#v!noconsequence

[no-consequence]

⚜{Imperfect illusions}⚜

The illusion was wasted on a blind man but no one could fault Ardyn for leaving a job half done.

While the other three were off gallivanting in the darkness harking at deamons, the accursed had turned his attention to the one they left behind. Taking on the illusion of the one he deemed the weakest,  the MT playing ‘real by’ he ventured close, camera in hand. “Hay, Iggy!”

Stepping closer he kept his voice light but his face pulled into a tell tell smirk, cocking his head watching the retainer scout out his location.

He could kill him dead where he stood, but hat would be the fun in that?

“Noct and Gladio are still out-  went to get supplies. They sent me back to help guard camp”

He let a trace of worry into his tone, unease at insulting his ‘friend’. Ardyn had noted that despite the others clear hindrance to their team, they still all acted as if nothing was wrong, none of them liking to make any mention to the mans disability, or give away the fact they were looking out for him.

How strange.

“Looks like you got it covered though"

He lent in closer, a hairs breadth away from the man, stilling his breathing and peering into unseeing eyes hidden beneath those useless glasses.

@scientianist

[no-consequence]

                             “ Cool. Glad we’re on the same page then. ”

IT’S TRUE THAT HE’S NOT KNOWN FOR his  a d r o i t  social skills in general, but the tone he adopts when speaking to this guy is particularly  c u r t, understandably so. Nights in the caravan are always a little too cozy for Noct’s taste, and lodging up with a  t o t a l  stranger —– who still gives him the creeps, if he’s being honest —— doesn’t make the stay any easier. He had stepped outside for some  s p a c e, which is exactly what he’d muttered rather bluntly when Ardyn decided to join him, unknowingly or maybe completely knowingly interrupting his alone time. Icy blues look away from the  g l o w  of his phone screen & slide warily up to his unsolicited guest.

                                            “ …You mind? ”

@skyprinced

”Not at all”

The younger mans annoyance doesn’t go amiss, but to hell if Ardyn cared.

The brat prince was an amusing little creature, rather uppity for one so naive.

No matter.

Ardyn wasn’t looking to make friends after all, and regardless of Noctis distaste towards him, at this moment in time? the young man needed him.

He and his entourage were in Ardyns debts, and no amount of passive aggressive side eyes could fix that.

He comes closer, hovering just out of reach over Noctis shoulder, getting dangerously close to his personal space but just a touch out of reach to be able to have his actions called out. Teetering on annoying and arrogantly flaunting the fact he could do as he pleased.

“Are you playing a game? Your friend- what was his name again? Promptus? Promalo? The blonde boy with the camera, he showed me his high score”

Poor Prompto had been forced to buddy up with Ardyn in the back seat, clearly put out but making enough small talk to not seem rude, having no choice but to show Ardyn Kings Knight on his phone when he’d tried to play it as a diversion tactic.

“It’s sweet, how you still have time to play children's games at a time like this”

[no-consequence]

“W-What? No, why?”

Prompto was in no position to offer his distaste, considering he had no means to pull himself out of the situation. Ardyn didn’t need or want his permission, and try as he might, Prompto was shackled in such a way that he could hardly even move an inch.

When the older man’s ear pressed against his chest, all Prompto could do was wince and give a half-hearted attempt to squirm away. Fruitless, of course, as per the usual.

“Stop, c’mon, man. Get off!”

More useless words, strewn about as if they’d hold any weight against Ardyn’s actions. Prompto was truly perplexed by this one - what benefit did Ardyn get from listening to his heartbeat?”

“I was interested in seeing if you actually had one.”

He had shown the men how to install deamons into the hearts of humans, but he hadn’t sat through the whole process. He didn’t know exactly what was done to turn man into monster, what was lost and what was gained.

“I can hear it. Frantic little thing, though I guess fear will do that to a person hmm?”

Ardyn smiled up at prompto, resting one hand on the side of the mans chest, ear pressed against the thin shirt, now starting to smell like sweat from where Prompto had been kept bound for hours in the cell. 

“I’d return the gesture but sadly it’s been a while since mine has had the necessity to beat, a shame”

Not that prompto would have wanted to do so in the first place, but Ardyn had manners, it was only polite to offer.

@pxlsatiio

“

[no-consequence]

⚜{Snap decision}⚜

“A photo of me? You shouldn’t have. You certainly have an eye for capturing the...finer things in life”

Ardyn’s voice drips like treacle as he skims through the photo’s on Prompto’s camera, their mismatched group on the way to the titan with the prince and his retainers forced to follow the chancellor.

They had made camp for the night, Ardyn having asked to see the shoots Prompto had taken during the day and received the camera with only mild reluctance.

@sunshinetechnophile

[no-consequence]

{pxlsatiio}

“No!”

If Prompto could cover his ears with his hands, he would. However, he hasn’t the ability. He can feel the familiar sting of tears behind his eyes but he refuses to let them gather. He refuses to show that kind of weakness.

“You don’t know anything about me. You don’t know anything!”

“Really now? Is that so. I know you’re a fake. Nothing more then a living doll passing itself off as human. What do you think they will do when they find out, your friends? When  they learn they’ve had a traitor in their midst all along?” Ardyn speaks slowly, circling the long and coming to a stop before him, cocking his head to one side with a mock pout.

“It’s pitiful really. Did you think you could be part of their group? did you really think you mattered? You’re nothing more then surplus stock my dear. Someones property.”

He reaches out, griping Prompto’s face between thumb and forfinger, twisting his head to the side one way and then the other before patting his cheek, smile widening.

“You were born into this world to serve. Maybe thats why you follow Noctis like a lost puppy?  I guess even now you can’t truly ignore your base coding, can you? If it’s not serving your nation then it’s lapping at the boots of a prince you were made to slaughter”

@pxlsatiio

[no-consequence]

⚜{prcmpto-argentum - Close}⚜

It had come of little surprise that the four had yet to see who he truly was, but Ardyn had no intention of telling them of his Chancellor status without due reason. A time would come when they would need him, most likely sooner then later, but until them he could be a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

Traveling with the four had opened up an experience to see into the inner workings of their little group. They regarded him with hesitation, but no matter. Actions spoke louder than words.

Of course his focus was mainly on the prince, but the small blond had quickly drawn his attention. It didn’t go unnoticed that the other three seemed oblivious to exactly what was traveling with them. A half breed. A wolf in sheep's clothing ready to emerge and strike them down.

How wonderful.

If the prince kept such poor company maybe Ardyn wouldn’t even have to put his plan in motion? The king would wind up dead before long. But no. That’s not how this was supposed to happen. Every person had their place, and until the final cat the Prince had to stay alive.

If that meant removing the infestation? Then so be it.

Gladio and Ignis were off with Noctis, the two never seeming the leave the mans side now that Ardyn was traveling with them, but that left Prompto to venture off by himself, something that worked perfectly to the Accused plans.

“Prompto! My boy, I’ve seen you with that camera of yours. Quite the dab hand I must admit. Be kind and show me the ropes? It’s a skill I’ve always been interested in but never had the time to pursue”

They were camped in the middle of the forest, darkness settling in earlier then  usual, common as of late and the thick tree’s only seeming to make it worse, blocking out the moonlight above.

“I heard rumors that the lake glows in the darkness, something to do with moss from the nearby mana vein? It could be all lies and folly, but seems a shame to miss out on a photo opportunity like that, don’t you think?”

@prcmpto-argentum

[no-consequence]

bestchocobro

To say his body stiffened would have been doing understatements a major disservice. His spine snapped into such a straight line, and so quickly, that it almost cracked clean in half. The Chancellor was touching him. Too much. Too close. Faaaaar too creepy. This kind of thing only happened in movies, right? Oh gods… alcohol breath.

“Uh… I, uh… m’flattered.” Was he flattered? Incredibly skeeved might have been more fitting. “But… no… thank you…”

He hoped he didn’t look as utterly petrified as he felt as he tried to edge slowly out from under the Chancellor’s arm.

He was getting rejected? That was...rare.

Of course he had known rejection in the past, but most he approached  usually held some interest in him to catch his eye in the first place. Clearly the drink was messing with his perception.

Part of him grew bitter, wanting to be cruel and to take revenge. Would the blonde look so coy if he reached out and sang to the deamons in his DNA, showed his friends what he really was? No.

Not now.

Maybe later.

“Your loss”

Ardyn lifted his hands in mock surrender and took a deep swig of his drink,  unable to keep his face devoid of irritation as he fixed his gaze on the fire, an expression that could only be called a pout now lacing the accursed lips.

[no-consequence]

➺ yo nbd ill take in the hobo

{Congrats you got yourself a screamy memey man}

The irony wasn’t lost on him.

Saved by none other then the oracle herself, the very light he’d been intending to snuff out. And here she was, keeping his aflame.

“I h-had heard you were a bleeding heart. I have no idea your graciousness extended so far my lady”

It’s hard to play snarky when his insides are predominantly on the outside, a large gash on his side splitting him from sternum to hip in a corkscrew motion.

He wouldn’t die.

He couldn’t die.

But even he in all his glory didn’t fare well against the sharp end of an iron giant.

“Prince Noctis really is a l-lucky man”

His facade has long since slipped, the illusion of humanity slipping away leaving him black lipped and yellow eyed, peering up at her feebly beneath the brim of his hat.