inimicitia | open rp post ➢

[ Oh.

Oh.

This is a huge mistake.

Except there's nothing at all in his head — not so much as a single, solitary protest — when Gladio manages to move his entire body with one hand. His brain only feels like it's been stuffed with cotton balls, and he swallows hard, struggling through the heat that crashes over him in waves. Keep touching me, he thinks, but he forces himself to bite his tongue hard enough to sting. ]

It is, [ Noctis finally manages, though his voice cracks. ] Most people aren't walking furnaces, [ he adds, mostly in an effort to cover that reaction. As if Gladio wouldn't notice.

And then he feels that arm slide under his pillow, Gladio's chest pressing against his back, and Noctis decides to going all in is the only option now. Reaching behind him, he tugs Gladio's free hand until he's got that arm around his middle, and he scoots back further until there's no room left between them at all. ]

Better, [ he echoes, rough and satisfied, like he should be pleased he got his way. ]

[ The thought eats at him, too. His hands are big enough to wrap around his middle, and Gladio can imagine how they'd look on him, his dark skin tempered by that cool marble. Noct yielding to his touch, allowing him to move him across the mattress with no protest does something to him, too, but he sucks in a slow breath, forcing air into his lungs until his ribs ache and he exhales it just as slow. It's not enough to calm the thunderous sound of his heart or quell the tempest of thoughts, but the focus and his training keep the rest of his body from reacting, and Gladio will take it. ]

My apologies, your highness. [ Gladio's voice is right at the shell of Noct's ear, breathy and warm.

All of this is what he wanted to avoid, the words bubbling up from the depths he's tried to bury it in to sit on the tip of his tongue. Settling heavy against Noct's back, Gladio slips his hand beneath Noct's shirt, palm pressed firmly against his sternum, almost as if to hold the prince against his body. ] I live to serve, [ he answers, low and soft, a little of that confession leeching into the words. ] Now get some sleep. [ As if either of them were capable of that now. Gladio has the benefit of his face being half-buried in Noct's hair, the familiar scent of his shampoo filling his lungs and he focuses on that to try to push everything else down because he has to. Even if he doesn't want to. ]

[ Noctis, it seems, is discovering a lot of new things about himself today. Like how he apparently doesn't mind being moved and grabbed. It isn't like their training sessions, or even their physical therapy. This is different. It's firm but gentle, a lingering touch that sears against his skin, and when that soft rumble of Your highness ghosts against his ear, Noctis actually inhales sharply, a blush racing up his neck.

So. Two new things.

He'd be vaguely embarrassed if he wasn't so aroused. The hand sneaking under his shirt doesn't help at all either, and that, really, is his last attempt at being subtle about any of this. ] Yeah, [ he breathes, ] Sleep, [ before pressing his hips back into Gladio deliberately, knowing full well the motion won't be mistaken for anything else.

They've been hurtling toward this moment since they were born. Noctis is realizing that now — how it wasn't something they'd been dancing around but a path they'd been walking together. Maybe he should feel more hesitant about this. There will be severe consequences for both of them, but he can't scrape together a single care for any of it. Not when he's bringing Gladio's hand up to his lips, pressing open-mouthed kisses against his palm, feather-light. ] What if I want to serve you too, huh? [ is spoken low and warm, all liquid heat. He's clearly thought about this. ]

[ Touching Noctis is just natural. Gladio does it everyday, massaging his muscles after a long day and guiding him through exercises meticulously to open up his spine and ease the pain, pushing him in training so he can defend himself and wield his sword like it's an extension of his arm, a hand on his back to lead him somewhere or resting on his shoulder to remind him that he's there. A day doesn't go by when he doesn't touch him, but Gladio's only touched him like this in the dreams he pretends he doesn't have, the ones that leave the sheets soaked with sweat and his skin flushed.

Noct is solid against his chest, warmer than he imagined. Distracted by the way he can feel that blush blooming across his chest and creeping up his neck, Gladio doesn't realize he's pressing his lips to Noct's nape until he's already done it, feeling that heat, and it's crossed a final line that he told himself he wouldn't, as if they aren't hurdling over so many of them all at once. ]

Yeah, [ he whispers, rough and low. ] Sleep. [ Almost like he's trying to convince himself to, especially when Noct presses back against him. Gladio sucks in a sharp breath and tenses, because he knows what he's supposed to do, but it's not what he wants to do and he has to decide which path he's going to let himself take.

It's a path he hasn't been on alone, he knows that now, too, Noct's presence at his side so obvious he doesn't know how he missed it. Maybe because he was trying to, pretending these feelings weren't there, simmering just under the surface, like they didn't inspire everything he did. Gladio's stumbling over his words, all his awareness narrowed down to where Noct's lips are on his skin. ] Yeah? [ The word comes out strained, weighed down by all the things he's trying to say and can't figure out how to. ] How did you plan on doing that, Noctis? [ If it's possible to get closer, Gladio shifts to make sure of it, nipping at the nape of Noct's neck, nose buried in his hair. ]

[ Noctis stops trying to pretend he isn't as keenly interested in this as he is somewhere between the soft moan, the small shiver, and the hissed, ] Fuck, [ under his breath, those kisses slowly but surely unraveling any sense he has left. It's a lost cause. But then, Noctis is very familiar with losing to Gladio. He kind of likes it, even if it doesn't mean he won't give him a run for his money.

He isn't thinking about anything other than that waver in Gladio's voice when he kisses each finger slowly, dragging his teeth along his skin. ] I'm doing it right now, [ Noctis replies, amusement threading through his voice, before sliding Gladio's middle finger past his lips. He sucks on him experimentally, almost curious, a low hum caught in his throat when he's nestled more securely in those arms.

Gods, this is nice. He's in no real hurry, dragging his mouth off to lick Gladio's palm, shifting to kiss the flutter of his pulse next. ] You taste good, [ he observes, voice warm and rumbling. ]

[ All he answers with is a deep rumble, something Noctis can feel against his back, reverberating between them. Inhaling slow, Gladio feels the way his chest presses against the prince's spine with each breath, his shoulders curling like he can envelop him completely. Gladio knows he can, he dominates Noct in size, and there's something intoxicating about it, but he doesn't need to, doesn't dream of it. No, he wants to wrap himself around each of those delicate fingers, eager to please, desperate to serve, in this like he is in every other aspect of their lives.

Gladio shivers, his calloused fingers trembling slightly as they're kissed, something so delicate and reverent that he could never have imagined it would unravel him so thoroughly but it does. ] You are, [ he breathes, betraying the tempest of emotions ravaging him from the inside out. A hiss escapes him, the pad of his finger pressing down against Noct's tongue gently, testing, teasing, but on the heels of that noise is a bitten off moan, muffled against the back of Noct's neck. ]

Do I? What do I taste like, Noct? [ The tone is rough, molten, each word pressed against the prince's skin. He wants to hear it, he wants to hear him try to find the words, he wants everything. Brushing his mouth against his nape, Gladio wants to savor this, afraid that this might be all they get. He pushes that fear down, shifting to snake his other arm under Noct's waist, the angle awkward, but it's enough for him to slide his fingertips down the plane of his stomach, toying at the waistband but no further, not yet. ]

[ This is absolutely something Noctis mentally files away for later. He's quickly becoming addicted to it, too — this idea that he can actually unravel Gladio with so little, that such a simple touch can illicit so strong a reaction. If he's ever felt more powerful than this moment, Noctis doesn't remember it. So he can't be blamed for enthusiasm, pulling away briefly so that he can roll over to face his Shield, eager to touch and to taste and to know.

Alas, he's never been a patient man.

Dragging his hands up along his chest, eyes like a storm, his voice wavers from the effort it takes to hold himself back when he rasps, ] You taste like you're mine. [ Maybe that's a line he shouldn't be crossing. Noctis doesn't give himself time to think about it before he's pressing in close, kissing Gladio so hard their teeth briefly knock together, a soft moan caught between their lips. Gods, he's thought about this forever. He might still be dreaming. He hopes he never wakes up. ]

[ This is dangerous. The thought hits him the second he sees Noct's face, all dark blue eyes and his hair a mess, and he knows this is when he should stop but he doesn't, resting his hand heavy on his cheek, brushing his thumb over the rise of bone. Gladio is patient, he's cultivated it for years, but there's no reserve left. Not after today.

His fingers wind into those dark strands and he huffs, amused, at the click of teeth. There's something intoxicating about that eagerness, knowing that Noct wants this as badly as he does. Swallowing that sound, he presses in and slides his hand down the length of Noct's spine to push Noct flush against him by the back of his hips. ] Like I'm yours, huh? I like the sound of that, [ he says against Noct's mouth. Stealing another kiss, he savors this one and it feels like the tingling rush of champagne when it hits his bloodstream, leaving him lightheaded and warm. ] You know what you taste like? [ His voice is low, like he's sharing a secret and maybe he is, the way he's guarded this for more years than he could count until it felt like holding back a flood with an old dam. ] Like everything I've ever wanted, everything I've always loved.

[ Noctis makes another noise at the feeling of Gladio tugging him forward, realizing, distantly, that this is definitely going to be a weakness of his. Not that he minds. It feels so good, this prickling heat simmering under his skin, and he gets as close as he can while chasing those words from Gladio's lips with an impatient rumble in his throat.

His ability to articulate anything beyond Hm and Yeah? is slipping. It's too much, too sweet, the taste of Gladio's mouth and the warmth of his skin an all-consuming distraction, sneaking his hands up over Gladio's neck as though to claim his pulse, too. He wants this so badly. He wants him.

It's Loved that stops Noctis short. His whole body is rigid for a beat, then two, and then he's pulling away entirely to sit up, a ragged gasp caught in his throat. ] I — [ is bitten off, wavering. He can feel something like panic pressing down on him, struggling fiercely against the surge of joy and yearning. Why is this so hard?

Groaning in frustration, Noctis covers his face for a second and tries to pull himself together. ] Sorry, [ is smaller, but no less genuine. More than anything, he wishes he wasn't like this. ]

[ Gladio rumbles in response, each of the noises escaping Noctis like a jolt of electricity lighting on each of his nerves. It almost stings, bright and powerful, enough to bring even a man like him to his knees. They might have, if he'd been standing, and he wants nothing more than to bask in this sensation, the warmth of Noctis against his body and the surge of desire that crackles inside of it.

If it's possible to get addicted to someone's lips, Gladio's in deep, chasing each kiss with another the second they break apart to breathe. His chest aches, lungs burning, but he can't stop himself now that he has this. It's almost too much, and the rational part of his brain is telling him to slow down but he can't.

Not until he feels Noctis go stiff and it's like ice water poured over him. Gladio does move, lets Noct get as far away from him as he wants and only then does he roll onto his back and then sits up himself, legs hanging over the edge of the mattress, his feet on the floor. He needs another shower, a cold one this time, but he doesn't get up, just looks over his shoulder at Noctis, thinking about reaching out but deciding against it. He stays though, because he's not letting Noct experience whatever this is alone. ]

It's okay, Noct. Just breathe. [ Gladio's voice is quiet and low, warm now instead of heated, meant to soothe rather than ignite. ] What can I do?

[ Even though they're no longer touching, his skin still prickles with heat, little aftershocks skittering over Noctis with a flush of goosebumps. He can still taste Gladio on his lips, hear those sounds reverberating inside his chest, and really, it's those things that keep him from completely falling apart. ]

Look, I — [ Noctis inhales a ragged breath, squeezing his eyes shut for a minute. ] I need you to know you're — [ His throat closes each time he tries to get the words out, and it's so unbelievably frustrating. ] Dammit. [ The curse wavers, wobbling, halfway between breaking down and pushing forward. Noctis always feels perpetually on edge.

But Gladio is still here. He hasn't left. What can I do? It's a long moment before Noctis finally moves, shifting to press his forehead against his Shield's back. He breathes in, then out. ] This is hard for me, [ he manages, ] But I don't want you to doubt what I feel for a second.

[ The ghosts of those touches still haunt Gladio too, just under his skin, scratching at his nerves and the inside of his skull. It all feels like a dream he's caught in the middle of waking up from, and his mind is still clinging to the warmth of it, the relief, the joy. That's what he tries to focus on as he looks down at his own hands, silent as he listens to Noct's voice, every stuttering, staggering word. ]

Noct. [ It's firm but tender, and he finally looks over his shoulder at the prince. The conflict is cut across his features, but what Noctis doesn't know is that Gladio doesn't need the words. All he needs is the look on his face.

Gladio doesn't move at first, everything in him narrowed down to where Noct's forehead is pressed against him. ] I know, Noct, and I don't. I know what you feel. It's all over your face. [ A huff of laughter escapes and he turns, one leg still hanging off the bed but the other bent at the knee as he moves to face Noctis. ] I'm not gonna go anywhere, so you can take your time.

That's not enough. [ The words burst out of him like a tidal wave, and he's straightening to look at Gladio, blue gaze flashing. It's like a crack of thunder — a warning — even if his anger isn't for Gladio. ] You deserve to hear it now. Don't you get it?

[ He's shoving his hand out at Gladio, but instead of pushing him, he grips his forearm tight. ] You shouldn't have to guess. You should hear it all the damn time. You should be SICK of hearing it. [ His breathing is ragged now. Noctis blinks away tears and wipes them away instantly, irritated by them. ]

It's not fair to you. It's not fair. [ He clings to this anger, because if he lets his grip slip for even a second, Noctis knows a few tears will be the least of his concerns. It's a dam he absolutely refuses to let break — even if he's so close to it collapsing. ]

Isn't it? [ With that old familiar furrow between his brows, Gladio turns fully now, gaze fixed on the prince even as he's whipped up into a frenzy.

Instead of interrupting, though, Gladio just weathers that storm, reaching up to grasp Noct once that line is crossed again, like he's been waiting for a sign and that was it. Gladio runs his hands over his arms, up over his shoulders, reaches up to bat Noct's hands away when he starts scrubbing at his face, wiping the tears away himself with gentle, calloused fingers. ]

It's not guessing, [ is what he breaks the silence with. ] I know you better than anyone else which means I can read you like a book, Noctis. I'm not guessing when I look at you and know what you're thinking. Or feeling. That you're feeling it is all I need.

[ Talking is hard for both of them, at least for things like this. Gladio is familiar with the painful way they stick in his throat like thorns tearing him up from the inside, and he can see them doing the same thing to Noct now. ] I don't need to hear it to know it's there, and if some day you want to say it, I'll be happy to hear it, but that's like someone telling you it's raining when you're already wet. [ Gladio holds Noct's face in his hands like its the most precious thing in the world. To him, it is. ] Just keep looking at me like this.

[ There's a burning behind his ribs, a spark of fire that grows steadily into an open flame the more Gladio talks. Noctis barely notices the tears now falling freely, tracking hot, sticky paths along his face. He doesn't hear the ragged way he's still breathing, each gasp catching in his throat, sharp and painful. All he can sense is Gladio, and he reaches to grab both of his wrists, holding on, squeezing, desperate to keep hearing him talk and yet too overwhelmed by it all to process any of it.

So he gives in, launching himself forward to wrap his arms around Gladio's neck, kissing him with a desperation he can't name. It's more than hunger — it's yearning, years of it building to this moment, and he collides into him hard, crawling right into his lap with a shaky moan.

He'll say the words. But for right now, fingers burying into Gladio's hair, Noctis writes his feelings with his lips and his hands, kissing him until there's no air left in their lungs. The world can wait. This moment is for them, and he'll guard it jealousy. ]

[ Undeterred, Gladio carefully brushes away each tear that falls with the pads of his thumbs, cradling that beautiful, tear-stained face with his palms. There's a part of him that knows this is a lot, teetering on the edge of too much, but Noctis deserves to hear it, to hear that Gladio doesn't need him to be anything other than who he is, with all his hangups and hesitation, how he's gentle and nervous and demanding all at once and everything Gladio's ever wanted.

So he's not surprised when Noctis launches himself at him, Gladio catching him, arms wrapping around the prince's middle to steady him, but he melts under the warmth of feeling in that kiss. Heat prickles along the column of his throat, blooming across his chest, and he doesn't register the fact that his lungs ache because he's sustained by this, by Noctis.

Sneaking his hand under the hem of the prince's shirt, Gladio presses a palm to the small of his back, the other finding its way into Noct's hair, its usual style flat from laying in bed but also from Gladio's large hands. The need to be closer eats at him and Gladio tugs Noct until they're flush again, and even then, it's not enough.

Carefully, Gladio lays Noct down onto the mattress and covers him with his own body, protective and possessive, even now. Especially now. Gladio's aware enough not to rest his full weight on him, but he knows Noctis is stronger than even he realizes, and he kisses him with every ounce of passion he has inside himself, unwilling to waste even a drop of it when he's saved it all for this moment. ]

[ That hand at his back unravels something tight and coiled in the pit of Noctis' stomach, and he relaxes with a sigh, pressing his weight into Gladio as though yielding all his trust. And he is. He always is. Under Gladio's hands, he feels safe, treasured, and Noctis desperately wants to make him feel the same.

His next kiss is slower, but no less hungry. If anything, it's savoring, exploratory, following his every move, learning what Gladio seems to like so he can repeat it again and again. He might be inexperienced, but he's no less eager, and when their positions shift, Noctis makes sure to drag him down, too, an arm tight around Gladio's neck. ] I can take more than that, [ is spoken in a voice that's rough but full of confidence, his dark blue eyes half-lidded as he gazes up at him, a smirk tugging at his mouth. ] Come on, big guy. [ Noctis is still smirking, bold as anything, as he proceeds to tug on Gladio with a leg at his hip.

So much for not getting his way. This is very bad. Except Noctis will immediately be distracted by Gladio's weight on him, a needy little noise caught in his throat that he definitely wasn't anticipating. ]

[ Brushing his thumb along the ridges of Noct's spine, Gladio savors the warmth of that trust, cherishing it always and what it means, how Noct allows those pieces of himself to shine through that no one else gets to see only when they're together. It's the same for Gladio, his carefully crafted image falling away to reveal the parts of him that he doesn't trust anyone else with. Gladio's gentler than people realize, his heart so big that it hurts to carry sometimes, but he freely lets Noct hold it for him when he can't manage it anymore and he always will because that's the only place he knows it's protected, treasured, safe.

Gladio rumbles softly, a sound that reverberates between them, deep and low and warm. His lips feel bruised, almost prickling numb, which only makes every movement of Noct's against him that much better, jolt after jolt sent right to his spine like touching a live wire. ]

Can you, [ Gladio asks, voice rough and teasing. He ducks down to kiss the corners of that smirk, pausing only for a moment to steady himself, to exhale soft and trembling, as Noct tries to urge him to rest all his weight down on him. It's his turn to grin down at him, his amber eyes molten. ] You asked for this.

[ And with that, he presses down against him, lips finding Noct's throat. Gladio feels that sound against his mouth and it does something to him, draws a moan from him that Gladio doesn't even try to stifle. ]

[ Noctis will always jealousy covet that heart, protecting it from anything and everything, a fierce, all-encompassing instinct he's felt ever since they were children. Even when they didn't see eye to eye, they were still always in step — part of each other, missing pieces that perfectly align. Never, not for a single moment, did Noctis feel unsafe around Gladio. How could he when the man in his arms was so loving and gentle?

After licking that sound from Gladio's mouth, he reluctantly eases his head back onto the mattress, gazing up at those dark amber eyes with his own searing look. ] You know it. [ Noctis reaches up to drag his thumb over Gladio's lips while he settles down further on him. Rumbling softly like a purring cat, he shifts his thighs apart more to make room, a bolt of heat slithering down his spine when they're finally slotted tight against each other.

He likes this. He likes this a lot.

Shivering, Noctis bites back another breathy noise, something higher than the register he tries to keep his voice in, the feeling of being pinned like this undoing him in ways he'd never imagined. He squeezes the back of Gladio's neck, half-aware of the fact that he's panting hard. ] Gladio, [ comes out wavering, that moan and those lips at his neck making Noctis squeeze his eyes closed for a minute. He tries to shift, but he can't move, and that, too, draws another needy noise from him. This is definitely an effective way to shut him up. ]

[ Gladio drags his knuckles along the line of Noct's jaw, feather light, and he can feel his pulse against his fingers, steady and strong. All of him is beautiful, his hair a dark halo on the sheets, those dark blue eyes an ocean Gladio wants to drown in. Pressing into that hand, Gladio pins Noct with his eyes, the smallest hint of a smile playing on his lips, kissing that thumb as it swipes across them.

And he feels that sound rattle around his ribcage, bright and warm and he wants to hear more of it, wants to carve out pieces of himself so that he can keep it there forever. Gladio is still so aware of his body, how heavy it is, but he likes the way he fits against Noctis, like they've always been perfectly hewn to meet like this, two halves meant to come together.

Answering with his own low, desperate sound, Gladio's mind is narrowed to the jut of Noct's hips biting into his own, the rise and fall of their chests, the fingernails digging into his nape. ] Noctis, [ is breathed against the prince's throat, sealed there with another kiss with just the edge of teeth. Gladio allows a little more of his weight to rest on him, but he's careful, listening to that heartbeat and the sounds Noct is making, never wanting to hurt him. ] You like this. [ It's a statement more than a question, all heat and teasing with an undercurrent of affection. ]

[ This is suddenly, unexpectedly slow, and Noctis isn't complaining. He likes having time to drink in the gentle expression warming Gladio's face, the way desire brightens his eyes to a molten, sunny amber. He thinks it's the prettiest thing he's ever seen, and it makes his heart stutter in his chest, his own eyes wide and lips parted in quiet awe. The fact that this is being offered to him is so far beyond anything Noctis thought he could have. It's almost too much.

And then those lips are on his neck, a ghost of teeth against his skin, and Noctis is clawing at Gladio's shoulder with a shaky warning sound. ] Gladio. [ He huffs a laugh right after, shifting a leg around that hip to give it a squeeze. As if he wouldn't retaliate. ] Watch it, [ Noctis rumbles, another chuckle running through him. It's nice, being like this with him. Playful and soft. He doesn't feel hurried, though he steals another kiss because he can, reaching up to run his fingers through Gladio's hair. If they could lay like this all night, tangled together, he'd be utterly content. ]

[ Tracing along the curve of Noctis' mouth, the cut of his jaw, Gladio can't help but want to draw this out, to make this moment last a lifetime. Outside this bed, duty waits for both of them, the lives they were born into, the burdens they have been tasked to uphold. None of that matters in here, and for as long as he can have it, Gladio just wants this, Noctis' deep blue eyes and the flutter of his heartbeat and the shaky, breathless way he says his name.

Gladio grins against his throat, worrying that same spot with his lips, his teeth, going against his better judgement to leave the beginnings of a mark there. His eyes will find it again in the morning, he knows, and for the rest of the day, the sight of it reminding him of this, their time together. A shiver races along his spine then. ] Keep saying my name like that and I'm not gonna be able to stop, [ he says, his own warning spoken like an oath against pale skin. Shifting his weight, Gladio reaches down to guide Noct's other leg around his waist and he settles heavier against his hips, melting against the prince's mouth with a soft noise. ]

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