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♥ Who: Gladio and OTA.
♥ Where: Everywhere.
♥ When: January 3rd.
♥ What: Gladio finding his feet and meeting the locals.
♥ Rating: PG-13

Another Strange Place:
[Gladio had been walking toward a small group of children, smiling as disarmingly as a man as large and seemingly intimidating as he could. The adults were nowhere to be seen, aside from some of the elderly. He'd hoped to gain some information. Anything, to help...

But between one step and the next... everything went dark. Not not a bad kind of dark. It felt... strange...

... When Gladio opened his eyes to see sky above him, white clouds, blue, clear sky... He turned his head slightly to see... nothing he expected. Instead of rustic houses, dirt paths, wooden fences and children at play, he saw white. White pillars and columns shaped like trees. Red and white ornaments. Strange looking birds. And he was laying down in the centre of it all.

He rose slowly, turned and dropped his legs over the edge of slab of carved stone he lay upon. When Gladio looked down he still wore the same clothes he'd been wearing (black leather pants, dark brown tunic, black cloak), so at least that hadn't changed. There was a sigh as he lifted a hand to scrub across his face.]

Damn train's done it again...

[Was this a side mission? Why had he been pulled away? And where was everyone else? When Gladio looked at his wrist he frowned, his SCA was gone. That didn't bode well. He was just contemplating calling out when a strange robot approached him... and that's where Gladio found out that he wasn't in Irivar anymore.

He was lead from the stone slab into another area to find more robots... he was handed a tablet, some local currency... and sent him on his way.

Gladio stepped out of the, what was it? He looked back and up. Temple... definitely a temple. He stepped out... and immediately sat himself down on the steps in the snow to try and work his head around what the hell he'd gotten himself into this time.]

A Teeny Tiny Fortune:
[Having noticed the strange booth, Gladio approached curiously. These robots were a strange thing, but so was the box that he was handed. He shook it as directed, a small, amused smile on his lips.

Then he was given a piece of paper.]

"The smallest things can bring the biggest rewards." Huh... good things in small packages, right? Thanks.

[Still looking very amused, Gladio shoved the paper in his pocket and turned to go.]

Stuck On You:
[Apparently he needed to look for a place to live. This was a big step up from a small room with a smaller bed shared between four people.

Gladio had taken his cloak off and had it wrapped over one hand. The laces of his leather tunic had been loosened and he was considering just taking that off as well, but figured near stripping in the middle of the street could be frowned upon.

He was so distracted by his surroundings that he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Gladio bumped into someone. Automatically he reached out to stop whoever he ran into from hitting the ground... except that never happened. Wait, why couldn't he let go?]

Sorry! You okay?

Taking Stock:
[He'd found his way to the centre of the city it seemed. He'd found a fountain, an interesting structure that Gladio stood for a while, just looking at. He moved around it slowly, looking at all angles, before he sat himself down on the edge.

He stretched his legs out in front of himself and sighed.

So far this place didn't seem to have anything in common with where he had been before... He was starting to get a sinking feeling.

It was cold, there was snow everywhere, but nothing that was going to bother him so much that he was rushing to get indoors. He'd spent so much time inside over the last few months, even the snow was welcome.]

Home Away From Home:
[Houses... Small houses bunched together... And he was supposed to find one.]

Right... so how the hell does this work?

[Gladio walked up the street, then down it again, before he stopped in front of a house that appeared to be vacant. The tablet thing claimed it was unoccupied, so he walked on in.

After having a look around, he laughed to himself and did what was necessary to become the new owner... and then dropped himself down on sofa. Well and truly done.]

Wildcard:
[If you have another idea for a prompt, have at it, I'll run with anything. Though if you'd like to contact me I can be found on plurk and discord:

JustAnotherUsername | Theo#4816 - poke me as needed![

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Wh-

Noctis just about falls over in his haste to spin around, still a bit wobbly when it comes to balance, but the voice is unmistakable so the thought of taking his time doesn't exactly factor in. When he spots Gladio he freezes, eyes wide. Since when... where did he... what the hell?]

Gladio...? Is this for real?

[He sounds almost tentative as he pushes himself to his feet, glancing briefly down at Umbra for reassurance. The dog just wags his tail; yup, he's actually there. This isn't just some hallucination or memory coming up to give him false hope.]

[He looked down at himself. Maybe he looked like he was a reject from a ren faire but he was still him. Gladio glanced back with a crooked smile.]

As me as I can get, yeah.

[Noct's shock was a little concerning, just how long had Noct been here?]

Umbra showed me where to go.

Smartass.

[Noctis closes the distance between them, unable to really keep from staring - it's been so long - and reaches out to mock-punch Gladio's arm. Half out of habit, but half also to make absolutely sure he's real.]

What the hell are you wearing?

[Gladio just grinned. He didn't move as Noct came closer, and laughed when he was punched. He made a show of stumbling back a step.]

That's a long story. Needed it for where I was before here. And didn't come here with anything else.

Everybody's got a long story these days.

[He's one to talk. He wonders what that means, though- did Gladio come from somewhere other than Eos, like Prompto did?]

I'd offer you something from my closet but you'd rip it all to shreds. There's places to get clothes in town, though.

I bet. And I'll hit those places later. Was just getting the lay of the land when your friend found me.

[Gladio nodded toward Umbra, then smiled for Noct.]

It's good to see you again, Noct.

Uh, yeah, no kidding. Same to you.

[More than he cares to admit. Maybe he and Gladio didn't part ways on the best of terms ever, but that was at least 8 months ago, and a lot happened both here and on Eos to make him reassemble his priorities. A chance to have his whole family with him in this world of borrowed time? Hell yes he'll take it.

He jerks a thumb towards the house.]

You wanna come in and catch up?

Get outta this cold? Yeah, you bet. Lead the way.

[Gladio was more than ready to get out of the snow.

Snow was nice to look at from inside. But unless you were wrapped up warm, being out in it sucked.]

[Noctis heads inside, nudging off his shoes and leaving the door open for Gladio to follow. Umbra trots in behind them, paws shedding snow as easily as water might roll off a duck; magic Messenger, so Noct's well past the point of questioning it. He leads the way into the kitchen, putting on the kettle. The way he moves is a little slower than he normally should be, if Gladio's looking closely, but otherwise he looks fine.

The house isn't elaborately decorated but looks warm and well lived-in, a mixture of clean and messy that is a staple for Noct's living space. The kitchen is very tidy, with a few items carefully labeled and textured to make it easier for Ignis to navigate it.]

Want something hot? If you want a coffee, we've got Ebony.

[He's making hot chocolate.]

Tea, if you've got it?

[Gladio's paused by the door, kicking his booted feet upon the ground before entering to shake off some of the snow, but still bends to take them off once he's stepped through. Noct had, so he figured he should as well. Saved treading dirt and water all over the nice clean floors.

When he's done, he pads after Noct on socked feet and leans in the doorway, watching.[

So... how've you been?

[Noctis goes about making a few cups, happy to keep his hands busy. The perks of growing flowers is that you've always got petals to dry for tea, and he'd bought a supply from the cafe, so he drops one of the purple blooms into a pot and fetches himself some chocolate from the replicator. He hesitates before answering; thank goodness Gladio arrived now instead of a few days ago.]

I'm fine. Things are weird here, but pretty peaceful. Kinda feels like a vacation, most days. [He glances sidelong at Gladio, taking in the gear.] What about you? Looks like you've gone places.

[Once more, Gladio looked down at himself, and grinned.]

Saving the world.

Least I hope that worlds getting saved. I got pulled here before I could get more than a few feet.

Also you're a sucky liar. But I won't push.

[Gladio shrugged.]

I was taken from Eos after we left the reactor at Lestallum. That was about four months ago.

[Noctis goes still at that, quiet for a long moment- both at being called out, but more significantly, the time Gladio last recalls from home.]

Lestallum...

[That's so far back. That- Lestallum feels like a lifetime ago. Not even to the boat ride, not even to Altissia... he'd missed everything that had gone wrong. It's kind of mind-numbing; it's how he'd started out when he first arrived here, clueless to the hell that Ignis and Prompto had already experienced.

His lips purse tightly, and he keeps his gaze fixed on the kettle as it begins to steam. The reactor. And then four months?]

...Where'd you end up, then? [What world was he saving?]

A train that travelled through the Void. No idea what the Void is. Something about time and space, and... [He waved a hand dismissively... Then his tone quieted.]

Iggy was there... He'd been there on his own for months before I got there. Prompto too. Same time as me. And a few weeks later you did.

Hah, well, not you, but a version of you.

[Noctis lifts his brows at that, shifting his attention to Gladio again. A time space... train? Another version of him, too.]

...Sounds familiar. [Different "versions"... like Ignis, like Luna. He's seen a few instances of this happening.] Guess there's no escaping me, huh?

You're telling me. Few months later another you showed up. You were blind...

And a bit of a dick.

[Gladio hadn't really had much to do with that version of Noct though, he'd been much more interested in Prompto. But he could understand that.]

[Gladio earns a puzzled and annoyed look at that.]

That doesn't sound like me. [He's a very nice guy, thank you very much.] I guess a lot went wrong in that version of Eos.

[More than usual, at least.]

Yeah, a lot. He'd come from somewhere else too. Some fleet... he was a pilot he said. I think...

[Gladio was sure that guy had said he'd piloted a big ship of some kind, but he'd never went into detail with him.]

[Something about what he says tickles at the back of Noct's brain. Besides the questionable nature of a blind pilot, the word sticks out...]

Fleet? Like... [Wait, no way.] Was that in space, too?

Well it was a spaceship so yeah, think so.

Have I told you I hate space? I found that out real quick!

[Really hates space. Like it was an actual fear of his. But he didn't need to go into too much detail there.]

Doesn't sound like much fun.

[He's never been, but he'd seen enough of that endless, empty galaxyscape inside the Crystal, and he doesn't need more of it. He's curious now, though... if this is the same space fleet he's heard about before.]

You should tell Prompto. He was in the same situation as you- came from somewhere else before here, and it was in space. Maybe he knew Dickmode Prince.

Maybe he did...

[Gladio... wasn't sure if he was ready for that just yet, but he'd get there. He was sure he'd bump into Prompto at some point...]

Guess I'll ask and find out.

[Noctis makes a mental note to not ask. He doesn't need to know anything about his unfortunate alternate self. One of him in the universe is enough, he doesn't need to know more than that.]

He's around, though you might want to track him down later. He got sick and Ignis is doing the protective-mom hover. He's supposed to be sleeping.

[Technically so is Noct, but he's had enough of that for now.]

[He frowned, concern in his expression.]

He's sick...? Right, I'm sure he's being looked after. I'll... I'll go say hi when he'd feeling better.

[No point in bothering him when he wasn't well.]

Good.

[He pauses, considering whether or not to say it, and then adds,]

Just be nice to the poor guy, alright? He... hasn't seen you in a really long time. You're the only one who hasn't been here.

[The long months without Gladio for Noct had been hard enough, but for Prompto it's been years. He may not have the same long history as the trio do, but he's still known Gladio for a good chunk of time and the journey beyond Insomnia had brought them all closer. Missing him has been rough on everyone.]