[Laurent knows very well how much this will hurt. It will be as comfortable as pulling teeth, which is to say not at all. But he'd rather do this now and be wrong than wait for a fallout. This kind of thing is like an infection; by the time there are symptoms, by the time you're scrubbing your fingers over your skin trying to erase the ghost of a touch-
-that's way too late.
Laurent's voice is steady, unwavering. Like a scalpel, or a knife.]
I think that he is your rhetorical- if not intellectual- match in a way that neither Noctis or Prompto can make up for. I think it's odd that you mourn your survival at the expense of no more than a villain.
I think, that now that we are part of the same troop and he has every incentive to behave, your sense of fairness and compassion might have a shorter memory span than your brain.
[(he’d thought the same.) He doesn't trust the good ones, but that doesn't mean he trusts the assholes to stick to the script either. (i hate him he killed auguste i, i need him now but after this is over i'll kill him, wait a little longer auguste after this is over i swear i'll-) Laurent’s an equal-opportunity mistruster.]
Semantics are important when the truth of the issue rests on them! [In truth, both his shock--his anger--and the argument are meant to give Ignis a chance to sort out his mind. Astrals, he's beginning to hate how much he has to do this lately. Never has he been so grateful for his training, but he also never predicted he'd have to use it like this.]
I value life, Laurent. It doesn't matter whose life it is. I will never be comfortable with the idea of them dying for me. It's not right and this isn't just the emotional side of me talking. The moment I start thinking my life is of more value than anyone else's is when I start becoming just like the very villains you speak of.
[He lets out a short, surprisingly sad, laugh.]
Do I hate him? [His voice starts soft, slowly rising, though never becoming a shout. It's intensity that increases more than volume.]
Of course, I hate him. He takes pleasure in offering help only to confuse us. He's threatened my friends and put my charge in danger more times than I can count. For the Astrals' Sake, he was the one who forced my king into a treaty that was false though-and-through! He might as well have been the one who cut down my uncle and torn the city to the ground!
[Contrary to popular belief, this is not in fact him being aggressive. And so Laurent lets Ignis go through that rigmarole, stall tactic that he realises it is, and he ignores the wealth of information he could pick on. He ignores the fact that, theoretically, Ignis has said some things that would be hurtful if he cared.
Pros: a declaration without hesitation is a good sign. It means the man is still at the stage where he can hate without second-guessing anything, and it means they're still just getting onto this ride. But cons: this is the pithiest display of hatred Laurent's seen. Once you get past the tone you realise it- this sounds almost pedestrian, like a principled objection to politicians. Endangerment? That's not even attempted murder.]
I'm a little unclear on something. Is your life of less value than his?
[This is nowhere near enough the amount of hatred Ignis will need to shut Izunia out forever, and goddamn that guy has a baby chocobo. Nothing whittles down prejudice like a baby chocobo. So if Ignis is singing the tune he's sung down in the caves come Storytelling, Laurent is classifying him as fucked. This ride is just asking to be a Bullshit CR-Building Ride.
What kind of charge is confused me a lot, seriously. ]
What? [The question is so far away from what Ignis is expecting that it's like someone suddenly blew out the flame of his anger. He's let his emotions get away from him again and that needs to stop. Immediately.
An almost inaudible sigh leaves his lips as he shuts his good eye and packs all that emotion back out of reach again in a dark corner. More boxes he will never want to look in again should he have the choice.]
I only want to be sure I understand every part of your situation clearly.
[Laurent’s voice is guileless. His head on the other hand is full of guile.]
I doubt the caves are the most groundshaking thing in a place like this. If you're unlucky, you might have to reconcile all your principles.
Heaven forbid, imagine if you find out he has a heart.
[This is said conversationally enough, his tone incredulous like it's the impossibility it should be. This is his whole point, Ignis. Him with his words sampling these boxes, hauling them out towards the light, is merely a reminder that they are there and they are still weakness. A reminder to file while you can, before you're made to. Do you think your roleplayer fate’s going to give you a choice?
How impossible it would be if Ardyn Izu̴̢̱͈̇c̸̰͌͠ḭ̷̡͋s̴̯͔͌̉̀ ̸̧̻͈̐̽niĆ̸͙̊̐ȁ̵̯͙̲͌̈́iaé̶̗̭̽̐l̵̨̗͛̚ǔ̴̹̲́m̵̫͔̦͌͠ had a heart. But they know he did, once.]
[Ignis is quiet for a moment before huffing under his breath. Surprisingly, it's an amused sound.]
Then make sure you understand this. Everyone has a heart, Laurent, whether they admit to it or not. You can bury your feelings--bury your soul--deep within yourself, but it never goes away. [Of course Ardyn has a heart, stained black and buried as it may be. If he didn't things would be so much simpler. He would just be the Chancellor, and the Chancellor wouldn't have thought twice about leaving Ignis to die in the caverns. He wouldn't have thought twice about breaking the silly truce between himself and Noctis the moment he got bored of it. Why, all it would take for this whole confusing mess to be done with would be for the Chancellor to attack Noctis. Ignis' rage and need for revenge would know no bounds then. No other feelings--no inkling of good--would be able to stand in the face of that.
And yet, he hasn't. Instead, all he's done is repeatedly denied the obvious.]
[At first there's nothing but another quiet huff. Then, silence. But eventually the blonde's reaction can no longer contain itself; there starts the telltale wheezing of someone laughing silently. If Ignis had visual cues, he would also see that Laurent of Vere was absolutely losing it.]
You… [wheeze] You are so fucked. This is incredible.
[Then, in a different voice:] (Does it take so little…?)
[It's spoken as if to himself. But this is shaken off quickly- for a tone both conversational and earnest, bordering on gossipy.]
Then- if you've settled that question, are you going to fuck him? Unless you have worse reasons not to, I can't think of any. Is he your type?
[laurent no????]
Edited (......typos......) 2017-12-01 14:57 (UTC)
NEVER BE SORRY! My god, this boy doth protest too much.
M-my type? [It's a struggle for Ignis to get that much out of his mouth considering how shocked, first Laurent's laughter and then the blonde's words, leave him. This whole conversation has been absurd and just keeps getting more so as time passes. Why, he almost expects that if he could see, he would find the Chancellor hiding behind something, watching with a hand over his mouth to smoother his laughter.]
What makes you so bloody certain I even have time to have a type? I hate to break it to you, but I was in the middle of a rather vital mission when I was brought here and there are much more important things to worry about around here than romance!
Let's try this together, Ignis. “No, he's not my type.” Isn't that a much shorter denial?
[This is hilarious. This is almost as funny as the time Damen nearly cried after Pallas walked in on them (just kissing? without clothes on yes but they were just kissing???)]
And so was I, but you don’t see me complaining about multitasking. Don't tell me you don’t have a type, you wouldn’t indiscriminately fuck anyone.
[Laurent is a statistical outlier when it comes to multitasking. He's juggled up to three fate-of-the-nation questlines simultaneously; he is, right now, probably multitasking. Someone ban him. Sorry Ignis, but he's enjoying himself- Laurent’s best skill is exploiting weakness, and it turns out this gap in your knowledge is…. inopportune. This blonde is gonna be that cat who pokes the glass at the edge of the table until it falls over. He's gonna do it. Try another dialog option, quick!]
Besides, doesn’t it make sense to sort things out now while you have the breathing room? Then you won’t have to back home.
[When Ignis opens his mouth, he intends for a sharp barb or confident denial to leave it. Instead of that, though, he ends up snapping his mouth shut again, finding himself in one of those rare times when he is at a complete loss for words. It takes him a precious few seconds to figure out the cause of his silence, but once he figures it out, the rage is clear on his face. He leans toward Laurent, voice a low hiss when he finally does speak.]
If you aren't going to take this seriously, then I am quite certain we are done here. I have more important things to do than amuse you with conversation about my non-existent love life!
[It's the idea that somehow his emotions should be more important than total focus on figuring out how to change Noctis' fate that pushes him over the edge in the end. What makes the blonde so sure there is even breathing room here for such foolishness? Especially when here is the only time he has the kind of access he needs to the one person who may know enough to actually let him change things?
Forget his feelings and needs. Ignis decided long ago that he would go down whatever path he needed to in order to protect Noctis and that hasn't changed.]
[Contrary to popular belief, this is not in fact him being aggressive. Laurent is confident he could draw out Ignis’ real plans, if he wanted to be aggressive, but that risks burning this bridge. That's not what he wants; and so he has to moderate how much he exploits this anger. He's treating this properly alright, even though he doesn't seem it.
Guess what. Laurent’s barely affected by Ignis’ rage, his reply as level as always. There is perhaps a sliver of Ardyn's composure in that easy, immediate countermove. Just a bit, though the blonde is much too young for a strong resemblance.]
Oh? Pardon me. I wasn't aware you had any other agenda here.
We all have other agendas here, if you hadn't noticed. If you need examples so badly, surviving and getting back home come quickly to mind. [As much of an answer as that is, Laurent is probably observant enough to realize that it is also a non-answer. Ignis obviously has other goals aside from those mentioned, but he has already said too much about Ardyn today. He's not going to get into anything else, especially not Noctis' fate.
In fact, instead of saying anything else, he turns his attention back to his cooking supplies. It's a very clear sign that his he through talking on these topics for now.
Good luck getting anything else out of him at the moment, Laurent.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[Laurent knows very well how much this will hurt. It will be as comfortable as pulling teeth, which is to say not at all. But he'd rather do this now and be wrong than wait for a fallout. This kind of thing is like an infection; by the time there are symptoms, by the time you're scrubbing your fingers over your skin trying to erase the ghost of a touch-
-that's way too late.
Laurent's voice is steady, unwavering. Like a scalpel, or a knife.]
I think that he is your rhetorical- if not intellectual- match in a way that neither Noctis or Prompto can make up for. I think it's odd that you mourn your survival at the expense of no more than a villain.
I think, that now that we are part of the same troop and he has every incentive to behave, your sense of fairness and compassion might have a shorter memory span than your brain.
[(he’d thought the same.) He doesn't trust the good ones, but that doesn't mean he trusts the assholes to stick to the script either. (i hate him he killed auguste i, i need him now but after this is over i'll kill him, wait a little longer auguste after this is over i swear i'll-) Laurent’s an equal-opportunity mistruster.]
So? Help me understand. Do you hate him?
no subject
[In truth, both his shock--his anger--and the argument are meant to give Ignis a chance to sort out his mind. Astrals, he's beginning to hate how much he has to do this lately. Never has he been so grateful for his training, but he also never predicted he'd have to use it like this.]
I value life, Laurent. It doesn't matter whose life it is. I will never be comfortable with the idea of them dying for me. It's not right and this isn't just the emotional side of me talking. The moment I start thinking my life is of more value than anyone else's is when I start becoming just like the very villains you speak of.
[He lets out a short, surprisingly sad, laugh.]
Do I hate him?
[His voice starts soft, slowly rising, though never becoming a shout. It's intensity that increases more than volume.]
Of course, I hate him. He takes pleasure in offering help only to confuse us. He's threatened my friends and put my charge in danger more times than I can count. For the Astrals' Sake, he was the one who forced my king into a treaty that was false though-and-through! He might as well have been the one who cut down my uncle and torn the city to the ground!
Of course, I hate him. With all that I am!
no subject
Pros: a declaration without hesitation is a good sign. It means the man is still at the stage where he can hate without second-guessing anything, and it means they're still just getting onto this ride. But cons: this is the pithiest display of hatred Laurent's seen. Once you get past the tone you realise it- this sounds almost pedestrian, like a principled objection to politicians. Endangerment? That's not even attempted murder.]
I'm a little unclear on something. Is your life of less value than his?
[This is nowhere near enough the amount of hatred Ignis will need to shut Izunia out forever, and goddamn that guy has a baby chocobo. Nothing whittles down prejudice like a baby chocobo. So if Ignis is singing the tune he's sung down in the caves come Storytelling, Laurent is classifying him as fucked. This ride is just asking to be a Bullshit CR-Building Ride.
What kind of charge is confused me a lot, seriously. ]
no subject
[The question is so far away from what Ignis is expecting that it's like someone suddenly blew out the flame of his anger. He's let his emotions get away from him again and that needs to stop. Immediately.
An almost inaudible sigh leaves his lips as he shuts his good eye and packs all that emotion back out of reach again in a dark corner. More boxes he will never want to look in again should he have the choice.]
The value of my life has nothing to do with this.
no subject
[Laurent’s voice is guileless. His head on the other hand is full of guile.]
I doubt the caves are the most groundshaking thing in a place like this. If you're unlucky, you might have to reconcile all your principles.
Heaven forbid, imagine if you find out he has a heart.
[This is said conversationally enough, his tone incredulous like it's the impossibility it should be. This is his whole point, Ignis. Him with his words sampling these boxes, hauling them out towards the light, is merely a reminder that they are there and they are still weakness. A reminder to file while you can, before you're made to. Do you think
your roleplayerfate’s going to give you a choice?How impossible it would be if Ardyn Izu̴̢̱͈̇c̸̰͌͠ḭ̷̡͋s̴̯͔͌̉̀ ̸̧̻͈̐̽niĆ̸͙̊̐ȁ̵̯͙̲͌̈́iaé̶̗̭̽̐l̵̨̗͛̚ǔ̴̹̲́m̵̫͔̦͌͠ had a heart. But they know he did, once.]
no subject
Then make sure you understand this. Everyone has a heart, Laurent, whether they admit to it or not. You can bury your feelings--bury your soul--deep within yourself, but it never goes away.
[Of course Ardyn has a heart, stained black and buried as it may be. If he didn't things would be so much simpler. He would just be the Chancellor, and the Chancellor wouldn't have thought twice about leaving Ignis to die in the caverns. He wouldn't have thought twice about breaking the silly truce between himself and Noctis the moment he got bored of it. Why, all it would take for this whole confusing mess to be done with would be for the Chancellor to attack Noctis. Ignis' rage and need for revenge would know no bounds then. No other feelings--no inkling of good--would be able to stand in the face of that.
And yet, he hasn't. Instead, all he's done is repeatedly denied the obvious.]
I need not imagine what I already know.
nsfw language I AM SO SORRY
You… [wheeze] You are so fucked. This is incredible.
[Then, in a different voice:] (Does it take so little…?)
[It's spoken as if to himself. But this is shaken off quickly- for a tone both conversational and earnest, bordering on gossipy.]
Then- if you've settled that question, are you going to fuck him? Unless you have worse reasons not to, I can't think of any. Is he your type?
[laurent no????]
NEVER BE SORRY! My god, this boy doth protest too much.
[It's a struggle for Ignis to get that much out of his mouth considering how shocked, first Laurent's laughter and then the blonde's words, leave him. This whole conversation has been absurd and just keeps getting more so as time passes. Why, he almost expects that if he could see, he would find the Chancellor hiding behind something, watching with a hand over his mouth to smoother his laughter.]
What makes you so bloody certain I even have time to have a type? I hate to break it to you, but I was in the middle of a rather vital mission when I was brought here and there are much more important things to worry about around here than romance!
no subject
[This is hilarious. This is almost as funny as the time Damen nearly cried after Pallas walked in on them (just kissing? without clothes on yes but they were just kissing???)]
And so was I, but you don’t see me complaining about multitasking. Don't tell me you don’t have a type, you wouldn’t indiscriminately fuck anyone.
[Laurent is a statistical outlier when it comes to multitasking. He's juggled up to three fate-of-the-nation questlines simultaneously; he is, right now, probably multitasking. Someone ban him. Sorry Ignis, but he's enjoying himself- Laurent’s best skill is exploiting weakness, and it turns out this gap in your knowledge is…. inopportune. This blonde is gonna be that cat who pokes the glass at the edge of the table until it falls over. He's gonna do it. Try another dialog option, quick!]
Besides, doesn’t it make sense to sort things out now while you have the breathing room? Then you won’t have to back home.
no subject
If you aren't going to take this seriously, then I am quite certain we are done here. I have more important things to do than amuse you with conversation about my non-existent love life!
[It's the idea that somehow his emotions should be more important than total focus on figuring out how to change Noctis' fate that pushes him over the edge in the end. What makes the blonde so sure there is even breathing room here for such foolishness? Especially when here is the only time he has the kind of access he needs to the one person who may know enough to actually let him change things?
Forget his feelings and needs. Ignis decided long ago that he would go down whatever path he needed to in order to protect Noctis and that hasn't changed.]
no subject
Guess what. Laurent’s barely affected by Ignis’ rage, his reply as level as always. There is perhaps a sliver of Ardyn's composure in that easy, immediate countermove. Just a bit, though the blonde is much too young for a strong resemblance.]
Oh? Pardon me. I wasn't aware you had any other agenda here.
no subject
[As much of an answer as that is, Laurent is probably observant enough to realize that it is also a non-answer. Ignis obviously has other goals aside from those mentioned, but he has already said too much about Ardyn today. He's not going to get into anything else, especially not Noctis' fate.
In fact, instead of saying anything else, he turns his attention back to his cooking supplies. It's a very clear sign that his he through talking on these topics for now.
Good luck getting anything else out of him at the moment, Laurent.]