hugtopia | Video: CW: Language

Entry tags:

Video: CW: Language

[A disheveled middle aged man's face appears on the screen looking incredibly over it. Whatever 'it' is, he's been done with it since Friday and there's no end in sight. There's a large smear of chocolate running from just about his ear on his left side down his neck and along one side of a red hoodie he's wearing.]

Dammit! Damn this place and those creepy bears from god-knows-what! Where the hell am I? Voidtreckers, if you can hear me, my communicator isn't connecting me to the train!

Of all the f-

[Tony's cut off as he spots another bear gang down the street and moves quickly to an alley out of sight.]

What is this place?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[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.]

Talkin to the wrong guy, Stark. You need to talk to someone who's been here longer than me. All I know is the one I have gives me what I need and I make it...

[Seeing Tony's reaction to the whole jail thing reminded him of the reason he'd even said it and why Tony would not like it so much. Gladio moved his hand from the cat to lightly pat the older mans knee.]

Hey, we did the best we could back there. Too many cooks in the kitchen was the problem, not you or any one person. It was a shitshow from start to finish. But we're basically guests in this world. I don't know if there's a government, but I've heard there are people to talk to. Priests mainly. Again, I'm not the one to ask. Been here a month and still learning.

[He grinned then and nodded.]

Free as can be stuck behind a wall, but freer than we were.

[He shook his head.]

I should've done more. If I had taken her out immediately.. or finished making that jail cell..

[Or convinced the others somehow.]

It was like another legal matter that tore my team apart back home. Somehow, we couldn't find a common ground and so many people got hurt.

[He gave Gladio's hand a friendly squeeze and pulled back.]

But, life goes on. At least we're somewhere we don't have to run. I'm grateful for that at least. Want to show me this house of yours?

Did the best you could under crap circumstances. Even if you'd made the cell, someone would've argued against it. They even argued against usin those quiet rooms.

[Gladio honestly would have just liked to camp that asshole and killed him. Both of them should have been punished more for what had happened. It had been a mess from start to finish.]

The assholes running the Trecker should've done something. Just throwing people in a tin can and hoping for the best was an idiot move on their part.

[He stood, grabbed the last two fries and grinned.]

C'mon then, old man. We won't run, we'll walk.

[If he could allow himself the excuse, Gladio words were true. There was never going to be an agreement with the train or with the Avengers. Sometimes you just fail no matter how hard you try or how much you want to do the right thing.

He pet the cat one more time and got to his feet. He groaned at the pun as he followed.]

Ugh, that was terrible! I'd expect better from you!

[And yet, guess who is chuckling.]

That's your first mistake!

[Gladio was laughing as he walked to the door and grabbed up his umbrella. The chocolate had dried and it was kind of gross. He was smiling though, glad to hear Tony laugh. And even more glad to see the rain had stopped when he opened the door.]

Maybe we'll get there before the rain starts again?

[He grinned and stepped out. He took the cue from Gladio on which way to go but then walked swiftly hoping to get somewhere he could collapse before too long. That drink had plenty of liquor but not nearly enough caffeine.]

I know it's not my business, but you're not keeping your friends at arm's length because of this issue with Prompto, are you? That's what Ignis did to you guys and it only led to bad feelings all around.

[For a brief moment Gladio's steps faltered. He shot Tony a look, then a frown... and finally he sighed.]

It's... complicated. I, look, I'm not the same guy I was back home. And the guy they remember was a dick. At some point in my future I end up pushing them all away anyway. They expect that guy and get me instead. I've not been through the things they've been through.

So right now it's just finding a common ground. [Gladio gave a brief smile.] And me finding my footing. It's... weird. I got so used to just... going up to one of them and hugging them. Have to remember not to each time. First time I even tried touchin' Noct he flinched...

[Tony was quiet again, thinking. He'd certainly been an ass to his team many times too.]

It's hard not being that way when you're so worried for their safety, especially if they're being idiots about it. Like how often was I a total jerk to Peter and then he'd do something stupid like take Buttercup through that portal without telling me? Wait, where you here for that?

[He couldn't remember, which was a difficult thing to deal with when his memory was normally flawless. Time though had been so tricky on that train.

He also realized something else.]

I won't be able to touch him either, will I?

[No, he's not talking about Noct.]

Edited 2021-02-17 03:23 (UTC)

If it wasn't on Blue Team I didn't much pay attention. Had my hands full. [He gave a sheepish grin then because he probably should have paid more attention, but there had just been so many kids on his team, his focus had been on keeping everyone on his team alive that everything else had been secondary.

But then the next question and Gladio shook his head.]

Probably not, no. I'm sorry, Tony. But I think we left a hell of a lot back on the Voidtrecker. We're startin fresh here.

It's probably for the best.

[Losing Ignis was hard, but not any harder than losing Pepper and Morgan. He could handle this. He was fine. Totally fine.]

Is getting a car on your to-do list? Just how far is this place?

I'd been considering my motorcycle. Never owned a car.

But since the Regalia is here... [He grinned] Remind me to see them about letting you have a look at her. You'd love her.

[He grinned.]

I'd be willing to put up half for a motorcycle. You'd get a black one, right?

That's the one.

[Least the one he'd had back home was just straight black. A little chrome here and there, but black was the shade he'd gone for.]

Guess when you're more settled we'll have to find you work. Save up and we can get it. Not that you need it. You can fly, dumbass. [He was laughing as he spoke. Tony hadn't been able to do much of that on the train but Gladio remembered him saying he could.]

[He opened his mouth to say something flippant about working as a gigolo but froze and looked up. Staring at the sky, he let that knowledge and sudden rush of freedom fill him. He could fly again!]

Wow...

[He considered lifting off right that very second. He could almost feel the rush of adrenaline, but no.]

You're not really supposed to mix those pills with alcohol.

[Meaning, he needed to get where he was going to sleep soon as he'd basically given himself a tranquilizer.]

[Gladio's laughter died at that and he immediately reached out to take Tony's arm.]

You'll be alright? It's not far but... [Okay, offering to carry the guy would probably be met with something sarcastic, so Gladio would just have to keep a close eye on him.]

Just a few minutes. Think you can last till then?

[Tony huffed a laugh and nodded.]

Yes, but if I try to go flying, it'll be drunk-flying. I don't want to get a Flying Under the Influence citation on my first day here.

[He didn't push Gladio away though. Maybe it wasn't so bad to side hug someone for a while.]

This girl I talked to earlier looked just like a grown up Madoka. She had about as much sense too.

Then wait till tomorrow and have a fly around. Till then, keep those feet on the ground.

[Gladio kept his hand right where it was. He was concerned. Maybe a drink hadn't been the best idea. He should have gotten him tea. He'd let his happiness and excitment over seeing Tony override his better judgment. That was dumn.

Yet he laughed a moment later. A grown up Madoka...?]

Pyra, right? She's... she's somethin special. Really sweet. Her and Noct are a thing. They're together.

I plan on it! I'll take you up there too.

[He rolled his eyes hearing about Pyra.]

How does that little shit always get the good looking ones? First he gets Ignis, then he gets you and the puppy, and now Strawberry Shortcake. What the fuck?

Video: CW: Language

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)