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For what must have been the millionth time that week, Noctis found himself staring at Ignis. The man had no right to be that sexy and no right to be taking up 1000% of Noctis’s thoughts.
All because he’d caught Ignis exiting the locker room showers in nothing but a towel. Ignis, of course, didn’t see anything weird with it. The man had surely been going in and out of the locker room showers for years in only a towel. He didn’t have the hang ups that Noctis did about his body. He didn’t have a gross looking scar across his back from being attacked as a child.
Ignis had been shocked to see him, sure, but only because Noctis was usually quick about dressing and leaving the locker room after training. Noctis never showered there, always waiting to get home before doing so. He also didn’t like idling there. The other recruits, guard and glaive both, were never shy about their bodies and Noctis was always kind of jealous of that. That day, however, Noctis had gotten distracted by something that Prompto had texted him and lingered a bit too long.
Because of that, Noctis can’t stop envisioning a mostly naked Ignis asking to do unsavory things in his general direction.
“Have we gotten the papers back from Councilwoman Scott?” Noctis asked, forcing himself to think about work and not Ignis.
“Not yet,” Ignis replied. He was chopping up vegetables, not even turning to look at Noctis as he spoke. Noctis sometimes thought it was because there would always be a part of him that felt bad about adding veggies to a meal. Even though he still didn’t like them, Noctis didn’t fight back when Ignis used them. Especially since Ignis had become so adept at hiding the taste.
Carrots and beans were still a point of contention, but generally Noctis didn’t complain.
“Any idea why?”
Sliding the vegetables in the skillet to heat up and soften, Ignis turned to look at him.
“Apparently, she thinks there is some wording that needs to be reworked and is having her legal team look at it. I can’t for the life of me think of what was wrong, but it is not my expertise so I can only trust her.”
Information conveyed, Ignis turned back to the cooking and Noctis turned back thinking inappropriate things about his adviser.
~*~*~*~*~
A month had passed and Noctis still couldn’t get mostly naked Ignis out of his head. He thought with time, it would go away. He thought porn would help and reminding himself he had never before found a man attractive. But soon his usual cute girl with big tits go-tos were becoming straight-laced men becoming beasts between the sheets.
Noctis really needed to take a different tactic.
“You date, don’t you?” Noctis asked one evening after dinner.
The bemused look on Ignis’s face was expected. “Yes, occasionally.”
“And you’ve had a girlfriend?” Noctis asked, hoping he would say yes. If Ignis liked girls then his problem would be solved.
“No.”
Crap. “Boyfriend?”
“No,” Ignis laughed. “I don’t know if you’ve ever looked at my schedule, but I do not have time for such commitments.”
“But you’ve dated?”
“One can date without being in a relationship. Noct, where is this coming from?”
Noctis shrugged, “Iris was saying something about Gladio’s new girlfriend and I just got to thinking how he and Prompto have similar reactions to women and how different they are in dealing with their feelings. Then I wondered about you and how I’ve never seen you react to anyone before.”
“I could say the same about you,” Ignis pointed out. “I can’t recall a time where you’ve done more than off-handedly agree with either of those two about a woman’s looks.”
“Does it matter with me? Odds are I’ll be used as a political pawn…”
“Noct,” Ignis said rather sternly. “There has been no indication that such a thing would happen. And you know that your father would do everything in his power to stop that from happening should it arise. You are allowed to date, if that is something you wish to do.”
The conversation stopped there and Noctis started to contemplate another tactic to get over his crush.
~*~*~*~*~
“How come you never go out with the other recruits after training?” Noctis asked.
“I’m not allowed,” Ignis replied as he was putting away the groceries that Noctis was handing to him.
“You aren’t allowed?”
“Well,” Ignis shut the pantry door and turned to face the prince, “they have asked that I not join them. Apparently, I take all the attention away from them and they don’t appreciate that. As they are generally on the lookout for a bedmate for the night and I’m not, I don’t mind forgoing the trip to the bar.”
“So, that’s why you are here most nights?”
Ignis shrugged and Noctis silently thanked whoever it was that decided Ignis shouldn’t go out. Then he scolded himself because he wasn’t supposed to want that.
“Does that mean all the girls were hitting on you?” Noctis asked, grinning. He couldn’t help it. The idea of Ignis being flirted with by a number of ladies was amusing. Even knowing that Ignis had gone on dates, he still imagined Ignis would be confused and awkward about it.
“And guys.”
“What? Really?” Ignis made a noncommittal noise and Noctis noticed something. “Are you blushing?”
Turning away, Ignis said, “It is a bit embarrassing at the number of men and women who have approached me. More so when many of the men have told me that I have caused them to question their sexuality.”
“Woah.”
“Yes. I do not like that that burden is on me. Especially as I am much more interested in a compatible personality and cannot decide on the spot if I am attracted to someone.”
Noctis mulled that over for a moment before asking, “How have you dated but not had a girlfriend if you need to know their personality?”
By this time, Ignis had moved around the kitchen peninsula and was seated alongside Noctis. Both now facing the living room and leaning their backs against the counter edge.
“Something about them catches my interest and the dates are used to get to know them better. Ultimately, my commitment to my job turns them off and they aren’t willing to come in second.”
“So, it’s my fault you’ve never had a girlfriend?” Noctis frowned. Even if he didn’t like the idea of Ignis dating someone, he hated that he was the cause of it.
“No,” Ignis said firmly, startling the prince. “Never think that. If there was truly someone I thought I would like to spend the rest of my life with, I would make it work.”
“...okay.”
“Besides,” Ignis said, bumping Noctis lightly with his shoulder, “I’ve dated more men than women, so if anything, you’d likely be keeping me from a boyfriend.”
Noctis laughed, but somehow knowing that Ignis seemed to prefer men than women only made him die a little inside.
~*~*~*~*~
“Out of curiosity,” Ignis started a few days later as they exited the Citadel parking garage, “may I inquire as to what you look for in a significant other?”
Noctis turned his head to stare out the window, hoping that Ignis didn’t see his blush. “I’m…not really sure.”
That wasn’t strictly a lie. Noctis was still very confused about his feelings towards Ignis, especially since they hadn’t dissipated in the last couple of months. He had found it rather funny that Ignis had been told he’d made men question their sexuality as that was Noctis’s truth.
“Hmmm,” Ignis hummed in response and the rest of the drive to Noctis’s apartment was done in silence.
When they stepped into his foray, Noctis felt really bad that he didn’t give Ignis more. His oldest friend had been open with him and his questions and then he just skirted Ignis’s. While he changed clothes to get more comfortable, he steeled his resolve to at least provide a little more information.
“I thought I knew,” Noctis said as he flopped on the couch. Ignis looked over at him, but said nothing. It was a testament to their relationship that Ignis knew that the conversation was continuing. “But…something happened and I became confused. I’ve been trying to work it out, which I suppose, is why I’ve asked you so many questions. Trying to hear your experience and go from there. Or something.”
“Or something,” Ignis repeated. Ignis left the kitchen to join Noctis on the couch. “Someone caught your attention that you didn’t expect?”
Noctis gave a half-hearted shrug.
A few moments of silence passed and then Ignis started weaving a tale. “Our dear Prince Noctis, long assumed he would be required to have a queen and very likely had a crush on one Lady Lunafreya after spending so much time with her in Tenebrae.”
“What?” Noctis asked, laughing, highly amused at whatever Ignis was thinking.
“Then one day, the young prince catches a glimpse of a young man in some state of undress. Perhaps, one day after training, a recruit heads into the showers with only a towel around his hips or not! Some of those guys have no shame,” Ignis laughed.
Noctis’s laughter had slowed as he wasn’t sure he liked how close Ignis was getting.
“Our prince, usually quick to enter and exit the locker room, pauses for a moment. Maybe an amusing text from his best friend. Whatever the reason, the prince catches said young man mostly unclothed, likes what he sees, and becomes very confused by it.”
He knows… Noctis thought, horror stricken.
“He then does his best to avoid said young man in hopes that the confusing crush will go away.” With a little laugh that suggested Ignis was amused with his own imagination, he looked over at Noctis and said, “Am I close?”
A million things ran through Noctis’s mind at once and he had to quickly decide how to respond. There was no way he could return to his amused laughter and tell Ignis he was being silly. He could straight up lie and say no, but Ignis would see through that. Noctis didn’t want to lie to him anyway. He could respond with saying Ignis was very close and not elaborate. He could say Ignis was right on the money, but that would again be lying.
“Dead on,” Noctis finally answered. “With everything but the last part.”
“No avoidance?” Ignis asked.
“No,” he said quietly, looking away. “It would be hard to avoid someone who is constantly by my side.”
Daring to glance back over, he was surprised to see a soft, loving look on Ignis’s face.
“I was hoping it was me,” he said, equally as quiet.
“But, I’m just one more guy who has admitted to you that you made me question my sexuality. You said you don’t like having that burden.”
“True, but I also said that I can’t decide on the spot if I’m attracted to someone. I need to know them first. Noct, I know you better than anyone and I developed feelings for you long ago.”
“What?”
“I pushed them aside because I never thought that you would like me in the same way. Especially when you seemed so smitten with Lady Lunafreya. But when you began asking questions, I allowed those feelings to slip through again. Then I started analyzing all of our interactions, wondering perhaps if you were trying to figure out my predilections.”
“So, when did you remember I had caught you only in a towel?” Noctis asked.
“After I joined you on the couch,” Ignis grinned. “I added the avoidance part just in case I was wrong or you weren’t ready to share.”
“What does this mean?” Noctis asked, fully leaning into Ignis’s body and allowing the older man to wrap an arm around his shoulders.
“I suppose it means we take things slow and see where things go. Assuming that is your desire.”
“Yes, please,” Noctis said, smiling.
They looked at each other, both grinning and wondering how this new facet of their lives would play out, but both excited to find out.
“I’ll need to thank Prompto,” Noctis said later as they resettled on the couch after dinner.
“Oh?”
“If he hadn’t sent me the text about that video game company closing, I wouldn’t have caught you in just a towel and we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“I’ll fix his favorite dinner,” Ignis mused.
“Yeah, but I’m the only one that gets dessert.”
Ignis laughed and Noctis joined in. Ignis then leaned over to give Noctis a kiss. It was a surprise for the prince, but not unwelcome. Another kiss was exchanged before Noctis curled into Ignis as they pulled up a movie to watch.
This was like every other part of their relationship, just as natural as breathing.