[An island halfway to sinking doesn’t erase the problems he’s already working on. Two are relevant to the man he's talking to now, after hauling in a bucket of fish and weird shit he scavenged from the floodwaters. Some of it might be edible; seaweed, fruits swept from their branches. A lot of it is probably trash.
‘I wanted to ask about the magic from your world- and something else, first.’
He's thought about that puzzle of yours, Ignis.]
The person who saved you in the caves. Was it Ardyn Izunia?
[Ignis is sitting in a circle of scavenged cooking supplies and utensils when Laurent arrives, his mind shifting through the best ways to prepare the sudden wealth of fish so it lasts as long as possible. As a result, Laurent's question catches him completely off-guard. It shouldn't. Deep down Ignis knew that their conversation in the cavern wasn't done. He was just hoping he might have a little more time before having to dive back into it again.
As it is, the best he can do is buy himself a few minutes to pull together what he has figured out into some kind of working whole.]
[Pffttbt. He's given Ignis two weeks, which for him is an immense luxury of time. Perhaps this is where the difference in them begins; perhaps Ignis, impeccably trained in the safe harbour of classrooms and libraries, has never had to anticipate a targeted assault from his own. He hadn’t expect it this easy. Laurent doesn’t even need the subtle giveaways in the man's body language; with the words of the reply alone he feels himself smiling, like a cat who’s caught a big fish, and it colors his words with a great deal of amusement.]
You would have corrected me otherwise.
[The victory only lasts three seconds, though- when he remembers what this is for. ‘A man I hate and would rather see dead saved my life’ is a worryingly familiar story, and isn't this place all about stories? There's really no easy way to say this.]
Luckily for you I'm not here to laugh. I'm here as someone who-
[-fell in love with-]
-got emotionally attached to their worst enemy. You're walking a dangerous path of which life-debts are just the beginning.
[And it ends with him standing before Ignis now, soulless, a monster, burned by a devil’s deal he'd agree to a thousand times if it would guarantee Damen’s prosperity. Not a lifestyle for everyone.]
Would I? Is that really the only reaction I might have had? [Ignis can hear the amusement in Laurent's voice and it, more than anything else, helps him focus on the task at hand.]
Did you ever stop to think that I just didn't feel like acknowledging such an absurd statement with a response? Ardyn Izunia doesn't heal people. He takes from them. He was there when I lost my vision, in fact.
[Wait a bloody minute. What the hell does becoming emotionally attached to his worst enemy have to do with any of this? It's not like Ignis cares about Ardyn's fate. He's merely using all tools at his disposal to find a way to save Noctis from his own fate.]
What exactly do you think is going on between the Chancellor and me?
[Okay so he's definitely called Laurent on lying through his teeth by now but that doesn't mean he's going to stop giving the guy shit for it. Not when he's constantly stopping in for food or to check in or whatever other reason he decides on any given day. Gladio's working outside most of the time but the space between their houses is small enough that he ends up chattering at Laurent often enough. Or chattering in general. Building plans, food plans, offers to make them a bed if they want?
So he feels pretty comfortable with Laurent, scheming jerk sure but no worse than Iggy when he was really on his game. He just wasn't used to being on the receiving end of that kind of thing anymore. So when he sees Laurent duck into the house to bother Ignis (who's not even home if he remembers right) he sets his tools aside and follows along, still aching slightly from the battle with Bliss but mostly healed up.]
Hey, got plans for a stove soon. [He's talking before he's even made it inside, stepping in and casually throwing an arm over Laurent's shoulders, leaning in with the kind of grin that means he's going to ask for something.]
[Ignis is still the most satisfying to squabble with, but Gladio is a yappy kind of wolfhound and Laurent isn't afraid to go a few rounds with him. It takes some burden off Damen, too, who not to mention takes most excuses to say hi to Prompto. They're great models of neighbourliness.
He's dropping off some foraged foodstuffs for Ignis to Deal with, and doesn't bat an eyelid when Gladio enters.]
Oh?
[He might've made an Ignis impression but alas for us all, Gladio goes straight for what everyone in Arles would tell you is a stabbable offense.
The blonde’s whole body tenses up. One has just a moment to recognise that before he unsheaths the knife at his belt and stabs, simultaneously pushing himself away from the contact.]
[The tension is odd but he doesn't think that much of it. They're friends so the last thing he really thinks to do is dodge a knife. The blade sinks in, just below his belt, slowed slightly by the leather of his pants but it still plunges in deep. and it isn't until the hilt is against his belly that he even realizes what's happening exactly. There's a stunned moment of silence where his mind tries to catch up with what's just happened. ]
Laur-? [He staggers backward, hands clutching at his hip, amber eyes wide. The moment of confusionbuys Laurent enough time to get away, certainly, but also enough time for Gladio to reach for his shield, the shatter of the armiger as it materializes on his arm, another stumbling step backward and he holds the shield tight to his body, trying not to jostle the wound too much.]
cw: uh. this has sexual references and i don't know what to tag it
[By the time Gladio recollects himself he will be facing down a sword.
Laurent's once again in the grey and silver he wore in the intro log, though just before this he'd been in completely different clothes. A few paces away, he's tense in a ready stance; his eyes are the hard blue of a coeurl staring down a hunter.]
Did you think I was an easy target?
[He’d assumed there’d not be this problem. But perhaps he had erred. Laurent’s voice is soft and sharp, like broken glass. ]
Pity for you, I'm a bit harder to get than your average back-alley whore.
The memories of That Night a couple weeks ago may be a bit, smoked out, shall we say, but that doesn't stop Lup from grinning with some of that same delight when she spots her man Fancylad entering the store. Or maybe entering the temple, she doesn't know his business, whatever.
Her business is running Fantasy Walmart this fine afternoon, feet propped up on the 'counter' and a piece of driftwood in her hands that appears to be twisting and shaping itself into the vague, tastefully artsy form of a buff as hell sea snake, without the help of anything so mundane as a knife or any woodworking skill whatsoever.
"Sup, bestie!" It's funny because they don't really know each other like at all? Listen, you flame together, you die together.
He’s found a system of telling the Walmart Elves apart now- the one who’s nicer to him is the one he got really drunk with That Time. Lup’s marked change of behaviour is exactly the same as Makedon’s had been, which makes Laurent really wonder what his drunken self is like. Drunk Laurent wields the key to friendship that Sober Laurent would throttle his drunk self for, if it were a feasible thing to do.
“Hey.” He’s out with Maribelle today, his well-behaved brown horse who doesn’t steal fruit. Said horse looks over with interest, but nothing on the table looks like food to her, so, nevermind.
“What’s that supposed to be?” I’m not sure Laurent can identify “buff sea snake”. The elves should set up a game of Transmutation Charades sometime, they could run it like a casino and win fortunes.
It's cute how you think people would trust them not to rig the entire damn game. They'd be absolutely right not to, of course, but that's not the point.
"Uhm, only the coolest fish I've ever met? Munin and me, we go way back. You looking for a stylish yet evocative tribute to our good fish buddies, then cha girl Lup's got your back." She snorts at her own stellar salesmanship and puts the statue down, instead reaching her hand into a pocket to pull out... some oats. That Ren probably put there like, months ago. Listen, how refined a taste can a horse really have? It's fine. So she offers it to the pony, cuz that's how you get those sales - just get somebody's kid/pet hooked on your stuff.
7/9/17 7:53PM Took too many photos of Maribelle, as a result my phone is almost out of battery. In case this message ever sends, I am well, though for how long I can't say for sure. If you decide to pre-emptively hold me a funeral, go ahead- in the spirit of celebrating my life and interests, please obtain a picture of a handsomely muscular man fighting a shark and lay it by my headstone. Thank you.
There are ruins here that overlook the shoreline. The view is good; I can only imagine if it is as good as from that summer palace of yours. Yours is probably much better, it's got you in it.
Are you well? Are you safe? And what of home? I tell myself I should move on, but still I miss you. I could spend an eternity missing you.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
INBOX
6th Nov -ish
‘I wanted to ask about the magic from your world- and something else, first.’
He's thought about that puzzle of yours, Ignis.]
The person who saved you in the caves. Was it Ardyn Izunia?
no subject
As it is, the best he can do is buy himself a few minutes to pull together what he has figured out into some kind of working whole.]
What makes you think that?
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You would have corrected me otherwise.
[The victory only lasts three seconds, though- when he remembers what this is for. ‘A man I hate and would rather see dead saved my life’ is a worryingly familiar story, and isn't this place all about stories? There's really no easy way to say this.]
Luckily for you I'm not here to laugh. I'm here as someone who-
[-fell in love with-]
-got emotionally attached to their worst enemy. You're walking a dangerous path of which life-debts are just the beginning.
[And it ends with him standing before Ignis now, soulless, a monster, burned by a devil’s deal he'd agree to a thousand times if it would guarantee Damen’s prosperity. Not a lifestyle for everyone.]
no subject
[Ignis can hear the amusement in Laurent's voice and it, more than anything else, helps him focus on the task at hand.]
Did you ever stop to think that I just didn't feel like acknowledging such an absurd statement with a response? Ardyn Izunia doesn't heal people. He takes from them. He was there when I lost my vision, in fact.
[Wait a bloody minute. What the hell does becoming emotionally attached to his worst enemy have to do with any of this? It's not like Ignis cares about Ardyn's fate. He's merely using all tools at his disposal to find a way to save Noctis from his own fate.]
What exactly do you think is going on between the Chancellor and me?
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nsfw language I AM SO SORRY
NEVER BE SORRY! My god, this boy doth protest too much.
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3/30 istone
[It's a horrible gremlin, coming live from an iStone near you.]
I found some pretty grass for Maribelle.
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[screeches into the night]
...is it grass you can whistle with?
1/2
[Well that's a great q my dude. She didn't try yet and-
The rock disconnects??? It's dead silent??]
2/2
This is good grass.
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That's ….good to hear.
Do you want to come over and show Maribelle?
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blushfaces for three years
rock blushuu
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late May Post-Bliss
So he feels pretty comfortable with Laurent, scheming jerk sure but no worse than Iggy when he was really on his game. He just wasn't used to being on the receiving end of that kind of thing anymore. So when he sees Laurent duck into the house to bother Ignis (who's not even home if he remembers right) he sets his tools aside and follows along, still aching slightly from the battle with Bliss but mostly healed up.]
Hey, got plans for a stove soon. [He's talking before he's even made it inside, stepping in and casually throwing an arm over Laurent's shoulders, leaning in with the kind of grin that means he's going to ask for something.]
Re: late May Post-Bliss
He's dropping off some foraged foodstuffs for Ignis to Deal with, and doesn't bat an eyelid when Gladio enters.]
Oh?
[He might've made an Ignis impression but alas for us all, Gladio goes straight for what everyone in Arles would tell you is a stabbable offense.
The blonde’s whole body tenses up. One has just a moment to recognise that before he unsheaths the knife at his belt and stabs, simultaneously pushing himself away from the contact.]
no subject
Laur-? [He staggers backward, hands clutching at his hip, amber eyes wide. The moment of confusionbuys Laurent enough time to get away, certainly, but also enough time for Gladio to reach for his shield, the shatter of the armiger as it materializes on his arm, another stumbling step backward and he holds the shield tight to his body, trying not to jostle the wound too much.]
cw: uh. this has sexual references and i don't know what to tag it
Laurent's once again in the grey and silver he wore in the intro log, though just before this he'd been in completely different clothes. A few paces away, he's tense in a ready stance; his eyes are the hard blue of a coeurl staring down a hunter.]
Did you think I was an easy target?
[He’d assumed there’d not be this problem. But perhaps he had erred. Laurent’s voice is soft and sharp, like broken glass. ]
Pity for you, I'm a bit harder to get than your average back-alley whore.
(no subject)
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Maybe June but time isn't real
Her business is running Fantasy Walmart this fine afternoon, feet propped up on the 'counter' and a piece of driftwood in her hands that appears to be twisting and shaping itself into the vague, tastefully artsy form of a buff as hell sea snake, without the help of anything so mundane as a knife or any woodworking skill whatsoever.
"Sup, bestie!" It's funny because they don't really know each other like at all? Listen, you flame together, you die together.
no subject
“Hey.” He’s out with Maribelle today, his well-behaved brown horse who doesn’t steal fruit. Said horse looks over with interest, but nothing on the table looks like food to her, so, nevermind.
“What’s that supposed to be?” I’m not sure Laurent can identify “buff sea snake”. The elves should set up a game of Transmutation Charades sometime, they could run it like a casino and win fortunes.
no subject
"Uhm, only the coolest fish I've ever met? Munin and me, we go way back. You looking for a stylish yet evocative tribute to our good fish buddies, then cha girl Lup's got your back." She snorts at her own stellar salesmanship and puts the statue down, instead reaching her hand into a pocket to pull out... some oats. That Ren probably put there like, months ago. Listen, how refined a taste can a horse really have? It's fine. So she offers it to the pony, cuz that's how you get those sales - just get somebody's kid/pet hooked on your stuff.
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OUTBOX
do not comment below; use the inbox!
TO: DIARMUID
Has Nyoi-Cho burnt down yet?
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[it's a picture of childish doodles on a dirty wall.]
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TO: -blank-
Are you well? Are you safe? And what of home? I tell myself I should move on, but still I miss you. I could spend an eternity missing you.
Goodnight, lover.
LAST EDITED: 6/9/17 12:56AM
no subject
Of all the things in this world Damen is the only one that always comes back to me. Absurd. But I must admit I'm glad.
Laurent: because you love him, you must see him home safely.
LAST EDITED: 15/4/18 10:12PM
SINEWAVE DM: MADOKA
[it's a somewhat glitched picture of Laurent's horse grazing in a fenced paddock, and a calm sea beyond.]
TO: DIARMUID