Although not often a direct man, he can be when it matters. Or, in this instance, when it's something he wants badly enough. There's a lot about Ravus he does want. Most of them are the metaphorical or more abstract: a hold over him, a place to carve out in his mind and heart and make it nearly impossible to extract him from easily, and someone to utilize when he may need as a result. Physically, this is the most he's felt in terms of desire in... a long while now and he's not discrediting that either. It's still strange though to feel stirrings in his own hollowed out heart when Ravus turns red like that.
But the other man doesn't answer immediately, which makes Ardyn wonder if he had overplayed his hand. He can correct if so, of course, but it would be disappointing. So while he's anticipating rejection with that head shake, he's... wholly unprepared for acceptance but in a much different way. His hand is taken - with no hesitation, he does note - and it's kissed almost delicately. Ravus smiles at him, a soft and sweet sort of thing that makes his stomach twist. He feels like he's suffocating suddenly.
It should be a good thing. It should. It's an opening still, the possibility for more but somehow feels wrong now. Keeping things solely physical would have been easy, ideal- This? He shot himself in the foot, it seems, with encouraging Ravus to go for what he wanted since he never in a million years considered he'd want more out of Ardyn than fulfilling a shallow, more carnal need. Who would?
Ravus, it seems, and so he's not sure what to think. And when he's not sure, the easiest thing to do is retreat: "I'm not the courting type, I'm afraid," he answers, at first. Which would normally be the end of it, he'd imagine. A misstep, a misunderstanding, and they could go back to what worked rather than him trying to take more than he should.
And yet- That damn voice is scratching in the back of his head mingled in with Aera and Somnus' whispers about he's ruining everything, how this was never going to work out like he thought, how Ravus will realize what he's playing at before long regardless. Somehow, he still hears it trying to tell him something that he can't make out but can feel instead. A compulsion to- Be honest?
"Which... doesn't mean I can't be, just that it's been a while. My skills in proper courtship are a bit rusty. But if that doesn't deter you any still, I can. Try."
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But the other man doesn't answer immediately, which makes Ardyn wonder if he had overplayed his hand. He can correct if so, of course, but it would be disappointing. So while he's anticipating rejection with that head shake, he's... wholly unprepared for acceptance but in a much different way. His hand is taken - with no hesitation, he does note - and it's kissed almost delicately. Ravus smiles at him, a soft and sweet sort of thing that makes his stomach twist. He feels like he's suffocating suddenly.
It should be a good thing. It should. It's an opening still, the possibility for more but somehow feels wrong now. Keeping things solely physical would have been easy, ideal- This? He shot himself in the foot, it seems, with encouraging Ravus to go for what he wanted since he never in a million years considered he'd want more out of Ardyn than fulfilling a shallow, more carnal need. Who would?
Ravus, it seems, and so he's not sure what to think. And when he's not sure, the easiest thing to do is retreat: "I'm not the courting type, I'm afraid," he answers, at first. Which would normally be the end of it, he'd imagine. A misstep, a misunderstanding, and they could go back to what worked rather than him trying to take more than he should.
And yet- That damn voice is scratching in the back of his head mingled in with Aera and Somnus' whispers about he's ruining everything, how this was never going to work out like he thought, how Ravus will realize what he's playing at before long regardless. Somehow, he still hears it trying to tell him something that he can't make out but can feel instead. A compulsion to- Be honest?
"Which... doesn't mean I can't be, just that it's been a while. My skills in proper courtship are a bit rusty. But if that doesn't deter you any still, I can. Try."
(What the fuck is happening?)