.
“Maybe I’m just tired.” --And wanting to lose myself in you.
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Vincent had been out hunting it seemed, and though his clothes still smelled of ash and ozone, he had collapsed into bed rather than going through the trouble of drawing a bath.
Instead-- he rested (human) arm over his eyes to block out the dim lights in the grotto’s main room and waited for Nero to find him. Sometimes he became too weary to function-- and though he hated to admit it, Nero’s affection went miles towards recharging his ancient mind.