001 | everything moves in circles

[shieldyourass]

[ VIDEO ]

[ When the feed turns on, it shows a very tall man, muscular, long hair half-tied back. He's rubbing the back of his head with a wince - maybe he hit his head on the way out of the cocoons?

There's a very large sword strapped across his back, but otherwise, he's dressed quite casually in black.

He smirks into the camera. ]

Interestin reading material you guys've got here. Pretty girl in that fancy projection, too. All in all? Not a bad introduction.

I'll play along for now.

...



... Once you're all done messing around, though, and have figured out a way back?

Let me know.

Comments

[shieldyourass]

[ A bit of disbelief: ]

... How.

You got knocked off the train, by Noct, because he thought you were Ardyn.

Unless you've got a way to show us when that creep-ass is pretendin to be you? There wasn't anythin you could've done to stop that.

[chocobosnap]

[He seems to be fretting about something.]

I escaped once, I should've been able to keep away. I didn't have frostbite that time.

A-And the first part wasn't so bad.

[shieldyourass]

... Frostbite.

[ Frowns again. ]

It sounded bad enough. And.

From what you're explaining, from what I understand anyway, once you were grabbed by Chancellor Dickless, you were bein yanked around.

And yet you still blew up a base and killed a lot of MT soldiers - that doesn't sound like you were just lyin around, waitin to be captured.

[chocobosnap]

Well yeah, after the train I walked and walked, but you remember. It was cold.

[He had ice around his eyes from burning wind, it was so cold.]

I know, but I should've...I dunno, I went into Gralea and I should've hid or something, but he caught me again.

[He rubs the back of his neck.]

Guess I'm not a great strategist.

[shieldyourass]

If you hid, he probably would've found you. He was pretty fucking good at messing with us, even after we knew he was bad news. Don't beat yourself up over that.

[ Sits a bit forward in his side of the couch: ]

This shit wasn't your fault, Prom.

[chocobosnap]

[He sighs softly, because it feels like it is. It feels like he failed to do something important and he paid the price for it, and inconvenienced Noct, Gladio and Ignis.]

But I couldn't get out on my own. I should've done something more. I don't...know what right now but-

[He curls in on himself, he's not great at talking about the whole thing and the longer he dwells on it, the worse he feels.]

[shieldyourass]

[ Reaches out, shakes his shoulder a bit, stresses every word: ]

It isn't your fault.

Might be hard to believe, but I repeat it 'til it sinks in. I'm sure Noct and Iggy would, too.

[chocobosnap]

[He breathes and his own hands were interlinked together.]

Not my fault. Right.

[It feels like it is, but for the moment, he has to let himself believe.]

It's kinda hard, and I'm just...I'll be fine. I know I will be someday. I hope?

[shieldyourass]

[ Sighs, sits back again. He's trying not to push Prompto too hard too quickly on this.

But he can repeat: ]

No hope needed, remember?

I've already lived through it.

[chocobosnap]

I trust you. It's hard, but I do.

[He hesitates and reaches out with his hand towards Gladio.]

And Noct called me his brother so...so yeah. I'm okay. I'm okay.

[It's less like he's telling Gladio that, but rather comfort himself.]

[shieldyourass]

Yeah. You're gonna be okay.

[ Yes. That's what he thought of Noctis and Prompto as, too. He clasps his hand in a strong grip, reassuring, solid.

He lifted his face in a small grin, much smaller than it'd normally be, when he said: ]

Like two annoying little brothers, you are. Never thought he'd say it.

[chocobosnap]

[He blushes slightly.]

Yeah, we're like brothers. Kinda dumb to be talking about stuff like this when I'm this old...like I need family.

[Except he does, everyone does.]

[shieldyourass]

[ Scoffs a little. ]

Who doesn't need family?

[ Everyone did. ]

[chocobosnap]

I don't know, don't you just outgrow them?

[Gladio has a younger sister, he can understand looking after her, but she'll be 18 someday and then he won't have to. Prompto doesn't really know what he's talking about.]

You just become an adult and that's it?

[At least, that's how his family was, not that he saw them much before he was an adult, but details.]

[shieldyourass]

[ Shakes his head. But his voice isn't without a little hint of sympathy. ]

You never outgrow family, Prom. Least, not the family you choose.

Take Iris - [ And he doesn't read minds, that's just a natural place for him to go here ] - when I left, she was a really fine daemon huntress in her own right, kickin ass and savin lives all across Eos.

[ It's a near thing, but he remembers not to mention the darkness in time. ]

But even with that - she'll always be my little sister. I'll always be her big brother. That won't ever change. Even when she can top my kill count.

[chocobosnap]

[He nods a little, at least, he considered them family, a family that he somehow snuck into, people who want him around and he's desperate to keep it that way, he's still struggling with facing that part of him, that side of him that is just longing and terrified he's going to lose it all.]

I have you guys, yeah. I-If you want me! [It's meant to be a joke, one he stumbles over because that's always been the problem, hasn't it?]

Iris is a hunter? I'm not that surprised, she always seemed tough.

[shieldyourass]

[ He tilted his head, gave him a small smirk. Because, yeah, he heard that stutter, that waver of insecurity. Normally he just teased him a bit for it. But right now? ]

Couldn't get rid of us if you tried, Prom. Deal with it.

[ Can't help but brag a bit about Iris: ]

She is my sister, y'know? No shortage of work for her to sharpen her blade on. Hell, if she shows up here, she'd give us all a run for our money. I'd like to see her spar against Noct sometime.

[ Which, of course, would never happen back home, now. ]

[chocobosnap]

[He flushes, but he's really pleased to hear it and he pats Gladio's arm and sits back with a relaxing sigh.]

Yeah, your whole family, just demons with the sword.

[He laughs softly.]

Noct's not gonna hold a candle to her, is he?

[shieldyourass]

[ His grin is a little devious as he chuckles. ]

Probably not - but maybe that'll motivate him to train harder.

[ Gladiolus can dream, anyway. ]