hugtopia | [Video]

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[Gladio, partially used to this kind of thing now, but still uncomfortable with it because he really doesn't much like tech, just looks tired and irritated.

He sighs, then gives a halfhearted glare when he realises that not only is his face off-center, but he'd holding the phone/tablet-wannabe WAY too close. He pulls it back and finally says what's on his mind.]

... Any reason why blankets shrink on this world?

Asking for a friend.

[A pause, considering...]

Hints on how to make money'd be appreciated too.

Thanks.

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[ Oh, definitely noticed him dodging the family comment, but that's filed away for a later time. He drops his blanket by Gladio and moves to the couch, feeling his way to carefully sit himself down on it. ]

Wouldn't hurt to try it. [ but if Ignis knows this place, it has to be solved with physical touches.

But this isn't about the blanket, he feels like. He knows that Gladio can handle his own, probably would've dealt with the blanket issues, but Gladio's reached out for a reason, one Ignis can't place yet.

So, he'll wait. ]

[Gladio would have felt guilty as hell if Ignis had come all the way to him only for the stupid blanket to shrink... But for some reason when he picked it up, it remained. No shrinkage this time. He laughed.]

Well shit. Guess you've the magic touch, Iggy.

[ Well, that wasn't expected, but he'll take it. ]

Glad to hear.

[ It's a small relief in and out itself really, after stressing himself over Noctis and Prompto. ]

Are you sure you're alright, Gladio?

After a good nights sleep, I'll be golden.

[He started folding the blanket up and set it over the arm of his chair, then leaned against it, just watching Ignis.

He smiled.]

I'm fine, Iggy.

[ Arms fold across his chest, recalling their earlier talk about how Gladio needed to adjust here. Ignis definitely needed to himself, with people knowing him and all.

He exhales a sigh. ]

Gladio...

[ Another familiar tone in his voice now, fuss mode go. ]

You know you can talk to me, right?

[His smile faded a little and he bit back a sigh.]

Whatcha want me to say, Iggy? I'm doing the best I can.

[It was just slower going is all. It was hard to focus when he was busy trying to understand the world around him.]

I know that you can handle yourself just fine, but you put out that call for help for a reason, but I can't place why.

Something's wrong, isn't there?

[Gladio stared for a long moment... and then he laughed. That was why Ignis was there? He'd heard his call for assistance and assumed there was more to it.]

Iggy... My blankets were shrinking. It's damn annoying. I was done waiting for it to fix itself, I've hardly slept, so I asked.

I asked about money... so I could buy more bedding.

No lines to read between there.

[He paused, frowned.]

Guess you're not used to me askin for help, huh...?

[ He sighs softly. ]

No, I am not.

[ He's just relieved that there's nothing more to it then. ]

You know how I can be.

[ Once he starts to worry, he worries. ]

I appreciate it, Igs. I do.

[He supposed he should throw him a bone, he was going to worry regardless.]

... I took a tumble, yesterday. Ran into someone. They uh... reacted badly to it. Might've banged myself up a bit more than I would've. The blanket thing was insult to injury. Can't rest and heal if I can't sleep or get warm.

[ Well, now he's going to fuss over you, good sir. ]

How badly are you hurt, Gladio?

[ And why didn't you say something sooner, gosh. ]

Mostly aggravated an old injury, nothing to be done about that. [He grinned then.] Bruises to my abdomen. And she whipped my balls. Luckily that's the least bothering me right now.

[At the time they'd ached but he'd walked it off. The bruises he could handle, they'd fade. But landing on his shoulder...]

She did what?

--- No, nevermind.

[ He's torn on whether to laugh or worry at that now. But he doesn't want to know how that happened, ignorance is bliss after all. ]

Who's 'she'?

Era. Lovely woman. Keeping her outta whipping distance from now on though.

[Gladio DID laugh. He'd hoped for some kind of laugh from Ignis to be fair. Shift that worry to humour. Can't really worry about his nuts now could he?]

[ Whipping distance. Now he reallllyyyy doesn't want to know, thanks for the mental image, Gladio. Why do you gotta do this. ]

... I was at her wedding last month, it was a small thing.

[ Era's closest friends and family. ]

Didn't get a chance to talk to her though.

She's alright. Didn't like me trying to protect her from crushing the life outta her, so she attacked me.

[He blinked, realised he needed to clarify, and gave a low laugh.]

I didn't see her and tripped over her. And damn well stuck to her. So there I am, falling, I try and stop myself from landing on her and hurting her, so she fought me. [And had a real damn problem with that.] Which is why I landed badly and have bruises.

We worked it out though.

She's... interesting. Feisty. Wonder if that's a trait of her people...

[ Ignis listens quietly, thankful for the distraction for now from the whipping comment. He unfolds his arms and leans forward a bit, elbows resting on his knees as he takes it in.

That last bit though. ]

... She's not human? [ He's not too surprised considering Pyra, but he can't see. ]

Thought the 'tail' might've given away that part. But no. If I remember... she's AuRa, been a while since I had that conversation though.

I knew someone like her before I got here. She was feisty too. And liked baking cookies.

[So real similar, just the colouring was different. Sarai's horns and makings had been black.]

Ah, I wasn't aware, as I said, I don't know her that well.

[ He exhales softy though, giving himself another moment before he speaks up again. ]

If I may, I respect your decision to want space, there's nothing wrong with that. But what I can't figure out is why you don't want to stay with us.

... The other us on the train didn't upset you, did they?

[Gladio's smile slipped. He'd tried to explain this a few times to people, but he wasn't sure he could truly convey just how little space there had been on that train. His need for space was for several reasons.

That being the biggest one.

The other... was one he would take to the damn grave with him. No one, none of them would know. He wouldn't put any undue strain on his relationships with people.

But he supposed there were things he could say. He'd come close last time. But was Ignis ready to listen? To understand? Gladio supposed he would soon see.]

... Look at it from my perspective, Iggy. I've just spent four months with you guys, we'd... worked out a few things. Things were better, for the most part. [He was quiet, sighed.] Noct used to sleep next to me while I read, it was one of the few quiet places. Prom blossomed there. And you... I tried with you. But something was missing, you kept us all at arms-length, except maybe Noct. But me and Prompto, you never had time for us.

The other two, we opened up, Iggy. They talked to me and listened when I talked back.

And I'm here... and things are just like back on Eos. But I don't know if I can go back to bein that way. So I've needed time.

[ You kept us all at arms length

you never had time for us

That's... his big take away right now from that. The him on the train hurt the other three; Noct, Prom and Gladio? That doesn't sound like him at all. Not matter how bad things had gotten, Ignis has always had time for them. Always. He'd never dream of pushing his family away. He's dedicated to Noctis, but he absolutely cares for the other two.

Why else would it frighten him the way it did with Prompto out in the freezing cold? Would that self on the train not have rescued Prompto? ]

Gladio, come here. [ He's reaching out a hand to Gladio, his friend. ] Please come sit with me.

[Once he'd started things just came tumbling out, it was almost a relief. He'd only ever talked to Prompto about Ignis before, about why he was so off with them. He'd been the same way with Prom and it had confused them so much. No matter how much they'd tried.

There had been one time though. One time where Ignis had been there for him. Where he'd honestly thought maybe they'd reached a turning point. But days later it went right back the way it had always been.

Gladio looked over at the hand, and didn't leave Ignis waiting. He pushed himself up, easing to his feet and stepped over to take the hand. He curled his fingers around it and sat himself down on Ignis' right.]

Don't get me wrong, you're not him, Iggy. I get that better than you know.

Adjusting to a new dynamic just... takes time.

[ Ignis keeps their hands locked together for now. ]

I understand, if you recall our previous conversation about the other you and how it made me feel.

I know better than anyone what you must be feeling regardless of that.

You are my friend, Gladio. Nothing can change that.

I can't think of a single situation that would get me to push all of you away, but I'm here now. I can help you repair whatever damage has been done to you cause of the other me on the train.

It seems that we both have other selves that have hurt one another. [ he muses quietly there. ]

Yeah, I remember...

[Future him had a lot to answer for. But he got it. Sadly he had no answers. He couldn't give Ignis a reason for why his counter-part had been the way he was. Why he'd been so... strange. Why he'd reacted the way he had.

He remembered how Ignis had never corrected Tony over his belief they were all slaves to the Crown. How he'd hedged and hidden everything away from him. Even the simplest of questions had been met with evasion. He still hadn't gotten a straight answer on how he and Tony had met, even after asking half a dozen times.

In the end he'd given up trying to get involved in Ignis' life. He'd not wanted them there.]

Just being here and actually talking to me makes you better than he was.

[ Ignis can't speak for his other self's actions on the train either. He's baffled honestly. It would take a lot for him to quit talking to Gladio, Prompto and especially Noctis. Regardless, all four of them are his brothers, they should be able to talk to each other, depend on one another. Not push people away.

He's just glad to hear to Gladio had Noctis and Prompto at least. It helps to know that he wasn't alone.

That last comment out of Gladio gets Ignis to free their hands and pulls the Shield into a hug, squeezing him tightly. ]

You need me, I'm here. [ Now he's glad that he came over, despite the original reason. ]

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