[Ignis lets out a soft 'mm' in response before shaking his head, just once.]

None of us were willing to think on it for long, but I suspect His Majesty always knew.

[He'd been ready. That was exactly why he'd sent them away when he did, Ignis was sure. Their hands remain joined, and Ignis gently tugs Steven just a bit closer, encouraging him to relax so that they might recline together. It's a small and simple thing, but offers a comfort unlike any other, intimate and full of quiet understanding.]

I imagine that won't change for quite some time— I was concerned about you when I went out into the storm this morning.

[They both know there's no changing the past, but sometimes, knowing that does little to help.]