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"Then where's the proof, huh! I need proof!"

Of course it's all just joking. Teasing. Inigo is more than willing to believe Tidus can be cool when he has to be - he's seen it in action himself, after all, even outside of that blitzball sphere he's never gotten to witness.

But what's the fun of having a friend you think the world of when you can't needle him every once in a while?

"I need to see the interviews! The Tidus banners!" (Look, Inigo is just trying to combine his own medieval ideas with what he's learned about sport in other worlds so far, okay.) "The minstrels writing songs about you!"

"Fine, I'll try buying it! How about that?"

It's said with a laugh, especially the ideas of minstrels writing songs. Okay, those he can't buy (and what are they - those things that followed around the Yevon guys?), but maybe the interviews, the old games?

"But if you want something now, we'll need the right stuff to do it!" And what would you know, that Tidus has exactly that on him? Whether or not Inigo has one, and Tidus knows he does, he moves his hand out in the air, gives a flick of his wrist, and makes appear from his arms band a golden microphone. Give him a second to push the on switch, and-

"You ready to give me an interview, dance man?"

You think you can suddenly raise your volume around Inigo and think he won't instinctively yelp?

If so, you thought wrong. Because even though he witnesses Tidus pull out the microphone, right in front of his eyes, Inigo still lets out a yelp anyway when the other suddenly speaks into it.

Please. Please, mercy on his poor medieval ears.

"W-Wait, am I interviewing you?! Right now?!"

"Why not?" You're not going to get him to stop with one yelp and that kind of answer. "You wanna know what it's like instead? What's it like in the life of the Prince of Dance? What does His Highness have to say to his fans right now?"

Yes, Tidus started using his presenter voice there. He points the microphone out in Inigo's direction, and as if on cue, the two higgledies are squeaking in higgle-cheers and clapping!!

Interview time, interview time!

Inigo starts to sputter. "I don't have fans--"

Though that protest is stopped quickly enough by the higglebrigade over here. Clearly they are the fans. He gets it. Look at them speak and go, easily excited by anything at all happening.

And it's true. He can't let down his fans when it's these two over here. Even if Tidus is just joking around with this whole thing. Inigo has to prove he can be cool too!

So he sucks in a breath, straightens his back, and speaks. Resolutely. "I just want to say that I believe in the right for every higgledy to wear cute outfits!"

The higgledies cheer. Do they agree? Are they just still excited? Who knows. No one knows what goes on in a higglehead.

"Waheeeeyyy!" Fortunately for Inigo's ears, Tidus starts to move the microphone from himself so he can bring his hands together to clap, to join in with the cheering - though that does create a dunk, dunk, dunk sound every time his hands meet. And truly, the higgledies are happy and proud! Squeaking joyously, already onto their arm-waving dance.

But he can't let the interview stop that early! And with their topic back, he brings the microphone back to himself first, to ask a question, and then pointing it to Inigo after.

And that question is...

"And what would you say about how well our higglepals today are dressed?"

(Tidus confirmed to be at least half higgledy.)

"Well--"

He happens to say just exactly in the wrong way into the microphone that it lets out one of those screeching sounds. Inigo truly is having the Awkward First Interview experience over here. He's the true dork.

"Jumblie always looks cute!" And she is, in fact, wearing one of her little dresses, spinning around in it. "A-- And Gibbers' crown is very stylish. I should make him an outfit sometime too."

"And what do you think about that, Hibbers-the-Gibbers of...Something?" hig! "Oh yeah, 'The Hopeful'!"

Higgle! Hibber-Gibbers higgles proudly, then starts to say a few more of his higgledy speak, Tidus nodding as if in understanding.

"Mmhmm, mmmhmm... sounds like Gibbs needs to see this outfit idea you have for him! And he wants something eye-catching! And heroic!"

Piggle! Gibbs squeaks in agreement. You hear that, Inigo?!

"Talk about a demanding customer.." Inigo says, but at least it's more going along with the mood than really being upset about it. After all, he's not even sure if this truly is Tidus interpreting the higgle speak, or if he's just making up stuff by himself.

Which is why Inigo moves to grab the microphone from Tidus's hands, moving to hold it in front of the higgledy.

"Here, here, let him speak for himself!"

Is it a good idea to allow a higgledy to cause loud chaos?

Probably not. But it's too late. Inigo is doing it.

A microphone is placed in front of a higgledy.

And into that microphone, the higgledy said:

'Higgggle higgledy higgledy higgg! Higgle piggle hiigle higgle! Hig! Hig hig hig!!! Higggledee DOO!'

With included, a lot of hopping, as if making such to keep getting as close as possible to it, small arms flapping at its sides.

(And that in us speak, was:

'Hiiggle, young traveller! I want a long cape carried in the wind, held by a clasp with a big blue jewel! Adornments for my crown, and wrist-guards bright and sparkly! Yes! Hiiigg!! I want to be a pearl of the sea!')

Maybe it's better that there's no one else present here - other than them and Gibbers' higglepal, anyway. Because anyone else would not have been able to make heads or tails of all this higgling over here.

But thankfully the higgletalk speaks to these two boys' souls, so Inigo does get that detailed outfit description. A demanding customer, indeed.

"Wow, Tidus, you two are a perfect match. Just as demanding." Rude, Inigo. He's clearly just teasing though, with the way his grin widens a little as he looks over at the other guy. "Truly a duo of pearls of the sea!"

"We know what we want, and how we want it!" Tidus declares proudly, unabashed. There's no even faking any offence here, since why would he! Even Gibbs appears proud - but then again, when doesn't he?

"And you're the one offering it! Our pal here's not gonna accept anything but your best! Think you can handle it? He's like a king of the sea!"

Is he really. But Tidus gestures to the spirit to emphasise his point; and when the little guy is wearing a cape and crown, anyone would believe the high higgledy royalty.

Well, he does have a crown, and Jumblie doesn't.. So who is Inigo to contest these statements, really. Especially when Hibber-Gibber is over there, looking so proud. By higgledy standards, anyway.

"Well, I could try." No promises though, since he's used to making much more simple things. Jumblie's dress may be cute, but it's a very, very simple pattern. Just a higgledy sundress. "I'll see if I can live up to his highness' standards."

Inigo smiles a little before climbing back up to his feet, moving the microphone from in front of Gibbs' face to holding it in front of Tidus's instead.

"So, you got any more official commentar, mister blitzball star?"

"Hmmmmm," echoes thanks to the microphone, and you'd be fooled into thinking Tidus was giving in some consideration - except no; not with that grin that won't be wiped off his face, the playfulness of his hum.

He leans in.

"Let it be on record that the biggest dork here is no one other than Inigo! And he should be dancing in his dancing outfit and showing off what he's got-!"

Can he get away with saying that loud before Inigo pulls away the microphone at the first 'dancing', because Tidus will attempt to follow it for as long as he can.

Inigo does try to pull it away. Of course he does. And with Tidus following it, it turns into the silliest near-dance the two of them are having here. Inigo trying to spin to get the microphone away from Tidus's now much too loud mouth, Tidus chasing it. It's a miracle they aren't bumping into each other and collapsing into a heap, really.

But one thing that is very obviously happening is that Inigo's face sure is as red as a tomato right about now.

"I can't believe you..! You're so lucky it's just us here!" Is he still trying to keep the microphone away from Tidus? Yes. Definitely.

The higgledies start higging away, as if demanding to be Acknowledged, so Inigo quickly adds with a flustered tone. "A-And you two!" Geez.

"I'd almost say you're obsessed with seeing me half naked!"

Tidus does need to put down a hand to keep his balance when he shifts his weight onto his knees - luckily, not tumbling forward into Inigo, though a playful push could get him sitting back cross-legged. Instead he does of his own accord, perhaps too early, with the last of what Inigo says.

And there's a few things Tidus can say there, that tickle his cheeks. The question is, should he?

He rolls his lips together.

"Do I need to be?" he goes for first, a pause taken before he continues, giving a pointed look up-and-down Inigo. "--But let's say I am."

Does Tidus need to say it, or will Inigo try to ignore the obvious follow-up in the air? The question back: What will you do?

Did Inigo expect things to head in this direction?

No. Of course not. Tidus was messing around, the higgledies were cheering, that's just about the least sexy environment one could be in. Hence why that sentence just moved straight out of Inigo's mouth, without thinking whatsoever.

Leave it to Tidus to suddenly put that sort of spin on it.

".. no," Inigo says. It sounds more instinctive than purposeful, and he quickly shakes his head. THINK OF NAGA, INIGO. THINK OF PURE THINGS. "No, no, you're joking! I know you're just trying to get me all worked up!"

Yes, Inigo, you're right about that.

But the definition of that word might differ a bit between what Inigo is thinking right now and what Tidus is thinking.

Should they be flirting in front of the higgledies? Tidus isn't blind to them, but he does consider their presence more before he speaks this time. A glance taken to them, but the two of them have already returned to their own higgledy chattering, moving.

Good, stay that that so Tidus can lean his hands on his knees, feel alright about saying - alright, having some apprehension in his throat, but not enough to stop him from going, "Could you get me worked up? It might be fun, you know..."

And he leans back again, this time to put one of his hands onto Inigo's knee. Voice lowering.

"...we could keep it in the bedroom."

Some of us are working ourselves up, thank you very much.

ÀHHHHH?

Is this still a joke? Inigo doesn't know. Tidus seems just a little too serious about this for it to be a joke, but then again.. Inigo is basically notorious for being unable to catch Tidus's jokes in time.

And it's not like it'd be too weird if it was true. After all, they've had sex before. But there's something a bit more about this. Something about the thought of Tidus wanting to see him in it, in such a situation..

Not to mention the look the other is giving him right now.

Inigo feels like steam is about to blow from his ears. It's like Tidus's touch, that hand on his knee, burns him. One of his hands finds a piece of his own skin, pinching it, just to confirm that this isn't just some really weird horny dream he's having.

".. You.." Inigo starts. His mouth suddenly feels so dry, and he licks his lips without realising it. "You'd want.. to see that?"

It's good, probably, that Tidus doesn't catch the second taken for skin pinching. He might find it funny though, an Inigo thing, good after the initial disbelief and humour it'd sport. But he's all eyes on Inigo's face now, watching his disbelief, confusion, the embarrassment he expresses before he even says anything.

He likes it. But he feels his own shyness, when he's asked if he'd like that, and - he would, wouldn't he? But he's led by a feeling stronger than that; by his arousal, and even admitting the truth is some of a turn on. To keep this going.

"Yeah." A beat, gaze flickering from eyes to a mouth, and back again. "I said you looked good in it."

And didn't Inigo say? That guys can dance just as arousing as women could.

(But really, all Tidus wants - all he needs - is for Inigo to be on his lap, grinding, flustered, wanting it too. He'll take that.)

Something even just about the thought by itself makes something prickle at his skin. Almost like it's electrifying. Tidus genuinely thinks he looks good in it - something Inigo didn't think he was lying about in the first place for once, thankfully - to a point that he thinks about Inigo wearing it in.. that sort of way.

"I'll wear it then," he manages to say. Even though Inigo has no idea how he manages to do as much. His throat feels thick, it feels like he's about to sweat.

Because he knows he wants this, that it turns him on too. Just the thought that Tidus would feast his eyes upon him.

He has to resist the urge to move his gaze away. It's hard, but he manages to keep it upon the other. "For you. As soon as you want it."

Now - that's when he wants it. So his body says - his lower body, that is - and the word presses to the back of his lips, wanting release. He could say it, and he thinks Inigo would go along with it, but there's something that stops him, a consideration; his own desires suppressed some when, with a glance to the stairway just to be sure - he leans to press his giddy lips to Inigo's, the taking his bottom one between his, sucking on it a little.

"When you're ready - to give me a show," he speaks lowly, not a whisper; so he can be heard, with their mouths close to one another still. Easy to slip into a few more kisses, if Inigo wants. And Tidus doesn't mind pecking to get another, then another, as he speaks. "I wanna see you show off."

Put on a performance - and every performer needs some time to prepare.

It's honestly a good thing that Tidus checked beforehand whether or not there's someone else who just walked in, because absolutely any thought of doing that vanishes the moment Tidus's lips are on his own. It makes Inigo's heart jump in his chest, and he definitely chases Tidus for those few kisses more between the other'w words in.

Though it leaves him breathless. Both the kisses, and exactly what Tidus is saying here.

"I.." He starts, but then doesn't know how to say more with the way his heart freezes up in his chest, so he just presses his lips to the other guy's again for a moment, hoping that might help him find the words. "I'm not.. sure if I could live up to.. um."

This time it's a real pause, without being interrupted by dumb distracted kissing. No matter how close Tidus's lips still are.

"To.. anything you might be expecting."

This combines a lot of things he's very nervous about, after all. Especially since he could make a huge fool out of himself in the middle of something that's supposed to be sexy.

He shouldn't distract him, should he? Tidus behaves too, waiting for Inigo to get out what he wants to, is trying. Though he's really wishing they were in their room now - his thoughts of what they could be doing, not so different from what he wants to be doing right now.

"I'd be happy with just you climbing on top of me." You know, might be his favourite view to have, no big deal. And how nice it would be to have going on right now, too.

But there's a pause, a moment where he wants to add, knowing that Inigo's brain will inevitably worry and fret, and where Tidus wants to assure, to get across - leaving another kiss on his lips: "But all I want is - for you to be you. So - you can't fail that."

The ends of his mouth pull upward, and he knows it isn't very poetic, his words... but it's the truth of it. You can't fail to be yourself.

It makes the worried, fussy - or maybe just embarrassed - look on Inigo's face melt into a smile as he stares at the other, as he feels those now familiar lips on top of his own again.

It's nice. The kiss, sure, but the reassurance too. Even if it may be a little simple or straightforward, that's exactly what makes it so effective here.

"I can do that," he says with that same smile. He's trying to remember it, really. The piece of knowledge he has deep down - that Tidus just wants him to be himself. That it's enough.

His hand moves to land on the side of Tidus's upper arm.

"But I'll.. try to make it good anyway." Because he wants Tidus to have something nice too, especially since the other apparently likes the idea of this. It needs to have a little something extra. "For you."

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