[Gladio just looked damn sad. How often had he thought the same thing? He was living proof that they were all living on borrowed time. He'd left people he cared about, in love with... he'd had a ring as well, but had never gotten the chance to hand it over.

It was all snatched away in the blink of an eye.]

A dream, huh... Yeah. That about sums it up.

[He hesitated, lightly tapping his fingers upon his mug... before he ventured, tone low, deep. Imparting a thought he hadn't voiced to anyone on this world.]

Its because of that, I don't feel like me. I'm a Shield. It's who I am, a life I was born into, raised to be. Nocts Shield. But what good is a Shield in a world like this? This isn't Eos. Noct isn't a King with a Kingdom to rule.

Its uh... been tough... working out who I am, when I'm not a Shield. I was like you. Didn't think falling in love was for me. Making a home. Sitting around on my hands doing nothing.

But I learned to like the peace, Era. I learned being a friend was better than a Shield.

I'm screwed if I ever make it back to Eos.