meridio | (Awash & Hugtopia) IC contact

[All this time, that hand was concealed from Somnus' view. Now that Noctis shows it, his eyes are drawn to the ring.

His first thought is that there's a disconnect between himself and the two rings present in Aellyn. Neither belongs to his point in time; his sits on the finger of a king aged in body only. The sole set of eyes he has in the city is his own, because he didn't feel the moment Noctis slipped the ring on here.

His second thought, which is accompanied by a dull ache in his heart, is that it's much too soon.]

Do you hear the whispers?

[Noctis winces, the reaction unsubtle and giving him away before he even responds. Of course Somnus would know that part- he's one of those voices, in there somewhere. Or some fragment of him is, anyway.]

I hear them. It's... mostly just noise I don't know what to do with yet.

[What's equally obvious is how unsettled he is by it. The whispers aren't overwhelming - in fact they've quieted down a lot compared to what it was like when he'd touch it without putting it on - but still there, creeping up on him unexpected.]

You need not know at once. The ring is yours and will stay with you.

[Noctis has too much on his mind to scramble where the Ring of Light is concerned. No one here has designs on it. At the same time, the voices within are persistent, so wearing it won't be easy.]

I can't even do anything here. Not what I'm supposed to, anyway. [He gives his hand a wave, as if that'll help somehow.] Go back to sleep already.

[Yeah, that's about as helpful as he'd expected, with zero results. He sighs faintly.]

Should I be doing something? What would you be telling me, if you were still in there?

[A roundabout way of asking "what next", but Somnus is the only one here and available, so he's the lucky one.]

We do not sleep. [He glances at the ring.] Nor do we forget.

[What's next is obvious, but irrelevant. All they can ask of their bearer here is to remember. Only, Noctis knows so little of what's to come . . . Considering that, what would he say?]

When you have need of us, call upon our power.

[He doesn't particularly like that. It's... noisy, and distracting more often than not. He can't really begrudge them wanting to talk when given the chance, if it's all they can do aside from watch whatever exists around the ring, but still... how the hell his dad ever gets anything done is beyond him.]

Cor said I shouldn't wear it all the time, that it's okay to take it off sometimes until I get used to it. I don't know if I can do that, though. It's...

[He flexes his hand into a fist a few times, wincing as if he feels the phantom pain of that first time. It had been awful. Not even the worst of daemon fights had hurt him like that- as if his entire body had wrenched itself apart, like something was peeling his insides in layers. His dad had been so worried, so it can't be normal.

What if it's like that every time?]

[One would have to be blind to miss that wince. For Somnus, it's easy to guess at why.

He was there the first time Noctis put the ring on in his own past. Though he wasn't there for the second years down the road, he still felt a distant connection amid the haze of madness that had robbed him of his mind. Consequently, he knows the answer to what Noctis is surely wondering.]

Putting it on again will not hurt you.

[He shouldn't be surprised - either by Somnus knowing the question in his heart, or knowing the answer - but still, his eyes widen despite himself.]

...Just a one-time deal, huh?

[If that's true, then... god, what a burden off his shoulders. Cor was right- wearing it constantly is exhausting, but the fear of having to put it on again is awful as well. If he can ease the weight of it around his finger once in a while, maybe he'll be able to endure it. He'll still carry it - he'd promised Luna as much, and it's his responsibility - but if he doesn't have to wear it...

He's not as strong as his father, or the other kings. Not yet. But he's got some time.]

[Fear is a powerful motivator. It's also an inhibitor, detrimentally so in this case. Somnus nods. That's one less thing for Noctis to worry about in a sea of concerns.]

Wear it as you see fit.

Hear me, Noctis: kings are neither born nor created overnight. Our power as rulers comes from the Crystal and the people who stand beside us. Time is precious, but the weight of the ring cannot be borne alone.

[Keep it on or take it off once in a while. Either way, Noctis will grow stronger in time with the help of his brothers and line. He mustn't compare himself to his predecessors at their prime.]

[Sounds like something his dad would say. Or maybe it's something his dad did say, and he's only failed to remember it. He wonders how much from the dead kings have resonated throughout all of his lessons growing up. Wisdom handed down through the ring from ruler to ruler, learning from the mistakes or the decisions made in eras long gone. Whose words were they?

The fingers of his free hand fiddles with the ring a little, turning it around, looking torn like he wants to take it off here and now. Still undecided. Finally, he mumbles,]

Can I... learn how to listen?

[Is it possible to hear the words amidst all that cacophony, to catch snippets and small phrases and understand what his ancestors are so desperate for him to know? If they were in front of him, sharing their lives and offering advice, the way Somnus and Ardyn and his father can here- he'd listen, mostly. As much as he does with anyone.

And if he were trapped in a ring for centuries with a collective of other souls vying for attention, waiting for the future to come and free them, he'd want someone to hear him, too.]

[The temptation of choice is powerful yet paralyzing. Somnus stares down at the ring again before meeting Noctis' gaze. Whatever happens, he resolves to refrain from passing judgment.

With circumstances being what they are, a willing ear would be akin to a peculiar blessing for the rulers of yore. They, too, must realize this from within the ring's vast emptiness, in which case Somnus has only one suggestion to impart.]

Listen, and they will speak.

[So... maybe it's less about learning, and more just putting the effort in. It sounds so outrageously simple, but isn't that a blessing, rather than whatever new burden he'd been trying to place on himself? It's so rare that anything in his life ever gets to be easy. He can listen. Or he can take the ring off and enjoy some semblance of peace for a while. With no immediate duty to attend to, only a lingering fear of what the future might bring, he has time.

It's like a weight shrugging off his back all over again, similar to before but with a risen intensity. That freedom, for once, is his. And twice in short succession, it's been Somnus who granted him this boon. The word of the Founder King, the one who's guided their line since its inception, means a great deal it turns out. Advice he can take to heart.

He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment, and stops fiddling with the ring. And then, before he can stop himself or change his mind, he strides forward and leans, winding his arms around Somnus and pulling him in.

Don't make it weird, don't make it weird, he begs silently. This is new for him, this whole... being allowed. But he'd promised to try.]

[His body is slack against Noctis as he processes the contact. They were speaking of the previous sovereigns just now. If anybody, it should be Somnus who holds Noctis' hands in his own out of gratitude for that kind, dutiful heart. Several beats pass before he raises a hand to hover over Noctis.

The burden of the ring and the prophecy it entails is heavy, and heavier still while the truth comes out one by one. Aellyn is a respite from this fate, but it ever looms over them. All of them have felt the stress pressing in on them over the course of their collective existence in the city—Noctis, most of all.

Warm affirmations have never been his strong suit. When he speaks as a leader, he seizes the faith of those who would follow him; as a person, he's clumsy and inspires little confidence, culturing only misunderstandings. But a thousand spoken words can accompany a single action, and so he turns to that familiar silence as he rests his hand on Noctis' head.]

[...Well. It's a little weird, initially, and he's a heartbeat away from pulling back before Somnus lifts a hand to his hair. It's enough to make him pause, remaining in place longer than he'd intended, just a few extra moments until he draws away once more.]

...Maybe don't tell Pyra.

[His voice is clumsy, a bit sheepish. It's not that he minds if she knows, but she'd smile and get that look on her face and- yeah.

Still, he's grateful, head ducked to conceal the little smile that betrays him.]

[His hand slides away with Noctis' withdrawal. They're rather close in height, so it's all too easy to spot the smile.]

Your actions are yours. I have no intention of sharing them with others.

[To start with, he doesn't tell her much even on days when he's feeling chattier than usual. Noctis' secrets, whether they're meant to be or not, are safe with him.]

Should've guessed that.

[Said with a wry half-smile, more open this time. Somnus keeping mum about anything isn't against the norm, so it isn't as if he had to ask... still, it's kind of nice to hear it out loud.

Maybe he'll tell her. Or at least think about it, if she gets on his case about his "homework".]

Well, I won't bug you. You can tell her I said hi, at least?

[He's seen an expression like that on Noctis before, he realizes. On Eos, that is. That was years ago.

Setting that thought aside, Somnus nods.]

I shall tell her.

[And he won't keep Noctis if he's got better places to be.]

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