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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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. ]

[The hug genuinely surprised him. He didn't resist, why would he? But it took him a handful of seconds to wrap his mind around what was happening. He was the one who did this. The only time people hugged him was when he was having a damn break down.

Slowly he curled his arm Ignis'.

It was.. strange. Really strange. Because he would have argued. He didn't need anything, why would he need this? And yet having Ignis' arm around him tight was grounding in a way he hadn't realised he actually needed.

He laughed and let his head just... drop. He dropped it into his friends shoulder.]

You're a good friend, Iggy.

[ Ignis says nothing after the fact, letting Gladio cling to him as much as he needs to.

It hurts his heart to think that his other self did this, hurt Gladio this way. There's no excuse for it. He'd never understand why that other self pushed his friends away.

Ignis is loyal to a fault, he knows he is. Once he cares about someone, they're in his life forever. He'd adopted Pyra recently too. His little family is growing. ]

People used to call us the sword and shield, Gladio. [ And with good reason, he heard the whispers back home about him and Gladio's nicknames. He'd ignored them. ] And I know we've clashed over how to handle Noct sometimes, but that's what made us work. [ Gladio claiming that Ignis was too soft on Noctis, while Ignis thought that Gladio was being too hard on Noct. It was a struggle to find a middle ground, but they made it work out... somehow. ]

You're a good friend too, Gladio.

Hah yeah, they did... [He'd almost forgotten, it felt like an age ago. But it was true, they'd clashed and he knew that they're probably both had the wrong idea. Not soft and not hard, they should have worked together more. Ignis was right though, somehow they'd made it work. He didn't know how effective he'd been, it could have been worse.

... It had been worse. Just Gladio wasn't there to see it.]

Thanks, Iggy. [Taking a breath, he pulled back slowly.] I get this place isn't the same. And you guys aren't the same. No need to worry about that. [The things that had happened on the train he would put far to the back of his mind. Everything was brand new here. Including him.]

[ It does pain him greatly to hear that the Noctis and Prompto on the train had been without a friend, Noctis especially since he's taken an oath to protect him, but stand by his side as a friend and brother. It hurts to know that the him on the train went back in his word there. ]

... I know.

[ He lets Gladio withdraw from the hug as he files this information away for later. This is going to stick with him for a while. ]

I suppose I should let you sleep if you haven't been getting any. Will you be all right from here?

Sleep would... yeah. Yeah I could give that a try now.

[It wasn't exactly what he'd wanted to say to Ignis, but for now it'd do. There was time for more later. Gladio felt bad that this was the way the conversation had gone. He felt bad that he'd put this on Ignis. But Ignis had asked.... and he'd made a vow of his own not to openly lie to his friend. Maybe it wasn't these friends he'd made that vow to, but close enough.]

Sure, I'll be fine now. C'mon. [He stood and as he did he reached down first to lightly touch the back of Ignis' hand to show him he was there, and then to take that hand.] I'll lead you out. You'll be okay gettin home from here?

[ If it's any consolation to Gladio, Ignis appreciates the honestly. He hadn't expected the Shield to open up like that.

He takes the hand in his and slowly eases himself up and off the couch. ]

Of course, I'll be all right getting back from here.

You take care, Gladio.

[ Now that he understands Gladio a bit better about needing to adjust to a new dynamic, he can't fault him at all for wanting the space. ]

If you're sure. You too, Iggy. Take care.

[Once at the door, Gladio helped Ignis out. Then he leaned against it, arms folded across his chest, and watched Ignis leave. And continued to watch him until he couldn't see him any more.

Only then did he close the door... and go and throw himself onto his sofa with a groan. Arm across his eyes and just... tried not to hate himself too much.]

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