The Count Down To New

[thechurbyboxmod]

Sometimes feelings build up. Sometimes all it takes is a resolution, some liquid courage, and the rush of celebration to break through the silence. This is what happens on those nights



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[skyward_eyes]

Oh. Nearly midnight.

“The musicians will probably stop playing,” Nida sighs. What a shame given he just wanted another dance. “I guess it would be strange to dance with no music. I’ve, well, I never went to one of these before. Will there be dancing again after? We could dance then.”

He could dance all night he thinks, if he has Ignis’s warmth in his arms.

[faithfulsupport]

"Yes. If you'd like we can head out onto the balcony where it will be much quieter after the music stops." Ignis wasn't sure the man wanted to just spend time with him but he could always just apologize and leave the man alone until it was time to dance again if that was an issue.

He looked around them and people were buzzing around, excited for the new year that would ring in within minutes now. And here he'd thought he might finally find someone to settle down with, and be able to let up on some of his responsibilities due to the Queen basically keeping the king in check.

[skyward_eyes]

A balcony, alone, with a guy he held a foolish torch for? Definitely a bad idea. Totally happening.

"I'd like that very much," the alcohol gives him the courage to say. "If we can find one that isn't already taken up."

[faithfulsupport]

Ignis gave a small smile and inclined his head. "We should be going then." That minute hand was moving a lot faster than he thought it would and it seemed they no sooner got out there when the Ballroom started erupting with the whole New Year thing.

He couldn't help but watch some of the men get down on one knee with their rings and witnessed people kissing each other. Turning his head away finally, the advisor just smiled at Nida.

"Looks like we got out just in time."

[skyward_eyes]

The noise. It's amazing all the noise that comes with the turning of a New Year, isn't it? It felt like it was never that noisy during the Long Night, people didn't mark the new years off with cheer.

It's so strange, to see people so excited about the cuture again.

"Seems like," Nida mused, before turning his eyes out toward the sky. "I'd never be brave enough for that sort of public display. Kissing or proposals or any of that. Especially when all the gossips are out looking for juicy news."

[faithfulsupport]

Ignis cocked his head to the side as Nida spoke about public displays. "I'm sure quite a lot of those are happening behind closed doors here as well. I'm sure not everyone wants to do the same thing as everyone else in quite a public setting."

In full view of the king and his court too no doubt.

The advisor then moved to sit down on a stone bench afterwards, giving the other room to move about with a smile. "Public displays aren't for everyone after all."

[skyward_eyes]

No, they really weren't. With the stone bench there, the space next to Ignis so inviting too, Nida moved to sit next to the other. With their hips touching.

"I guess... maybe for some of them they're just so caught up in the feelings that they can't help it."

Like Nida. Here. On this balcony. Sitting next to Ignis Scientia and trying to play it cool.

"Some people are just worth letting the world see your feelings for."

[faithfulsupport]

He was surprised when Nida sat next to him with an entire balcony even if it was smaller than some of the others. So Ignis couldn't help but to turn his eyes at the other in surprise even if the warmth and especially the company was welcome.

But he listened as the other spoke and he smiled. "I'm quite sure it's something along those lines." Not that he would personally know about these things for himself. From the observation of others though that had to be it. "They certainly seem to just get caught up in the moment and they're certainly not paying attention to anyone else around them."

He turned away with a sigh and looked at the ground. "They've only eyes for each other I suppose."

[skyward_eyes]

Ah, what a thing to hear. Nida hums thoughtfully and nods. And again his mouth runs before his mind can keep it in check.

"There are those who only have eyes for you."

[faithfulsupport]

That had Ignis sit up a little straighter and pull back a bit in order to look at Nida. There was a confused look at first as he tried to figure this out. But then he smiled. "Are there really? And just who might that be?"

There was only one logical conclusion with the blushing and all of that. No one was banging down the advisor's door to court him or even speak to him. And as the other had observed, Ignis only had one dance all evening and that was with a very happily married Queen.

One man had asked him to dance.

[skyward_eyes]

Technically one man had been asked by him to dance. But the guy had absolutely shown up for it. But the smile, it was enough to find Nida leaning forward. He did it slow enough for Ignis to pull away, and if the man didn't...

Well, he'd probably know that Nida's lips were chapped but warm. He might be able to taste the lingering champagne and chocolate on his lips. And he might well feel like he was stiff, perhaps scared to be pushed away.

[faithfulsupport]

Ignis wouldn't even think of pushing Nida away. Those lips were warm and he did indeed taste the chocolate and champagne, but he had no issue with them. All that mattered right now was what was going on. As he breathed Nida in, his hands slowly came up to gently touch the man's face though he would never admit they were shaking ever so slightly from being nervous.

This was his first real kiss after all.

[skyward_eyes]

It was a kiss. A good kiss. A lovely kiss that had Nida’s heart in his throat. But it was something good to have. Very good. Good to the point that when Nida pulled away it wasn’t real distance at all. An easy place to resume a kiss from.

“I hope that answers that, Ignis.”

[faithfulsupport]

He smiled and lowered his head in an attempt to hide the blush on his face. "Yes it does. However it does admittedly invites a few more questions." But he decided they weren't as important right now, so as he went to kiss Nida again fireworks started going off at the top of the Citadel. The blondish head turned to look at them with a slightly embarrassed laugh.

"I suppose that's the official word it's a new year."

[skyward_eyes]

Questions. Maybe questions weren’t the most useful thing in this moment. For right now he was happy just share the second kiss. In fact, Nida is leaning in, almost ready to deepen it when Ignis pulled away to regard the fireworks.

Thanks fireworks. Nida hates them now.

“I suppose it is.”

[faithfulsupport]

After they died down a little, Ignis leaned forward and placed his hands on the man's face again to give the kiss that had been interrupted by the fireworks. He wasn't going to ask anything tonight, overanalyzing any of this would be rude and ruin things. And he wasn't about to do that. So for now he was going to enjoy a simple kiss and be thrilled by Nida's shy and beautiful admission.

[skyward_eyes]

A second kiss. Yeah, this was a year worth remembering. He melts into it a little and sighs contentedly when it too fades.

“I should have done that years ago.”

[faithfulsupport]

Ignis smiled and lowered his head a little shyly to think that this could've happened before tonight. "Perhaps, but it is quite meaningful that we kissed at the start off a new year." Maybe other people in the Ballroom were doing the exact same thing, but Ignis didn't really care right now.

What he cared about was the man with him right now.

[skyward_eyes]

It could have, but was anyone really looking for romance and love during the dark years? Probably not. Ignis's attention never would have come to this, come to him. He would have been too... occupied in other things.

"Meaningful?" he asks, tilting his head as he considers Ignis. "Probably only if this serves as a start."

[faithfulsupport]

"Well there is that." That was one of his questions actually, if this was a start. But he figured Nida wasn't one to kiss and run. The man just didn't seem to be the type with the blushing, the not dancing since high school and he hadn't been out flirting or dancing with anyone else. So the advisor figured he wasn't what Prompto or Noct would term a 'player'.

[skyward_eyes]

What would being a player get him? Some Glaives were like that, but Nida didn't see a point.

But he's not sure at all what the man might feel about it all.

"There's that," he agrees, a bit unsure where he stood at this point. Or sat.

[faithfulsupport]

Ignis had listened carefully to hear if Nida mentioned anything further than what he'd said previously. So with no new information forthcoming, he tilted his head a little. "Would you like this to serve as a start?"

He figured the answer was yes but it would be very wrong to assume information such as that. And this was way too important to play guessing games with.

[skyward_eyes]

"Yes," Nida agrees quickly, his breath a worried little whisper.

He wanted it desperately. But he didn't know if it was very likely to come. But how was he supposed to explain it. How he was supposed to do just about anything at all without fearing the failure?

"Are you, uh, sure? That you'd want to have that?"

[faithfulsupport]

"I was rather hoping that would be your answer." Ignis replied with a smile on his face. He then pulled back to look at Nida with a quizzical sort of look on his face. "Yes I'm sure, are you?" Somehow he didn't think the other was unsure but it was the question that had him wondering.

Hopefully if they were together, there wouldn't be anymore having to worry about being too..whatever it was Nida thought of him. He could be seen as a regular man with regular feelings and not put on some pedestal.

[skyward_eyes]

Was he sure? Nida wanted to laugh. Instead he only smiled. How silly of a question.

“I’ve been hoping you would notice me since I joined the Glaive. I just never thought it would actually happen. I was too new before everything started to do more than see you out of the corner of my eyes back when I was training before the night the wall fell. And after...”

Well, pining Ignis down in the long night was even harder. So maybe he had a few years to build thing up in his mind