hugtopia | Video: CW: Language

[He stared at it a moment and then looked out the window next to them. It was like he was finally connecting a few things Gladio had been telling him- like this wasn't the train.]

No more food of the month and being locked in a train..

[His gaze slowly returned to Gladio.]

Is this for real?

[Please don't mess with him. He's seeing a glimmer of hope for the first time in a long time..]

Pretty much. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows either.

[He snagged a fry and shoved it in his mouth. It bought him a little time to formulate what he needed to say, or where to start. And he supposed starting at what he knew would be best.]

Basically we're on a world that went to shit. The natives gave up their physical forms to be robots. Their gods didn't like it. Apparently they feed off that 'feel good' feeling of skin-on-skin contact. So the world started to die.

Long story short, this city's in a bubble. Outside the bubble it's a mess, but I've not seen it. I'm told it's toxic out there. But in here it's not so bad. Aside from some of the weird things that happen. Like weird ass weather.

So a small price to pay to be off a too small train, huh?

So we're like porn for gods?

[That was disturbing. What sick freak was 'feeding' off their hug from earlier?]

I don't want to be a gigolo for these perverts. I don't blame everyone wanting to be a robot if they were trying to get away from that.

[He burst out laughing. Yeah. Yeah it was exactly like that. It took Gladio a half a minute to get his laughter under control, but he was grinning after.]

Yeah, somethin like that. Turns out this world needs that 'physical energy' to keep it alive. Living, breathing bodies. Which is why we're all here.

[He smirked.]

You're protesting? Figured you'd all over an excuse to get your hands on a, what was your type again? 'Leggy blondes with giant... IQs.'?

[Okay, he couldn't argue with that. He took a sip of his drink and shrugged. His smile growing and he laughed at the last part.]

Yes but I think I'll stay away from the ones still in their twenties. Though you can't beat that sex drive..

[Damn had his ex been fun.]

Where's your little blonde puppy?

[Wait. Gladio had said only Tony and...]

He isn't here?

[Gladio's smile froze, then vanished completely as he lifted a finger to his lips.]

Prompto's here. But not the same one. So we don't talk about that, alright? [A small half smile and a single shoulder's shrug.] Don't wanna make things awkward.

See... they're all here, Tony. Prompto, Noctis... and Ignis. But they don't know anything about the Void. They're not ours. Different timeline, different copies. That stupid multi-universe crap. They're further along too.

[Gladio put his drink down on the table and turned more to face Tony.]

Back when Noct showed up on the train he told me about Ignis. Hell, they both did. They were both surprised. At Altissia, Iggy loses his sight. The Iggy here... he can't see. He used the ring to save Noct and paid the price. Least, that's what Noct told me.

[All the joking and light-heartedness of a moment ago was gone for both of them. Tony felt the knew what it was like to lose someone. How much worse must it be to find that same person but without the memories you'd made together?

He nodded, understanding immediately that this topic was delicate and painful. He was just reaching out a hand to show brotherly solidarity when that last part dropped. He couldn't help it. He recoiled and sucked in a sharp breath.]

Ignis is what? He's..

[He slammed his fist down on the table and cursed.]

Dammit!

[He felt that ripple of anxiety within him. There was a weight on his chest. He fished through his pockets and found the pills he both hated and relied on. He might've been embarrassed, but he'd done way more embarrassing things in front of Gladio than take anxiety medicine.]

And he's not.. he's not the one I know, right?

[He'd expected a reaction and he'd not been disappointed. So Gladio waited. Let him get it out of his system before he was the one to reach out and drop a heavy hand onto Tony's shoulder.

Yes, be angry, Tony. Angry like Gladio couldn't. He'd wanted to rage, to scream and shout and break things, but hadn't been able to. So he'd wallowed instead. His own pain buried deep until he had been alone and he could poke at it's edges and let the pain take him.]

No, not him. He came here directly from Eos. Iggy from the train is out there somewhere. He's just... not here.

[He waited a beat.]

Iggy's with Prompto now.

[It broke his heart to hear the stories Noct and Prompto had come to the train with had been true. He remembered how it had hurt Ignis to learn he'd eventually go blind. He wanted desperately to go to that skinny fool and protect him from everything, but.. it wasn't his Ignis. This Ignis wouldn't know who he was. He wouldn't know there was someone who would literally do just about anything he could to make him happy..

He looked at Gladio confused. His Ignis was with Prompto? How did he know- oh! Oh wow, that sucked.]

Okay, I need you to tell me how we both can get plastered fast.

With fiery giraffes, apparently. [He gave Tony's shoulder a gentle squeeze before he removed his hand to grab up his drink. And downed it in one.

Yeah, it sucked. But it was a weird one.]

I'm happy for them. Even Noct's got someone he loves. They're in good places now.

And maybe one day I'll run into my Prom somewhere. And you Iggy. But... guess I always knew it wouldn't last. Lets face it, we could've been sent back at any minute. We were on borrowed time. I'm just glad I got the time I had. I was happy.

[And he could be again, eventually, when the hurt wasn't so raw.]

This is the only place that serves liquor?

[This place sucked!

He listened but then he shook his head.]

That's great. Say that when you're in your next beauty pageant, Tinkerbell. You can't just hold that crap inside and if I know you at all, that's what you've done for the last month.

Suckin it up and not stressing my friends out takes priority over my feelings.

[And the very last thing he wanted was for them to treat him differently knowing that he'd been involved with two of them, seriously involved with one of them...]

I can hold it in as long as I need to if it keeps them safe. And me safe.

[He looked at Tony with a frown.]

You gonna tell me you're not happy Ignis, this Ignis, has found someone he cares about?

[Tony sighed and his gaze dropped to his hand where his wedding band was. He thought of the period of time it had been on a thinner finger.]

I'd be happy if my Ignis found someone he cared about too.

[That certainly made this complicated for him since Ignis wasn't exactly 'his' in either realities.]

I just mean that you don't have to give me that line. If you told me you were upset and hoped they both fell in horse shit tomorrow, I wouldn't hold it against you. I know you're a good person and wouldn't really want that. I'd offer to spar with you like we used to do but..

[His expression turned more tired again and maybe somewhat guilty.]

I can't.

I won't lie. It hurts. But I really am happy for them.

[It was somehow a relief to be able to admit that. Yes, it hurt. But only in the sense that he missed the man he'd loved. This Prompto wasn't that guy. Noct wasn't that guy. Even Ignis was different from the one on the Trecker.

The same but all so different.

Just like him.]

Don't need to spar. Especially when it's raining chocolate outside. [A small smile.] And we'll get you back on your feet in no time.

Edited 2021-02-16 04:07 (UTC)

[He was quiet looking at his drink and thinking over everything. It had been a lot to take in within a very short period of time. At least he'd had a friend to help him navigate through some of it.]

We'll see.

[He raised his glass.]

To being happy for others' happiness and cursing the fates for being royal dicks.

[Since he'd already finished his drink, Gladio grabbed a fry and held that up.]

Now that, I can agree with. Fuck fate. [Be bit the fry in half. Then thought of something.]

Should tell you, housing's free here. I can take you to find a place later or... you're welcome to stay with me. There's room. And a bed you'll fit on. [Okay they were just a bit better than single beds but he had plans to make that one of the first things he fixed. Making his bed a double.]

[Tony tossed back the last of his drink and chuckled about the fry being used for a toast. It had been clever!

He was surprised by the offer, though if the roles were reversed he would've done the same.]

If you're sure? At least until I can get my bearings with this place. So there aren't assigned roommates or anything here? Ten points for Havenwell.

[Gladio grabbed another fry, laughing as he did. He didn't get the reference, as usual, but he appreciated the effort.]

No forced roommates. The house isn't huge. Bedrooms smallish. Single beds. One bathroom. But there's the option to upgrade. [And that he knew he wanted to do. He wanted one of those bigger houses. The ones with the gardens. The space. He'd happily save up to get one of those. And if Tony said yes, even more of a reason to want to get their hands on one.]

But you can get your own too. [He grinned.] But I figure no matter how small the house is, it's a hundred times bigger than the shoe box we had on the Trecker.

[If they were keeping score between the train and this city, not having to share your living space with a bunch of roommates you didn't know was a plus or points on Havenwell's side.

It dawned on him that Gladio wasn't just offering him a room for the night but to be roommates.]

Isn't that the truth..

[Anything was better than the train.]

How do you up- hello?

[Tony looked down under the table to a little gray kitty rubbing up against his legs. It gave a friendly 'mew'. He leaned down to let it smell his hand and then scratch behind its ears. He was surprised when the cat jumped up on the seat with him.]

Friendly little bugger aren't you?

Edited 2021-02-16 18:08 (UTC)

[Whether Tony wanted to be his roommate or just stay as long as he needed to get on his feet, Gladio was more than happy to help. And would be very happy for the company. The peace had been amazing after so long cramped together with dozens of other people. But he had also gotten used to those dozens of people. Eventually the peace was starting to get to him.

He grinned when the cat jumped into Tony's lap.]

Warned you there're cats. They're all friendly. Used to people. Just no feeding them. They frown on that here.

Aww, why can't we feed them?

[He gave an exaggerated, playful pout.]

How can you say no to that face? I'm sorry my friend is cold-hearted and doesn't want to give you treats.

Because they'll get cat and spoiled and won't eat their dinner.

[He grinned and reached out to lightly rub the cats ear.]

They're well looked after. They're just here for attention... and probably because it realised you were stressing.

Aren't cats supposed to be fat? The most famous cat on my world is a chubster. He- Hey! I wasn't..

Okay, fine, I was stressing.

[He sighed, feeling the fight fade out of him.]

Is there anything else I should know about this place?

Some cats. These cats are owned by people who don't like it much. And good, don't argue. Know you well enough now.

[He knew the signs even when Tony was trying so hard to hide them. And he hadn't been hiding them, if cracking open his pills was any indication.]

Uh shit, now you're askin me to think. Right, well food here's different. The houses have replicators. The basic houses, like the one I've got, spits out ingredients to cook. Still pretty basic, but there's options to upgrade I'm told. [He pauses, thinking.] Try not to piss anyone off or start fights. They'll lock you up here. No waiting a month for a group of people to argue the case. Just straight to jail.

[He chuckled and nodded. Fine, he won't argue about stressing or feeding the cats. He really wanted to though. And no knocking the pills. They were already calming him down.. as was the cat.]

Wait so the replicators don't actually make the food, they make the ingredients? If it can make something out of nothing then why would it matter if it was making a biscuit or a cup of flour?

[Before his mind could go too far down that bunny trail, he winced at that last comment. One of his biggest failures. It had been torturing him every day since the trial, but he'd felt as though he had no power. He couldn't accept that though. There had to have been something better he could've done.]

Right.

[He focused on the cake for a few moments.]

So they have their own government and infrastructure here?

[Pause.]

We're really free?

[From the train, of course.]

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