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[claritatis]

"You've reached Ignis Scientia. Leave a message and I will endeavour to get back to you post-haste."

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[claritatis]

[He's noticed the way she looks at him, particularly when they're this close to one another. She looks into his eyes like she's enchanted by them, and he smiles faintly as he notices her doing it again.]

You could have done that? [Ignis hums softly, moving his hand from the dip of her spine to settle it at her waist instead.]

How do your powers work?

[dedikated]

( That was either the wrong question, or the best question you could have asked, Ignis. It really depends on your view.

As if the question's a cue, Kate pushes herself up and shifts, placing legs either side of his hips and comfortably settling down onto his lap. )

Guess th' best way to explain it is-

( By straddling your boyfriend?

Okay no, not that. Her lips purse together for a moment, and a finger quickly finds the pulse at his neck, trailing along the skin there, following the vessel for a moment. )

Superhumans have somethin' like a second circulatory system. Goes through our body and contains the energy we need to make everything happen. ( Her eyes trail down his throat, across his chest, just for a moment. This is not the worst view to have while explaining this. ) Y'wanna run faster, you use some of it to do that. Same for becoming stronger or using your power.

( That's the very basics of it, and Kate pauses a moment to shift her braid back over her shoulder, shifting a bit in his lap. )

Mine work by reacting to others'. Used to have to use another item to make it work. Would make people's powers stronger or drain 'em and store 'em in the item. ( Which is what they called enchanting back home. Manipulating items with power. Carl could do something similar, though it was restricted to improving the physical attributes of whatever item he wanted to enchant. ) Usually just make things that'd react to other powers. Glasses that can see powers. Shit that lights up if something with powers were near.

( It was always a fiddly one, back when it worked like that. )

Now it works direct.

( And it's here her fingers find his throat again, slightly to one side of his pulse, her fingertips growing warm for a second. ) The Formost Veins are here- ( The next touch comes to the inside of his elbow, brief and warm; ) Here-

( And finally, one that trails across the dip of his hip, near a fading bruise; ) And here, for starters. They're the easiest places to access if you want to manipulate power.

[claritatis]

[Alright, so he doesn't think that this position is entirely needed for the explanation she's about to give him, but he doesn't complain about it, merely places his hands on her thighs and looks up at her with the small, wry smile she's no doubt become used to seeing on his face.

Her gaze trails after the path of his fingers and he feels goosebumps rise up in the wake of one or the other, he can't be sure. When her fingertips grow warm against his pulse he closes his eyes and breathes in softly, then glances down to the touch to his elbow.]

I see.

[He shifts under her carefully, sitting up and resting his weight back on his hands.]

Do you sense anything from me?

[dedikated]

You don't have powers.

( It's automatic, not because she can't sense anything right now, but because she's looked before and seen nothing. Well, it's that or she can't see anything. Which is also possible, because- )

Things work different when you're dealing with other worlds. ( That she learned quickly. None of the people whose powers she has seen look or work anything like the powers she's used to seeing. ) S'pose I should say y'don't have powers far as I've seen.

( Shrug. Accuracy is as important as finding the correct position to deliver your lecture on powers, of course. )

[claritatis]

You are not incorrect. I have no powers or magic of my own.

[The ability to immediately assess a situation to the point of the uncanny is not a power, as such, though some people might be baffled enough by it to call it one.

She wouldn't have seen anything in him before Noctis arrived, but now...

He keeps his hand clear of her, held out to one side as he clenches his fingers around thin air and pulls a spectral dagger from nowhere. It appears solid enough the moment his hand closes around it, and he looks from it to her with a subtly raised eyebrow.

Surprise.]

[dedikated]

( ... Okay.

She wasn't expecting that. And for once, the usually controlled expressions of her face seem to melt away into genuine, unbridled curiosity. This city, despite all the routine of godly events and now an ongoing war, never ceases to surprise her. Always bringing in something that goes against everything she knew.

Kate's eyes glaze over with a sheen of white, not at full strength but still visible enough to be obvious. How-

... Ah. )

Looks like... a bond of some kind.

( Not quite the same as the ghosts of primrose yellow she would see in Marc, and now in Faith, representing how her telepathy had attached to them, but a shadow that she can't really explain any other way. )

Guessing this isn't new.

( He hasn't looked like this before, but it's done with too much familiarity to be a recent development. So all that comes to mind is the appearance of his friends. )

[claritatis]

No.

[The dagger is dismissed as easily as it was summoned, in a quickly-fading shower of blue lights, and he hopes he's not going to have to explain that to a certain someone when he sees than later.

He shifts Kate's position slightly and taps his fingers against her thighs lightly, before sliding them up to her hips. He can't recall that he's seen her use her ability like that before, and he watches her until it fades.]

It's Noctis. [Because everything always comes back to him.] More specifically, the power of the royal line of Lucis, lent to those sworn to protect it.

[dedikated]

( She has to admit, since coming back, it's largely just been a convenient torch when everything goes dark. It's not necessarily a bad thing, though. So many people here have powers that make Faith's seem dull in comparison. The kind of things that can induce headaches if stared at for too long.

And while Kate's noticing this theme of everything coming back to Noctis, Ignis' hands against her hips are more than enough motivation for her to lean in and brush her lips against his, brief and gentle, and she lingers, hovers above him when she speaks: )

Interestin'. ( Which it is. She's never really heard of lending your power in that way. Using your power to affect others, sure. That's how healing works. How teleporting people does. Even how her own works. But lending sounds more conscious than bonding, than finding out your emotions burn so strongly for a person that you link to their mind. ) How's that work?

[claritatis]

[So, now it's his turn to give some exposition. First, though, he responds to the kiss with a soft one of his own, chasing after the initial touch for a moment.]

There are two schools of magic used by humans in Eos, both linked to the kings of Lucis. Their bloodline is blessed by the Astrals, grantng them abilities linked to a powerful crystalline artifact. [While he speaks, his hands slide higher up her thighs, his thumbs pressing gently into the dips of her pelvis.]

That artifact, along with The Ring of the Lucii, were bestowed upon the royals of Lucis in ages past by the Astrals themselves. The Ring holds the spirits of the past monarchs of Lucis and allows the bearer to channel the power of the Crystal, though at no small cost. The manner in which the former kings are bound to the Ring is similar to the way that those of the royal line can bestow their power upon others. A... very particular bonding of souls. [It's a lot to take in, but he thinks she can follow it. This is probably more information than she intended to get.]

Using this bond, the king grants power to the Kingsglaive, an elite group of soldiers who protect Lucis and are sworn to him. Prompto, Gladiolus and myself are sworn to Noctis. Gladiolus as his shield, myself as his advisor, and Prompto... [A small smile.] Prompto was sworn in only days before the Empire's attack.

[He pauses here, to take a breath. It's actually been some time since he explained all of this to somebody.] Noctis commands the Crystal's power to warp - a form of teleportation - and to summon weapons. He also uses a school of magic known as Elemancy - the control of fire, ice and lightning. Through him, we are granted similar abilities, though not the entirety of them. With his absence, I was entirely cut off from those abilities.

[dedikated]

( Far more, but she's spent her life with an understanding of powers most don't get to have. Spent years training and working with it until she can help people back home. So many of the words are entirely unfamiliar, but she can grasp the processes behind it. )

The Astrals? ( It's asked as she dips her head to press a kiss to his throat, casual as can be. A sort of thank you for explaining all of that, and having to explain more. Magical artifact, sure. Ring which helps channel magical artifact, okay. That's easy enough to accept. The concept of the past monarchs being held in that ring is a little more farfetched, but then there's still - and always will be - a part of Kate which likes to believe her mother's fairy stories about there being some sort of afterlife where her family can watch over her and have a peaceful life.

The Astrals, though. That stumps her. It almost makes Noctis sound like some religious leader. Aren't they usually blessed by God according to the people who believe in that? )

[claritatis]

Mm-- hm. The Hexatheon.

[Then, with an amused smile, he gently pushes her back from his neck.] ... That's very distracting. [He admonishes lightly, while his hands move from her thighs and up to her hips.]

The Astrals are thought to be manifestations of our planet. They have always been with us, worshipped as deities but maintaining their own capricious agendas. Tales of the Six fighting alongside Lucian kings date back thousands of years.

[dedikated]

Thought you could handle distractions.

( Katherine pls.

That... is nothing like what she's heard before. Manifestations of the planet? She'll just... settle for they're gods. That works. )

So, they actually exist? Not just stories?

( Which is kind of how it feels back home. People talk about there must be a god but... it seems all too weird to say that when there's nothing that suggests any god wants anything to do with the world it created. )

[claritatis]

[A soft, huffing laugh. Katherine, please.]

They exist.

[He slips his hands around her, and shifts himself in a quick movement to roll her onto her back on the bed. The stunt comes with a warm smile, and the backs of his fingers brush across her stomach, lingering above her navel. He rests his weight on one elbow, briefly running his gaze up and down her body before coming back to her eyes.]

Titan, Ramuh, Shiva, Leviathan, Bahamut, and Ifrit. All of them, very real.

[dedikated]

( It isn't what she expected. But then, he's good at that. Not being what she expected, that is. The reaction is a slightly stunned widening of the eyes, a pause before a smile tugs at the ends of her mouth. And in all honesty, Kate doesn't care that much about the identities of the gods in Ignis' world, only the curiosity about the sudden show of supernatural power.

And that has been sated. Which is more than enough reason to lift herself up enough to kiss him, one hand wrapping around the back of his neck and pulling him down towards her. )

[claritatis]

[He finds he thinks less when he's around her. Not in a way that feels like anything bad, but the need for planning ahead is far less pressing, leaving things more open to impulse and sudden decision.

A breath is caught in the half-moment before she draws him in, and it's that distraction again, this time not brought to a halt. The elbow holding him up shifts just enough so that his fingers can brush into her hair, his other hand running up her thigh, fingernails dragging lightly across the skin, catching under her knee to pull it up against his hip.]

[dedikated]

( That's a good thing. Because she finds herself far more prone to feeling calm around him, less inclined to keep up appearances and closer to the person she might have been had life not taken the turns it did.

And that person is the one who doesn't object to her leg being pulled into position, the one who is audible in her reaction to a hand running through her hair. Kate's teeth catch Ignis' lower lips, pinching and tugging as her nails dig into the pale skin across his shoulders.

Less thinking, less talking. More of this while they still have time this morning. )

[claritatis]

[The physical responses to her come quickly, an uptick in his pulse and a warm flush through his body as he pulls her closer to him. His free hand wanders over her while they kiss - his thumb grazing over a nipple, fingertips brushing over a scar on her ribs - until minutes have passed and he has to force himself to shift far enough back that she can't catch him again.

For a moment, he simply looks utterly wracked with indecision. He swallows once, and draws in a breath that sounds like an attempt to steady himself. The ones that follow have a subtle shake to them on each inhale.]

I should stop--. I'm, hm...

[Gods, it's... unfair? Resisting her is becoming more than an exercise in patience.]

[dedikated]

( ...

You have got to be kidding her. The groan that leaves her lips is more than clear in meaning, frustrated and wanting more than he's willing to give, judging by the way he moves himself out of easy reach. Goosebumps trail over now-tanned skin, leaving a path where his fingertips trailed.

It is unfair, and hearing that Love says they can't get pregnant doesn't exactly quell the anxiety about that potential scenario. She's always been careful, more than most would say is strictly necessary.

This isn't a scenario she foresaw herself having to contend with, where she wants this so badly despite everything she knows saying they should just wait until they have adequate protection. (But then, Hadriel is good at that. Forcing her into things she never thought she'd have to contend with. Like relationships.)

Kate bites her lower lip for a moment, propping herself up on her elbows. Yes, he's right. They probably should stop. And this usually wouldn't be so much of a problem for her. But just as Ignis isn't used to having to contend with any of it, Kate isn't that used to having to contend with feeling a desire this strong. With Sam, maybe. But Hadriel was underground then. They didn't even know the Null existed then.

One other person isn't exactly a wealth of experience, either.

She breathes in slowly, pushing herself further up until her hands give her the balance she's looking for, and Kate casts her eyes downwards.

God, no, she probably shouldn't do this. No, he definitely shouldn't be stopping. Not yet, anyway. There are ways to get creative, ones they've been experimenting with already. All that Kate knows right now is that she doesn't want him to just stop there. She wants bodies pressed against one another, the warmth of skin and the noises he makes when her teeth nip just the right part of his body. )

You sure?

( She's done a lot in her life, but resisting the urge to kiss him again, then and there, is one of the hardest things. )

[claritatis]

[She asks that, and his eyes widen slightly, never leaving hers. He isn't sure that she knows why he stopped, that the creativity, as amazing as it's been, is not what he actually wants right now.]

... No. [The word tumbles out on a sigh, restraint worth nothing at all at the present moment. He wants her close to him and trying to think about it, to plan his way through this is doing him no favours.] No, I'm not sure. I don't believe I've ever been less sure of anything.

[A heartbeat later, he's kissing her again. His fingers find their place back in her hair, back to tripping lightly up her thigh, easily returning to the motions he so reluctantly interrupted.

Forget the hesitation. There's only one thing that he wants right now.]

[dedikated]

( She does, but they're an adequate substitute, right? Close enough. Like eating cucumber when you're hella thirsty. Enough to tide you over until—

Until when, exactly? How much longer can they stay dancing around this? Judging by the way Ignis finds her mouth, her hair, her thigh, not much longer if at all. She moans against his lips like he's the first drink of water she's had in weeks, as though all of him spilling on top of her is the only thing she needs to survive right now.

It's been— fuck, she doesn't know. She doesn't rightly know how long they've been in this damned city, but longer than the entirety of that stay. And even then, it's been so long since she's wanted to be touched like this for anything more than simple sexual satisfaction.

She wants him to know her, in ways that are almost frightening to consider. To learn the ins and outs of herself in body and mind. She wants him closer still as her leg hooks around his waist and her hands slide to shoulder and jaw, caressing skin rather than clawing at it. )

[claritatis]

[He takes his time here, the outcome already assured by his eagerness and her consent to something they had been putting off for the sake of not being sure what could happen if they stepped over that unspoken line. Her fingers smooth over his skin and he shifts under her touch, subtly leaning into it, leaning into her and drawing her whole body against his.

His fingertips find the scars on her skin, a gentle graze or kiss to each one he discovers over again in this new light. They've drawn so close to this so many times before, and there is no hesitation in Ignis' movements or the touches to her skin, the marks on her body, the heat between her thighs.

No hesitation, either, in the grasping of her hips before he enters her, a soft sigh and a softer curse passing his lips one after the other.]

finally putting these filth icons to good use

[dedikated]

( She's gotten more than used to his touch, to being stretched out underneath him in these last few weeks of exploring, coming so close but never quite getting there. Learned a multitude of things about him — where to press a kiss, how hard to nip at skin that his breath hitches but there won't be marks in the morning — but a surprising amount about herself, too.

Like the fact that it can be okay to let go and let someone else be in charge for a while. That there's a certain amount of intoxicating power to be found in the trail of lips and tongue against a cock. That there's so much more fun to be had in properly trusting the other party.

But all of that doesn't stop the hitch of breath or the brief stutter of her heart when he slips inside and she's looking up, cheeks flushed red and hips jerking in automatic response. She'd always thought it a myth brought about by guys who were too cheap to buy condoms, but bare skin against bare skin is electric in a way that pulls out a low moan and the bite of her lower lip to try and stifle the noise as nails dig into skin.

There's a moment, a breath, a pause before Kate finds her footing again, hands against his shoulders as she finds his ear to whisper; )

Not— not like this.

( Letting go and letting someone else be in charge can be all well and good when it's nothing more than fingers and mouths, but right now, with all this stimulation sending shivers down her spine...

Well, routine is good too. )

[claritatis]

[With everything else they've got up to so far, it would be foolish to be shy about something as simple as this, but the unique sensation and the electric spark of bare skin to bare skin has him lightly pressing his forehead to her shoulder, a deep breath drawn in on a shudder and let out slowly before he kisses the dip of her collar bone.

She speaks, and he looks at her, a moment of concern that he overstepped washed quickly away by the expression on her face and the flush high on her cheeks. For a moment, he tries to puzzle her out, one hand smoothing gently over her hip...

Then, he understands.

Ignis smiles subtly, fingers stroking down her upper arm as he coaxes her arms up around his neck. He kisses her, and as he does he pulls her up against him, shifting both of their bodies smoothly until she's seated in his lap. It's something he's done before, though never in quite this position, and he draws in another breath - a little more sharply - as his eyes dip closed for a moment.]

... Like this?

casual reminder that this was just supposed to be a fluffy morning chat

[dedikated]

Better.

( She might have opted to simply push him onto his back and continue like that, but this is good too. A mess of limbs with barely a space between then, and yet it feels exactly like it should. Comfortable, the morning sunlight warm against skin as Kate shifts herself a little in Ignis' lap before there's a slow, almost experimental roll of her hips; movement gradual and languid, adjusting to the sensation of sparks all too intense with deep inhales as she rests her forehead against his.

Yes, much better. Much better when she can curl fingers into sandy hair and pull him into a kiss as her breathing evens out and her movement begins to speed up, hips lifting off his lap just a little as it does. )

i'm seeing nothing but fluff here

[claritatis]

Hmm...

[He's seen it before - that look in her eyes that means she's uncomfortable with being on her back. It's rare he'll fight it, and he doesn't think to fight it now.

His hands slide down her back and grip her buttocks while she moves, and a soft hiss of pleasure catches between his teeth in a moment when their lips part. He doesn't let her go far, each time leaning up to chase, to catch her lips again while she moves against him.]